Broken Plug...To Heat Or Not To Heat

[jimeeh1]

Broke a plug in half in my 97 X 5.0. Got all the ceramic and electrode remains out and now trying to EZ out. Read on some posts about heating the plug remains before trying the EZ out. Any one have success with this? To me it seems you would be expanding the plug threads and only make it harder. Another thing I'm concerned with is all the penetrating oil I've been hitting it with igniting. Any thoughts on how to approach it from here?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[rookieshooter]

Heat around the plug. You want the surrounding metal to expand. Just wipe off the oil heat it up, EZ out it and post pic of it out. I've done it a zillon times on tough bolts. Remember around the bolt with the heat do not heat long use moderation.

 

[jimeeh1]

This is being a real SOB. Broke 2 tap handles with the EZ out and now frightened of breaking the EZ out, not to mention running out of tools. Letting it soak with Kroil overnight. Anyone have any enlightening insights into this?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Jim, you need to cool the plug (and shrink the threads). There are several ways to do this, but the easiest and cheapest is to use dry ice. Fabricate a funnel that will fit over the plug remains, and fill the funnel with dry ice. Wait about an hour, and then use the EZ out.

 

[jimeeh1]

Finally got it out.(Thank God). Found a very useful tool to aid in removal of plugs or any other seized bolt for that matter. Its a product called circuit freeze made by puretronics. There are other manufacturers, I even found one on the web to freeze dogshit. Its an aerosol thats used to freeze components on circuit boards as a troubleshooting aid and cools surface temps to -60 and can be purchased at any good electronic supply stores.

 

[rookieshooter]

Finally got it out.(Thank God). Found a very useful tool to aid in removal of plugs or any other seized bolt for that matter. Its a product called circuit freeze made by puretronics. There are other manufacturers, I even found one on the web to freeze dogshit. Its an aerosol thats used to freeze components on circuit boards as a troubleshooting aid and cools surface temps to -60 and can be purchased at any good electronic supply stores.

Glad you got it out. thats a good tip about aerosol can. It sounds safer then heating it also. But just wondering did you try to heat it up around the plug and then Ez it out? It's the same concept as the freeze can except your expanding the metal around the bolt where as the other way your contracting the bolt. The heating around the bolt not on the bolt has worked at least for me everytime and can be used if you don't have a can of freeze. With that said I'm getting a can of that stuff.

 

[jimeeh1]

The heat didn't work worth a ****. I tried for a day and a half heating and tapping etc. Only had a propane torch but even with an oxy accetalene torch I'm not so sure. The heat dissipated through the entire motor quite rapidly and would never get real hot where you wanted it to. A little side note, I'm also told you have to be careful if the heads are aluminum because they don't distribute uneven heating well and may warp. The freezing worked quite well. Froze it once, tried extracting with no luck, became depressed, tried it again and out she came.

 

[spindlecone]

That stuff is also great when you lost the key for wheelocks, freeze it, wack it with a chisle, they crack in half.