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This is a follow on to 'completely stumped':
I followed up this evening with the problem plug.
Removed the plug tube: its in very good shape, no leaks, no cracks, very good condition.
Re-lubed it and put it back in.
Attempted to remove the plug with a 4 claw flex extractor: grabbed the terminal, the plug spins freely, wobbles in every direction, I can even see the threads.
Something is caught, I can hear washers clinging when I spin the plug, and occasionally it 'squeaks' and catches, then spins free.
The plug will wobble all over inside the chamber, but is caught on what looks like the last 2 or 3 threads, I can even see inside the head, there is a gap, that is how free it is.
I've thought of the following:
take a small tube (metal, probly copper, malleable), cut an 'x' longitudinally to create 'fingers', then slide the tube over the terminal
Next, take a larger tube (conduit) and slide it over the small tube to form a seal
Then, take a small ring and slide it down over as far as possible to or over the terminal, locking the tubes in place
*attempt to pull and rotate the plug out.......
OR
Fill a spark plug socket with epoxy, let it sit over night - and, well, see if that works
have a bad feeling this is an engine drop just to remove a plug on its last threads
always wanted to try my hand at a complete rebuild, guess here is my chance.
Do you think something as easy as heat could expand the area around the washer and free up some space? Could you put something on the engine to warm it?
My fear is that if something is caught, by forcing it you may damage the female threads on the expensive end.
This evening I will warm, then heat the affected head bank, to create a uniform heat pattern across the whole head, vice heating one cylinder and having two cold, may cause other expansion/contraction problems, slowly w/a heat gun and attempt to back it out.
I'll try to get my hands on a bore scope, then have a look. I did take some photos, but does not show much, just a plug lying in the tube/space.
Thank you for the help, I will follow up with what I find, hopefully have some video or images from the bore scope.
Do you think/or know of an optimal temp range for the surface? I'd like to keep it in a tolerance where the fine threads (in the head) are not overly heated.
Yes, but as in the extraction, where there is a 'squeak' and a 'stick', sometimes an audible 'click' - after 3 or 4 spins the plug becomes tight, or I feel resistance in threading it back in, so I stop.
The weird part is this: everyone knows when a screw, of any type, if held in place during extraction, will 'hop' on the last thread, indicating that it has cleared the thread column - same here -
There is a tactile 'hop' at the end of the thread cycle, but the plug remains in the chamber, something is snagged
or, worst case, a center section of threads is stripped, then encounters a second set of in tact threads and is unable to over come them
So, based on your description, the center electrode may have collapsed into the ground electrode, forcing it out far enough to catch into the threads slightly, or the sealing ring may have slipped down and gotten tangled in the ground electrode, or (worse case) some head material has come off & is caught into the last threads. Your idea of putting quick steel epoxy on the socket would probably work, but might be a one-shot deal and might worsen your dilemma. How about finding a short piece of rigid (copper?) tubing, put a piece of silicone tubing on each end of the size that would seal over the tip of the plug. On the other end pull a tight vacuum, which might give you enough grip to twist/pull it out. GLWS
Can you get a small rubber hose over the ceramic part of the plug push it right on, then you can turn it to spin the plug out and pull back to get it out of there, worked for me before, something like a Bunsen burner rubber hose from back in the school days !!
I think TexS is on to something! Now, if there was someone who happened to have an engine sitting out for a test fit...
Buy them anyway. More tools in your arsenal, the better. The HF stuff is dirt cheap, and if you like them, upgrade to something USA made. You cant squeeze too hard with the Chineesium stuff, the handles will just delfect instead of putting more leverage on your work piece.
Depending on which cylinder you’re working on, you may need to remove the muffler to fit the pliers in there.
Alternatively, go on Amazon and look up a spark plug installation tool. It’s a red tube you slip over the sprk plugs to hand tighten before final torque - it may have enough grip to remove your plug
Can you get a small rubber hose over the ceramic part of the plug push it right on, then you can turn it to spin the plug out and pull back to get it out of there, worked for me before, something like a Bunsen burner rubber hose from back in the school days !!
11-30-2018, 12:44 AM
Follow on: Next day, still Completely Stumped
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