Broken Plug inside head Now What
Broken Plug inside head Now What Okay guys I need lots of help on this. I was changing my plugs this weekend and I got the drivers side done in about 30 minutes i was making good time then i get to the passengers side. I was on plug 2 for about 10 hours trying to get it out. Tried penetrating loosener everything it is not coming out so just a few minutes ago after letting the penetrator soak in over night i start wrenching on it again and then snap i was like oh well just the ceramic portion. Nope it was the whole damn plug from the bolt head up broke off. Now all i have left in the head is the screw portion of the plug. I swear this plug is welded into the block to be able to be that tight. So now what do i do, this car is my daily driver and now i can't drive it. If i take it to a dealer im looking at about 1500 bucks at least to get it drilled out. This is crap cause i don't have the much money but i guess i have no choice anyone have any suggestions. Please help me on this I really want to be done with this and get my car back running again.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 553
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Check out this thread and try and do what he did
https://ls1tech.com/forums/tools-fabrication/154111-what-use-when-plug-breaks-off-head-check-out.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/tools-fabrication/154111-what-use-when-plug-breaks-off-head-check-out.html
if I was you Id pull that head off and take it out yourself or have the machine shop take it out for you.no cost to you if you do it yourself and machine shop little cheaper to take the plug out.think about it.
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
what i did This happened to my friend in I think the exact same cylinder. When it wouldnt come out, we stoped, put all the plugs in that we could. Started the car and ran it untill it reached Operating temp, and then tryed to lossen the plug again......sure enough the heat from running the engine was enough to expand the aluminum head, and we got the PITA plug out. I dont know what really to do in your situation since you broke the porclin of the plug, but if your desprate, i guess you could run it on 7 cylinders and try it.
Originally Posted by *98Formula*
Okay guys I need lots of help on this. I was changing my plugs this weekend and I got the drivers side done in about 30 minutes i was making good time then i get to the passengers side. I was on plug 2 for about 10 hours trying to get it out. Tried penetrating loosener everything it is not coming out so just a few minutes ago after letting the penetrator soak in over night i start wrenching on it again and then snap i was like oh well just the ceramic portion. Nope it was the whole damn plug from the bolt head up broke off. Now all i have left in the head is the screw portion of the plug. I swear this plug is welded into the block to be able to be that tight. So now what do i do, this car is my daily driver and now i can't drive it. If i take it to a dealer im looking at about 1500 bucks at least to get it drilled out. This is crap cause i don't have the much money but i guess i have no choice anyone have any suggestions. Please help me on this I really want to be done with this and get my car back running again.
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 163
Likes: 0
From: brighton mich.
can you get a hand held propane torch in there enough so you can heat up the head around the plug, DO NOT HEAT UP THE PLUG.!just fan the area with the torch until its pretty hot and then have your gloves on and all your tools ready and Im 99% It will come right out.!
If the head was off, you could try a left-handed drill bit with the drill in reverse and that might be enough to get it to back out. I'd be afraid to do it on the car though because of the metal shaveings. Or maybe a big easy-out. Good luck.
