HELP! Wrachet extension slipped in spark plug hole into piston!

[plymouthcolt]

This has to be the most stupid move of all time. I was trying to find a possible vacuum leak and was happy to find this...



A disconnected vacuum line on the fuel pressure damper. So I reconnected and started her up but she still had the lopey idle.

So I thought let me look at the spark plugs to see maybe if they are fouled. I take out #4 plug and just as I the plug clears the hole the 4" extension slips off and falls into the hole along with the spark plug socket. I manage to get out the socket but the extension is still in there. As I try to fish it out with my fingers it is rolling around and I can't get a grip, then all of a sudden I feel it line up with the spark plug hole and there is goes right inside.

I tried using one of those magnets on a flexible stick, but it is too far from the surface of the head.

Any ideas or am I going to have to drop the engine and pray to god I can somehow fish it out with resorting to removing the whole cylinder head?

Please excuse me while I go bash my head with a rubber mallet.

[haycait911]

take off valve cover first, so you can at least see what you're doing. get a STRONG magnet tool. take out all the other plugs. SLOWLY rotate engine to get the piston as far down as possible, FIRMLY hold a rod against piston while doing this to determine position. start fishing. also might try some kind of sticky putty in the end of a rod.

no matter how long it takes, it's better than the alternative.

a thought, is it all the way in or maybe stuck in the hole?

[KNS]

Securely attach a small magnet to a string. Loosely attach magnet/string to a thin rod and insert into the hole to see if the magnet will make contact with the extension. Pull out the rod and then hopefully the magnet with the extension attached.

Note: this may be crazy idea and make life worse if the magnet falls in there too. I don't know if it will work, perhaps sombody else will come up with something better. Proceed slowly...!

[johndglynn]

Oh nice one Howard!

I think with patience you might get this one out. I would bring the piston up as high as you can on the compression stroke, then line the extension up with the plug hole if at all possible (long screwdriver maybe) and try pushing some rubber water/heater hose over it - something big enough to slip over/grab the socket end of the extension and just lift it out gently. Or get some thinner hose and tightly wedge a big magnet into it and try that. Or magnetise a long screwdriver and try that.

The hose trick works on spark plugs, might work on this. Worth a shot. Good luck and don't feel bad - this kind of stuff happens to the best!

[plymouthcolt]

Originally Posted by haycait911

take off valve cover first, so you can at least see what you're doing. get a STRONG magnet tool. take out all the other plugs. SLOWLY rotate engine to get the piston as far down as possible, FIRMLY hold a rod against piston while doing this to determine position. start fishing. also might try some kind of sticky putty in the end of a rod.

no matter how long it takes, it's better than the alternative.

a thought, is it all the way in or maybe stuck in the hole?

I can stick my hand in and feel the threads for the spark plug hole so I'm guessing it's all inside. On my way to Sears now to get a STRONG magnet.

Why me...?

[john walker's workshop]

the big end of the extension probably didn't go through the plug hole. look down there with a mirror and flashlight. a magnet should get it.

[HarryD]

Best of luck fishing it out. Be patient. It will come out.

For the future, use the spark plug tool that came with the car. If you do not have one, get one. Your life will be much more pleasant.

It should look like one of these:

[plymouthcolt]

I got it! Praise the Lord and thank you to everyone here. Thank you, Thank you.

I bought one of those pen magnets from Sears that advertised to lift 2.5 lbs.

Harry, I have the Porsche tool but the rubber insert keeps coming out and stays on the plug inside the hole. I will get some silicone and glue it in there.

[dipso]

Congratulations, I snapped the head off of an injector once and the injector "wooosh" down the hole.
It took me two days of trying but finally got it out with a magnet.
You got lucky.

[HarryD]

Howard,

Glad you got it out. I hate when I do stuff like that.

[Wayne 962]

This is a prime example of why I like to have the right tools available at the right time. A really strong magnet tool is essential in this case, and would solve your problem in less time that it took for me to write this sentence.

-Wayne

[johndglynn]

Nice one Howard.

Have to confess I am not the greatest fan of the Porsche plug tool. I usually loosen my plugs with a Facom 3/8 setup, then take all the tools out of the way and undo them with a long rubber tube Facom do, which grips plugs and helps you unscrew/pull them out all in one go. Been using it twenty years and works like a dream. Highly recommended!

It's all a learning curve mate, well done getting it sorted

[john walker's workshop]

my favorite plug tool is a porsche one with the end cut off and a short 3/8 extension welded on. sticks up past the top of the valve cover an inch or so. the stock one has a wierd end that doesn't fit a 3/8 ratchet.

[tab tanner]

I use the factory one, Mac Tools make a very nice 12 point driver that fits in the perfect, Don't let the looks fool you the one in the tool kit is the best for the job

[Porsche-O-Phile]

A good set of magnets is essential to working on any Porsche engine. I've learned this one from working on 944s, 951s and now 911s.

[RoninLB]

Hazet works great

[haycait911]

this is my custom job, sound's a little like the one John W. is talking about. the hex on the end is handy in really tight spots. the socket has the rubber inner collar to grip the plug.

[barney911rs]

I use a plug socket with a magnet in it, enough grab to pull the plug out, not not enough to pull the socket or extension off when putting the plug in. I also use extensions with a positive locking ball. I also have what Snap-on calls a ratchet spinner to put on the end of the extension like haycait shows above. It lets me use the ratchet to break it loose, then I can get it out of the way and spin it out by hand. It's always worked for me.

Howard, glad you got it out.