Broken spark plug, what to do?
 

Hi guys,

While trying to remove one of the sparkplugs on my 1978 SC, the ceramic part of one of my spark plugs cracked and it's still in the engine. Any idea on how to get this out of the engine???? Other tips?

http://users.skynet.be/ward.urlings/DSC00404.JPG

http://users.skynet.be/ward.urlings/DSC00405.JPG

Try attaching a small diameter hose to the end of a vacuum cleaner and see if you can snag it with the vacuum and draw it out of the hole.

I would remove the valve cover and hope you can see it. If it fell into the cyl. perhaps you could get lucky with trying to use something small like a pencil with perhaps putty on the end to get it to stick.

Ooh that sucks. maybe a shop vac with one of those really small narrowing tubes. Or maybe a coat hanger with some masking tape wrapped around the end. Maybe you'll get lucky.

scope,...look/see.

Be anal here.

Best,

Doyle

Use a strong vacuum, tapered down to a hose the size of the plug hole. Wedge it down tight in the spark plug hole and suck it out.
It should get pretty good suction if it is tight in the hole.

If it's outside the plug hole, screw a plug in about two threads and put 100 lbs of air down there until the offending chunk comes out.

If it's down the hole and you can't snag it with a vacuum, you might try a wad of well used gum on the end of a long tinker toy size piece of dowel. Gently move the piston down to give you access to the bottom where the chunk will be sitting.

Good luck!

All I can say is, if there is ceramic get that sucker out!

I've seen the mess ceramic from a spark plug can cause myself when I bought a car with it, I found out later when changing the head gasket what a mess it causes....not pretty....

As people above said:

If it's still in plug hole, suck it out with vacuum. If it's inside the combustion chamber make sure engine doesn't move (put it neutral, so it doesn't accidentally move if car is bumped) and try to find out if you can fish it out with vacuum or gum. Worst case, you'll have to remove the head...

Whatever you do, don't let engine move before you know where piece is located.