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

[Dave22443]

Thanks guys!  I owe it all to you!   

Man, let me tell you, that was by far the tightest nut I ever had to crack!  I soaked it for 24 hours in PB Blaster, I heated it for 15 minutes with my torch (unfortunately I don't have access to acetylene and only have a plumbers torch) and I got a really good plant with the extractor.

I don't have a handle for the extractor, so what I wound up doing was using a socket extension backwards (the extractor fit the 3/8 extension) and put a wrench on it.  Needless to say, that wasn't going to work.   

So then I grabbed my biggest pair of vise-grips and got a real solid bite on the square end of the socket extension and gave it all I had.  Still not enough! 

Next, I add every extension I have in the tool chest.  This allows me to literally get my cheast against the vise-grips and throw my entire 220  pounds against it.  STILL not enough!  It won't budge!   

I soak it again (5th time) with PB blaster and wait.  Then I hit it with the torch again until the edges are starting to glow slightly (this is the best I can do with my torch).  I set up for another go, only this time, I put a 3 ft long cheater bar over the handle of the vise-grips.  While laying over the fender, full weight against the handle and one foot against the frame, I grab the handle out as far as I can and I give it everything I've got and then some.

After about 30 seconds of poping blood vessles in my head, I suddenly hear a gut wrenching CRACK!  I freeze.  The tension has gone slack and I cuss myself.  That was the sound of a case hardened steel shaft snapping under the strain.  My first thought is, now the head has to come off!  There's no way I can get another extractor down beside a sheared off extractor 

I cautiously remove the extensions and see that the extractor appears to still be intact    I try to wiggle it with my fingers and it seems tight.  I put the extensions back on and slowly and carefully start to turn.  Now it feels like its screwing out like its supposed to 

I take the vise-grips off and unscrew it the rest of the way by hand and begin the voctory dance! 

After replacing it with a new plug, I started the truck up and got a huge cloud of smoke from the tail pipe!    I bet I had that piston half full of PB blaster!    Fortunately, it didn't take long to burn off.   

Ron, I used Autolite Platnums.  I had already bought them when you mentioned the NGK's.  I've always had good luck with Autolites and they don't cost as much.  HOWEVER, having said that, I will definately invest in a set for the new engine going in the Charger.     I don't know if you remember or not Ron, but you helped me spec out my engine.  It seems like its been in the shop forever, but its finally in finishing stages.  I can't wait to get it!


http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=26497.new;topicseen#new

Thanks for all the help and support guys! I can't begin to tell you how relieved I am that I didn't have to pull the heads off!  I owe you all big time!   

Dave

[firefighter3931]

Dave, the autolites are better than Champion. I've read more than a few horror stories about the champs coming apart and dropping parts into the cylinder....not worth the risk. 

On daily driver type vehicles i change the plugs out once a year and use antisieze...never a problem to date. Once the plugs get rusty then you have a bitch of a time getting them out in one piece...as you found out 

Keep us up to date on the 440 progress. 



Ron

[4cruzin]

Well that had a happy ending!   Very cool!     

[Ghoste]

This is likely going to jinx me for sure, but I've never had a problem with a Champion plug in the 30 years I've been using them and this is the first time I've heard of one coming apart like that too. 

[tan top]

This is likely going to jinx me for sure, but I've never had a problem with a Champion plug in the 30 years I've been using them and this is the first time I've heard of one coming apart like that too. 

     me neither         

[BrianShaughnessy]

I prefer autolite platinums.       I have run lots of champions in the past but I prefer not to if possible whether or not Ma put them in at the factory or not. 

I tried the autolites a long time ago after diagnosing a no start on a 2.2 turbo Z was due to a blown apart insulator on a champion.    Replaced with autolites and ran the set for years and years.

I read posts from a guy that worked in their engineering shop in MI that posted on another board years ago about the testing they did to theirs and competitors products and I was fairly well impressed.

For what it's worth I don't much like AC's in GM products either. 
   

[dukeboy_318]

Good job dave, way to go, glad you didnt have to drill and tap it, these guys here on this site have probably helped me more than they should have, and they do it for free, thanks to those guys like ron and ghoste and all the others i cant seem to think of, many more chargers are on the road 

[Dave22443]

Thanks.  I think it was Kevin that first mentioned the easy-out and heat.  Turns out, thats exactly what it took, so I wanted to call him out by name and say thanks 

Its easy to panic when something like this happens to you.  When I posted the first picture, I didn't really expect help so much as I was just ranting.  Looking back on it now, it seems kind of silly that I would have freaked out lilke that, but its a lot easier to look at things from a third person point of view which is one of the main reasons boards like this are so useful    

[six-tee-nine]

I always put some copper paste on the thread before putting them in.... Glad you could manage it the easy way.

[Hemidog]

i love happy endings

[472 R/T SE]

You can always use the bigger easy outs on your water pump if you ever have to replace the heater hose nipples.  Another pain in the rear.

[RD]

congrats.. i love happy endings