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broken spark plug on 00 XLT

jtd1

Member
Joined
March 7, 2009
Messages
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City, State
circleville ohio
Year, Model & Trim Level
2000 XLT
I want to mention first that i stumbled upon this site today while doing a search. i read a couple threads that related but i think my broken spark plug is sifferent in that there is still some ceramic enter left...

Yesterday, on a trip i started having a little car trouble in my 00 explorer XLT. The engine sounded like it was choppy. Stopped at the closest mechanic and he checked the code and said one the cylinder's wasn't firing. He cleared the code and tested it out for a few and it came right back. the engine was still running choppy. He tells me that it's probably the spark plugs and to start there. I bought the truck used so i'm not sure how old the plugs are and it was my first thought too.

I thank him and ask how much. He says don't worry about. I try and give him at least 10 bucks for his time. He refuses. It is refreshing to meet people like that.

So this morning i go up to the store get the OEM plugs and get to work replacing them.. I spray with PB blaster and first 5 no problem. Next 2 were tight to get to but finally got them out no problem. Last one i go to do is the one that was misfiring i think. it was on the passenger side, in the third cylinder from the front. It is tucked pretty tight by the shock support but i got the right combo of wrench and extension and got the socket on it right. I give it a little wrenching and it breaks in half. I don't think i pulled excessively hard. I did an experiment with one the other old plugs trying to intentionally break it in half. I tried but couldn't break the spark plug intentionally.

My problem is that I have the outer half of the plug and the hex metal sitting on the couter. but there is a part of the ceramic core left in the plug along with the metal threads. I read that i could use an easy out to pull the threads but the ceramic won't let me get it set into the metal. The ceramic seems like it is busted partly loose and will spin inside the metal.

my thoughts were that maybe i could super glue something onto the ceramic and pull it out?? I really could use some help and sorry for being long winded.

~josh
 



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Don't do this untill someone else confirms but if you turn the motor over the compression will shot the ceramic out. I have had a few plow trucks that had the spark plugs blow out while the motor was running never had one break off during a change. Make sure you have a really heavy duty easy out if it breaks it will fall into the motor and you will have to take the head off. Sray it up really good and let it sit over night if you can.
 


















It might not be a bad idea to see if that mechanic has any free time. His tools and experience may be priceless. It doesn't sound like you broke ceramic into the cylinder but this spot is where its not safe to assume anything.
 






It might not be a bad idea to see if that mechanic has any free time. His tools and experience may be priceless. It doesn't sound like you broke ceramic into the cylinder but this spot is where its not safe to assume anything.
That's kind of what i'm thinking. unfortunatelt that guy is over 30 miles away. I think i'm going to call a couple shops on monday. I just moved here so i don't even have a guy that i can rely on for good work.

How many $$ is reasonable if they pull the head to fix it?
 






Ouch, I wouldn't assume that the head needs to be pulled just yet. I don't work in a autimotive shop but I would guess $70 per hour and about 6-8 hours pluss gaskets.

I'll bet somebody can extract it without all that. Maybe some one can look down in the hole with a boriscope.
 






I don't think the ceramic can go into the cylinder I think the way the spark plugs are designed they can only blow out. Thats why its just sitting there. After the ceramic is out thats when things can fall or get droped in there. If you have a spark plug handy check one to see how they look.
 






Ya' know... I don't recall ever hearing of ceramic getting into the engine. I wouldn't pull a cylender head unless I had a real strong incline to believe otherwise. I rember changing that plug on my wifes EX and it was crazy. I have all kinds of ratchets that bend diferent ways along with a about every size extension and it still took for ever. At least now you can get a shorter socket on it giving you a inch or so more working space. It seemed like that EGR tube was RIGHT in the way.

If you didn't break the hex off yet then you should be okay. Keep on keeping on (determination).
 






What do you guys thnk about fring it up to shoot the ceramic out? the hex is long gone. it looks like the ceramic broke right below the hex.

My two ideas is firing it up and hopefully the compression blows the ceramic out. or using a super glue to stick the other half to the stuck half. then using pliers or something to pull it out?
 






What do you guys thnk about fring it up to shoot the ceramic out? the hex is long gone. it looks like the ceramic broke right below the hex.

My two ideas is firing it up and hopefully the compression blows the ceramic out. or using a super glue to stick the other half to the stuck half. then using pliers or something to pull it out?

I would be inclined to try it--

Instead of firing the engine though-a few cranks should shoot it out. I would disconnect the 2 coil pack plugs, pull the fuel pump relay ( or fuse) and then crank the engine over--just in case the ceramic did get sucked in.
 






That was my initial reaction to trying to blow it out with compression JT...what if it sucks it in instead??? Big oops!

So what you are telling us is that the metal body of the plug actually broke in half and the hex came out, but the threads are still in the head??? If that's the case, I'm sorry, but I see no other way other than to get the porcelain out of the plug anyway it takes so you can work on the threads. But if those threads are stuck enough to sheer the metal body of the plug, why bother? Just pull the head. By pulling the exhaust manifold and working through the wheel well, you have plenty of room to work, but if you have to drill out the metal body of the plug, then re-thread the head and install a Helicoil, you are probably going to have enough debris in that cylinder you want to pull the head anyway.
 






cobra~ yes. it sheered in half right where the hex attaches to the metal cylinder that threads into the engine block. I am questioning if i did it by not using enough penetrating oil. i have gone back and forth on the starting option and decided i'm not touching it. the risk is serious damage to the engine. The reward would be saving $$. I think for me it's not worth the risk. I only have a medium level of experience working on vehicles and i'm not set up anymore to do much more than plugs (which i failed at), oil, brakes, and shocks.

I want to thank all you guys for your advice. I'm sure ill have more questions now that i found ya'll
 






I would just pull the head and be done with it. You could end up spending quite some time trying to fix it on the car only to find out it can't be. This is very unfortunate.

When you screw the new plugs in, use anti-seize.
 






I would just pull the head and be done with it. You could end up spending quite some time trying to fix it on the car only to find out it can't be. This is very unfortunate.

When you screw the new plugs in, use anti-seize.

I look at the plugs in my engine now and I would be scared to take them out without a few cycles of penetrating oil and even some heat. I did use antisieze the last time.

I wonder how long the OPs plugs were in the engine. I wonder if a 100K plug change is a good idea.
 






PB blaster is indeed a good one. Several applications and time seems to be the way to go. We can't truely fix anything over the internet. It's not hands on. There are a host of extraction tools out there along with people that use them in every day life. At minimum you are looking at removing the drivers side exhaust.

I would call that mechanic guy 70miles away and find out what it takes to get 'er done. Nice guys like that are few and far between. He may own a tow truck.

If you are the kind of guy that likes rebuilding engines then I doubt you would be in such a predicament.

I just don't want to see ya get beat up on this one.

Rob.
 






PB blaster is indeed a good one. Several applications and time seems to be the way to go. We can't truely fix anything over the internet. It's not hands on. There are a host of extraction tools out there along with people that use them in every day life. At minimum you are looking at removing the drivers side exhaust.

I would call that mechanic guy 70miles away and find out what it takes to get 'er done. Nice guys like that are few and far between. He may own a tow truck.

If you are the kind of guy that likes rebuilding engines then I doubt you would be in such a predicament.

I just don't want to see ya get beat up on this one.

Rob.

Kroil is even better! Yes, he should call the honest mechanic and ask what to do. Maybe he can refer him to someone else.
 






96eb96 Isn't just a mech. Provably closter to an engineer and a bit of genious. He keeps quiet most of the time and gives darn near perfect advice and extreem attention to detail.

Other than that he seems okay.
 






spark plug update.. misfire cylinder 7 code

Thanks everyone for the advice. I decided to call couple shops and take an informal poll on the starting idea. one shop told me hell he would try it, then try... blah blah blah.. So i did. It shot the ceramic out no problem. Then i tried to use an easyout to get the rest of the threads out. No such luck. spent a day and a half spraying and trying. I had no luck so i took it to the guy that gave me a 30 minute dissertation on the steps he would use. He said he would give it a good shot but also the total if he had to pull the head.
Next day, I got a call saying he got it out finally. Popped in the new plug and gave him a hundred. I thought it was well worth $100.


Now, I'm still throwing that misfire cylinder 7 code and running a little choppy. It runs decent while driving but i can feel it idle a little heavy and choppy at lights. Also, if i'm going up a hill or get on the gas a little heavy it stutters. My next thought is the coils?? any advice?
 



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