help snapped off spark plug.

wzen animal · Criminal Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 98 City: wiltshire

hi all,i have a snapped off spark plug on a mercruiser 3 litre and im not quiet sure how to tackle it any help would be great.

cstmgsxr · Soul Rider Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 470

they make a device we use on aircraft called a back-out.....it is a reversed threaded bolt looking thing, and basiclly what you do is drill a small hole in the center of the item you have to get out, the start screwing this thing in there, the more you screw it in the more it makes the originall item turn to the left....

you can get them at auto zone for around $10.00 for the whole kit (3-4 different sizes)

wesgardner · Posted: May 13, 2004 4:34 am Post subject:

Heywzen animal,

Yep, it's an "easy out", try to make sure nothing falls down into the plug hole as you back it out, go slow, be careful and it should work....as cstmgsxr, says, go to a parts place and describe it and they'll fix you up...

Wes

Bruky · Guest

as wesgardner said, make sure nothing falls down there. if you havent worked on engines before, make sure all of the engine is clean around the area you are working at. when you pull it out, make sure to cover the hole, you dont want dust or grit falling in there scratching the cylinder and piston requiring it to be honed out, polished, etc...

DiyGuy · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Dec 2003 Posts: 460

I've seen many a broken spark plug around the ceramic lining, but how could the steel part of the plug be 'broken' so much that you could not get a socket on it?

Maybe I missed something..........

wzen animal · Criminal Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 98 City: wiltshire

sorry diy,the chap i bought it off must have never changed it man and the dam thread that the socket sits on to was corroded away Evil or Very Mad

,wot a ring piece the price of a plug and a few minutes and its me who has stuff out it totally sucks Evil or Very Mad

tryan · Soul Rider Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 257

put copper never-sieze on the threads when you go to install the new plugs.

wzen animal · Criminal Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 98 City: wiltshire

hi tyran got to get the dam old 1 out first. Evil or Very Mad

aceyx · Addict Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 770 City: dirty

this should work, but i don't think you have craftsman over there.

they're pretty common though, sometimes called "twist out" or something similar. run a search for "damaged bolt removal" on yahoo or whatever you like.

not sure if you'll be able to find one large enough though.

rearviewsg · Criminal Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 63 City: eugene

i just had this happen to me but the spark plug broke when the engine was running so off to the shop the boat must go i am to clumsy to not get metal into the block Twisted Evil

DRAGON88 · Posted: Jul 11, 2005 11:56 pm Post subject:

Where do you take your boat? Clements? Last time I was there they knew less about the Centurion line then I did, and at the time I must have been about 12...

rearviewsg · Criminal Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 63 City: eugene

yea clemens is a jack off he is the most terrible boat dealer i have ever seen i went in there today to look for a new bow roller and the parts guys didn't have a clue he handed me the book and i had to look it up so i told them to shove it and called V&M trailers this morning to get a new one
I go to mells for service now nice people i like the little guys what lake do you ride?

jonsmith2340 · Soul Rider Joined: 02 Feb 2005 Posts: 370

I've had this happen once in a car. You can try an "easy out" but they don't always work. The other thing you can try is a left handed drill bit. Most of the time when they bite it will turn out whatever is stuck.

Regardless before you try either of them heat up the plug and surrounding surfaces and melt some parafin into the threads. It will lubricate as well as something like JB-80 but the heat will make it penatrate much further along the threads.

With all this in mind I would prepare yourself for the possibility that you might end up having to pull the head because of the possibility of getting metal inside the cyl.

Good luck.

domin8 · Posted: Jul 20, 2005 9:33 pm Post subject:

Your probably not going to have any good threads left either way ! You will need to chase the threads (debris in the cylinder) unless it turns out freely.
Like DIY said - never seen one broken like that.
If the drive nut would't turn the threads and broke off - your probably not going to turn it with an ezout.
It's a sure bet that the electrode tip is going to fall into the cylinder (if it hasen't already) when you tap the ezout in center porcelin (sp) thru hole.