I just won the Moron of the Year award!

If this isn't your only mode of transportation, I'd pull the head.

Even if you get it out, you are always going to wonder if there are bits of ceramic floating around in there....

You might get a kick out of doing this work on the engine yourself. It's not too hard with the right manual. I know it looks bleak, but just take your time and try to make it a fun experience. :)

<D>
 
dmulk said:
If this isn't your only mode of transportation, I'd pull the head.

Even if you get it out, you are always going to wonder if there are bits of ceramic floating around in there....

You might get a kick out of doing this work on the engine yourself. It's not too hard with the right manual. I know it looks bleak, but just take your time and try to make it a fun experience. :)

<D>
Click to expand...

+1 on pulling the head.
Only I'm sure you'd know if you left any ceramic bits in there when you started burning oil or breaking rings (if the ceramic got wedged).
Good luck,
Mark
 
Rich:

I've heard of similar problems before. Ford has a TSB that describes some of the procedures that can be utilized to recover from such situations. Although the TSB is not written for your engine you can likely pick up some good information on some of the options and breakage modes for spark plugs. There are even some special tools available - if the spark plug size is the same they could also help you. I've linked to the TSB below. Good luck.


http://www.etoolcart.com/06152.pdf
 
Wait a second..... can you get a better picture of the broken spark plug in the hole as well as what's left of the existing plug? (IE: Take a photo of the bottom of the plug....not from the side).

I might have an idea for you.... :)

<D>



quote=forgitaboutut;367463]:banghead:
Somewhere deep down in that hole....
53400489.jpg



Lays the rest of this spark plug! :sparkplu:
53400490.jpg



I got two out with no problem...I know I was turning the right direction
(righty tighty....lefty losen...)
any sugestions how to get this out,or is my Triumph off to the scrapyard?...:banghead:

53400488.jpg

53400487.jpg
[/quote]
 
Had this happen to a riding buddy about 20 years ago. Used a easy out to pull the plug, they were damn expensive and hard to find then. After taping out the center with punch. As said before we had to move the crank to get the cylinder down and the Input valve clear. I had a friend who had a bore scope. After Knocking out the center we looked around. Put penetrating oil around the plug. After removing the plug we vacuumed out the hole, first then used compressed air. Used the bore scope to verify all pieces were gone. I then put another 10k on the engine before. Bore scopes were hard to find then as well. Got ours from a shooting buddy. You can borrow them from Autozone now. If anything goes sideways, pull the head.
 
here's some more pics...I just got an Easy-Out set...I might have to give it a shot...

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53400512.jpg


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53400508.jpg


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It will be a major pain because there is very little clearance from the tubular frame and the hole...
53400489.jpg
 
If the threads are damaged there is a special tap and insert called "Full-Torque" (NOT a heli-coil) that is available to fix the head. linky

Seems that many a Ford Triton engine has some head issues where the plugs are being blown out, stripping the threads from the head.

My buddy's E-350 V10 shot one out and this type of repair was done to it. He's put several thousand miles, while pulling a tandem enclosed trailer, on it since then.
 
You might be able to used compressed air to pressurize the errant hole. Through the exhaust maybe? If you can get the valve timing right, it should work. That way, when drilling or punching out the core, the debris will be carried out if you take care and go slow. Taking the valve cover off is a good idea though. More/better access etc. If you damage the threads in the head,,,,,,,,,,,,,[MAD][MAD][/MAD][/MAD]

Mike
 
Has anybody asked this one?

What does the manufacturer of the, obviously defective, spark plug think about the situation? And what do they think their liability should be because of it?

Just asking... :confused:
:cool:
 
ChipSTer said:
What does the manufacturer of the, obviously defective, spark plug think about the situation? And what do they think their liability should be because of it?
Click to expand...


How is the spark plug obviously defective?

My guess is the installation was defective (overtightened).

Ray
 
ChipSTer said:
Spark plugs are SUPPOSED to break?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say spark plugs are suppose to break under normal usage. I would say they can't be expected to be indestructible.


ChipSTer said:
How can that be blamed on the installation? :confused:
:cool:
Click to expand...

Let's say the spark plug was installed way too tight. Not to the point of breaking but close. Hot/cold cycles, corrosion (no anti-seize) and some length of time later it's time to remove the plug. Now the threads have a tighter hold on it than at the time of installation. Upon attempting to remove, the plug shears at the weakest point, where the threads meet the body.

If it wasn't installed too tight and/or some anti-seize on the threads, it would have come out without breaking.

Ray
 
I guess I just didn't realize how fragile spark plugs really are... :oops: I would have thought that the metal they were made from would hold up after numerous heat/cold cycles and would be strong enough to be removed even without using some sort of anti-seize oil... Now if the engine was too HOT or too COLD (due to expansion/contraction), I could see how it would have a pretty good grip on the plug... Still thinking it should be made of sturdier stuff though... :confused:
:cool:
 
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ChipSTer said:
I guess I just didn't realize how fragile spark plugs really are... :oops:
:cool:
Click to expand...

When you look at it, a spark plug is basically a bolt with a hole drilled through it (weakened). Where the thread cut stops (at the bottom of the "head") will be the weakest point. This is really easy to visualize if you think of where most bolts break off at, especially in a bi-metal setting; right at the head.

Spark plugs are also designed for a fairly low amount of torque (when you compare the size of the plug compared to a normal fastener). A 14mm threaded plug should be torqued about 20 ft/lb in an aluminum head. And they are not very hard, compared to bolts.

Also, along with the heat cycles is the bi-metal corrosion. Hence the need for some type of anti-seize.
 
Never too old to learn!!! :22yikes: I guess I learned something new today... I think I'll go out and re-torque my plugs... (just to be on the safe side!) :D
:cool:
 
Hey Rich,

If it was mine, I would find the firing order and, manually rotate the crankshaft so that the cylinder in question was at TDC (Top Dead Center)-Valves closed!

I would then try to punch out what is left of the ceramic, in the middle of the threads, down into the cylinder.

I would then use plenty of penetrating oil (PB Blaster or GM heat vale lubricant) with an easy out or screw extractor to remove the threaded part.

I would then follow up with a vacuum to try and suck out what is left. If you get the biggest pieces out, especially the metal, you might be safe. Very small ceramic pieces will pass on through the exhaust valve when started.

On old GM diesels, when a glow plug would break, GM service procedures allowed you to break the glow plug off, dropping the carboned up end into the cylinder, and then run the engine to "purge" the remaining pieces of ceramic. Sounds like hell though. :eek:

Know any mechanics (or Doctors) with a boroscope you can use to look in the hole when done?

My guess is the plug was NOT over tightened. Probably corrosion. Fairly common with newer engines with aluminium heads and steel threads on plugs. Do a google search on Ford Triton engines.

Otherwise, pick up a head gasket set and pull the head.
 
Rich,
If you really want to play it safe, go ahead a bite the bullet; buy a shop manual, if you don't already have one, pull the head, and take it to a qualified machine shop. There's a good chance the spark plug hole will have damaged threads and the "Full-Torque" thread insert will be required. If that turns out to be the case, I would seriously consider having thread inserts installed on all the cylinders. A race-car engine builder once told me his shop uses thread inserts on all the aluminum-head engines they build as a matter of course to avoid stripped threads. You'll also be a lot more confident that you've removed all the potentially-catastrophic debris from the cylinder when you have the head removed. All this labor & necessary gaskets & seals, etc, will be somewhat expensive now, but it may be more cost-effective in the long run by minimizing the chances for more expensive engine damage that might result if you try some short-cuts. That's my $0.02 worth, anyway.

Good Luck,
Don B.
 
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