Oh (*&@#$! Now what???

[Dave22443]

Notice anything missing from the plug at the top? 
I'll give you one guess where the rest of it is.     

Now what do I do?  Spend $1,000.00 or more fixing a $5 part?

[Ghoste]

You could try fishing a one of those long flexible magnets in there but really, I'd swallow hard and buy a gasket set, roll up my sleeves and prepare to get dirty. 
Sorry to hear about it.

[440charger68]

Holy S**T i have never seen anything like that before. Did it break apart into the cylinder? Or is the threaded part just stuck in there?

[Dave22443]

The threaded part is still in the head.  My guess is it will have to be drilled and tapped.  I've never seen this kind of thing happen before.  The bad thing is, this was only the 2nd plug.  There are 6 more still in there of unknown condition.  My guess is both heads will have to come off. 

This is my daily driver pickup truck and its not a good time of year to be forced to take the motorcycle to work. 

[Dave22443]

Oh, and by the way.  That rusted out piece of crap plug that left half itself in my head?  It was a Champion plug with about 27,000 miles on it 

[dukeboy_318]

wow, good luck, ive seen plugs break in half but not the way that did

[Mick70RR]

If only they all came apart that easily, ever tried gutting a plug to to weld an air line fitting to it?

[chargerbr549]

One thing I would try first would be spray all the plugs with Knocker Loose or something like PB Blaster and let them soak for overnight and then on the plug still stuck in the head use an easy out and see if you can work it out and if can somehow get a little propane torch in there with out burning things up and heat it up a little it may loosen up and one other thing is a take a hammer and a punch and tap on the plug a little bit and sometimes that will loosen it up, just a thought hopefully it can save you from pulling the head.

Kevin

[Ghoste]

Oh, and by the way.  That rusted out piece of crap plug that left half itself in my head?  It was a Champion plug with about 27,000 miles on it 

Over how long a time period?
It's just me, but I'd have probably changed them about 22,000 miles ago.  Everyone is different but it's a toy and for the price of plugs...
I don't mean that as a flame btw.

[NMike]

if it is in a steel head, heat the plug and head (not to glowing). then spray on a rust loosener spray. i use Rost-Off Ice by Wurth. then try to work it out with an easy out.

with some luck you won't be pulling the head.

[Dave22443]

Thanks guys.  Those are some good ideas.  It sure would be great if I didn't have to pull the heads.  I'm going out to soak the rest in PB Blaster now.   

I don't know if the heads are steel or not?  Its a 1998 Dodge Ram 5.9L engine.

The plugs had been in three, maybe four years?  I know, I know, but I've been busy and forgot about the truck   

[tan top]

If only they all came apart that easily, ever tried gutting a plug to to weld an air line fitting to it?

 

       yeah  me too , to make a leak down tester ,  i'll tell you something never came apart that easy

     sounds like a real good plan by ( NMike)  heat the SOB up & try to easy out it
although it is looking like heads off to me  wrong time of year like you say

[mally69]

Champian plugs are JUNK..    I bought a set and only had about 50 miles on them when the entire ceramic center section broke off inside my engine and got stuck in my exhuast valve and took a lobe off the cam and inturn bent the exhuast valve     so... i might as well just buy a set of 440 sources heads and sell the old 906's

[firefighter3931]

Some good suggestions so far....with any luck you won't have to pull the head. I like the Heat & Easy-out idea the best so far....just be careful not to crack the cylinder head.

I'm not a Champion fan either....NGK's in everything i own....even the lawnmower 



Ron

[RD]

get an extractor, something similar to this, but  can be found at any autozone, oreilly's, napa or advance.  they make them big enough that it will latch onto the threads and remove.. just go easy and use some heat and maybe some PB blaster.  Most likely saying the same thing as Ron.

[Dave22443]

Thanks for all the advice guys, thats why I like it here!

I have extractors, but nothing big enough for this job.  Will check the reccomended sources to see what I can find.  I am so glad that 2007 is almost over.  I am so DONE with this year its not even funny. 

[Nacho-RT74]

there is something still don't get... if the threated part is still there then the hex section too... is the same part !!!, so what's the deal on this?

Unless you are telling the hex section got broken and separated from the rest of part

[BrianShaughnessy]

I like to put a dab of anti seize compound on plug threads.    That's not going to help you now but wtf.   

[tan top]

    what about trying to weld a long bolt to the top where the   hex bit of the plug  would of been, then get a wrench on it

[Dave22443]

Nacho,  if you look closely at the picture at the top, you will see that the hex section seperated from the rest of the head, leaving only the threaded portion in the head.  On the plus side, I have two things, scratch that, three things working in my favor.

1) This particular plug just happens to be the easiest one to get to.
2) The heavier ring part of the head is still in there for an extractor to get a bite on.
3) I've got access to great people here on DC.com 

The biggest extractor I have is a #5 and its too small.  I'm calling around now trying to find an open store with a #6 and #7 that I can try.  If I can find one and mother luck will grant me one small wish, I think I can get it out of there without yanking the engine apart (something I have no time or funds to do).

As an update, I soaked all the plugs in PB Blaster last night and today, all but one of the remaining plugs came right out.  I shot the last plug with PB again and went to lunch.  When I came back, it came right out to.  Thanks again guys for all the advice and moral support!  I've still got the one busted plug to deal with, but at least its only one now.

I'll post an update when I have more to report.

[Dave22443]

 

[Animal]

Thank gawd for that.

One way to carry out a plug chop.

[Ghoste]

Way to go, nice to see it isn't turning out so bad after all.   

[tan top]

yippeeeeeeeeeeeee great stuff      good work

[firefighter3931]

Good stuff Dave....now remember : anti sieze and NGK plugs are your friend ! 



Ron