So did i total my buddy's rig with a spark plug? Let's find out (warning: Cologne V6)

[SNAP CITY MAYOR]

Not a good buddy, rather a decent acquaintance. had me attempt to do plugs n' wires on his '01 explorer. With not insignificant effort, rusty motorcraft plugs, that likely ain't seen the light of day since clinton, and burned solid plug wires, were extracted with severe prejudice. To make an incredibly long and highly traumatic story short, the final passenger side spark plug, frustratingly jammed between the head and the A/C box, sheered off at the hex. what i wanna know now is this: do i have any options other than pulling the motor to get at the head to drill out the filthy rotten bastich, or should i just hurl myself off the nearest bridge, so that i never have to fix another car again?

 

[SoHK_alumni]

There's pretty good access going in through the fender well, great access if you remove the inner fender.

Also, removing the air box is a snap and the a/c flex hoses are long enough to allow quite a bit of movement

 

[koda2000]

Access through the wheel well w/inner fender removed is very good, as mentioned. The real question is, what do you mean by "snapped off"? Is the hex part of the plug what/where it broke? If so you may want to go ahead as throw yourself off that bridge.

Tips: Heat is your friend. A large easy-out and plenty of PB Blaster might help extract the broken metal part of the plug, but if the center part of the plug falls into the cylinder you need to figure out a way to get it out. In the future, remember, no good deed goes unpunished.

Caution: If using an easy-out, DO NOT break it off inside the plug body, or the head will need to be removed. Easy-outs are great, but they are brittle.

 

[SNAP CITY MAYOR]

no good dead goes unpunished.

Learnin it the hard way man. the hex part of plug sheared off directly below the ceramic, presumably leaving the remains of the plug flush with the head. may be grasping at straws here, but its encouraging to think i can pull the fender + A/C to get at the Demon Plug, has anyone ever done such a thing?

 

[koda2000]

Learnin it the hard way man. the hex part of plug sheared off directly below the ceramic, presumably leaving the remains of the plug flush with the head. may be grasping at straws here, but its encouraging to think i can pull the fender + A/C to get at the Demon Plug, has anyone ever done such a thing?

Of course I meant to say "deed" and not "dead" (Damn you auto-correct). You shouldn't have to mess with the A/C parts. You'll have pretty much clear access by going through the wheel well with the inner fender removed. Be careful not to break the plastic vacuum lines attached to the vacuum ball, which is found in the front of the passenger side inner fender.

Good Luck!

 

[freak]

If it was stuck to good that you broke it off, getting it out with an easy-out is going to be very difficult. You're going to need to heat it and be very careful doing so.

 

[SNAP CITY MAYOR]

Of course I meant to say "deed" and not "dead"

no worries, actually didn't even catch that til you brought it up.

Really appreciate your guys' help in this trying time. buddy can't be convinced to give up on this clearly cursed machine, but a faint glimmer of hope shines on



the Demon Plug's remains are situated (in red) at about this attitude, maybe slightly more vertical. so, in theory, i can remove what the lovely Haynes* manual calls the evaporator case (blue arrow. i have never had a vehicle with a/c in my life, nor had to service anything relating to a heating/cooling system, so pardon my ignorance if you could) and, if need be, the evaporator and a/c lines, for access to the DP. As well as the inner fender well, blower motor, cruise control servo, etc. Got an iron grip on them straws boys, what do you think about this?

*Better than flying blind, and im still one of those poor fools out there hoping against hope that installation really is reverse of removal

**resized image to not murder your monitor/eyeballs. my bad, does it seem like i rush into things without proper research yet??

 

[SNAP CITY MAYOR]

good heavens, sorry about the enormous picture. it's my first day

If it was stuck to good that you broke it off, getting it out with an easy-out is going to be very difficult. You're going to need to heat it and be very careful doing so.

Thinking the same thing, ive never used an EZ Out or anything of the sort in my life (but heard lots of horror stories), which is why we're having a REAL ACTUAL mechanic do the extraction. speaking of real mechanics, and the fact that im obviously not one, will MAP gas burn hot enough for this, or should i call in a favor and drum up an oxy torch? (which, incidentally, i do know how to safely operate, despite being a complete idiot)

 

[koda2000]

Have you removed the passenger side tire and inner plastic fender? The demon plug is fairly easy to access through that path. Anyway, I think MAP gas may be hot enough. Remember to heat the head and not the remains of the plug, as you want the aluminum head to expand. Was the plug that broke off rusty? Whenever dissimilar metals (lie steel and aluminum) are jointed electrolysis causes the two metals to begin welding themselves together. Heat, or a shock, can often break their grip on one another. Always use a product like anti-seize to prevent this condition in the future.

Be sure to clean off any oil/grease from around the area to be heated and have a fire extinguisher handy.

Assuming an easy-out works, do you have a plan to get the broken piece of the spark plug out of the cylinder? Or did it come off with the hex piece?

 

[SNAP CITY MAYOR]

Have you removed the passenger side tire and inner plastic fender?

Workin on it as we speak.



here's what fell outta the socket, alongside a properly extracted plug. they're in pretty bad shape.

as for the Demon Plugs remains entering the cylinder, a ford tech with dubious credentials told me that turning off the fuel pump relay and turning the motor with the starter will blow any foreign objects out of the plug hole. this sounds too good to be true, but its really the only plan ive got so far

 

[freak]

I'd probably try to weld a nut onto it before trying an easy out. The heat from welding will likely help loosen it.

 

[bluestream1]

Check this out:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139982

 

[ccm2001]

Maby a tiny needle nose or a flat head to push the tread?? Very slowley

 

[freak]

He just twisted the plug in half. The remaining portion isn't going to move easy

 

[Robman]

One of those extendable magnet doodads would likely work to stick in the chamber and remove any steel stuff.

I'd imagine another way to turn the engine over without starting it would be to use a key with no chip in it. OR ... unplug all the plug wires from the coil pack.

I'd think just removing the fuel pump relay could still potentially get a few fires out of it when u first turn it over.

 

[koda2000]

If you end up with the ceramic center of the plug and the center electrode in the cylinder (most likely this will be the case) I don't know that a magnet will do you any good (aren't most center electrodes copper?) but you can try a magnet. For the ceramic pieces maybe something sticky on a piece of wire.

I don't suggest you turn the engine over with the starter motor, but if you do and don't want it to fire, put the gas pedal to the floor and hold it when turning it over (this turns off the fuel injectors).

 

[bluestream1]

If you get debris in there, just a plastic tubing with a vacuum and maybe suck it out, like a Dentist...Let us know what happens

 

[gatzdon]

OP,

Wish I can help, but thanks for convincing me to go out and put Anti Seize on the spark plug threads of my new Ex with 50,000 miles on it.

 

[SNAP CITY MAYOR]

I don't suggest you turn the engine over with the starter motor, but if you do and don't want it to fire, put the gas pedal to the floor and hold it when turning it over (this turns off the fuel injectors).

Well that's peculiar, I'll keep it in mind. What's the reason for this? Let the start injectors run before an impatient driver can gun it?

In other news, this project isn't abandoned, but hey its the holidays so i slacked on updating/doing anything useful. I'll come around soon with more pics and a progress report.

OP,

Wish I can help, but thanks for convincing me to go out and put Anti Seize on the spark plug threads of my new Ex with 50,000 miles on it.

This is an incredibly good idea, wish the PO of this rig knew that

 

[koda2000]

Well that's peculiar, I'll keep it in mind. What's the reason for this? Let the start injectors run before an impatient driver can gun it?

The reason is to help clear an engine of fuel if it's flooded.