Help! broke air injector trying to remove (picture)

[dave 911]

4 of the 6 came out no problem, using PB Blaster.... But the #1 cylinder just snapped off w/ very little torque....



How can I get it out? There is nothing to grab onto outside of the cylinder head at all. Engine is in the car.

#3 is still in, it' harder to get the wrench in around since the oil line is in the way, and I'm holding off until I deal w/ #1, but any tips there? I'm thinking a deep well 14mm socket (which I have to go buy)

Thanks in advance

[Joe Bob]

You can try threading the inside with a tap and then plugging them with a smaller threaded plug.

[James Brown]

Try a screw extractor that fits the injector hole size.

[GaryR]

I would tap/plug the existing hole. Anytime I have ever used an EZ-Out on something small the damn thing snapped and then you have a broken hardened bit to deal with..

[James Brown]

No, if you do it right you won't, beside, you need to use a left hand tap. use this kind:

Dave, be very careful if you want to do this. Use the best extractor you can find (snap-on, mac) don't put so much stress on the tool that it breaks. You might only get one chance to remove it then it's time to pull the engine and send the head out to a machine shop. Or find a good garage that can burn (metal disintegrator) them out in the car.

[john walker's workshop]

extractors tend to expand the remaining threaded part, making them tighter in the hole, so go easy. the straight, tapered extractors that are square with sharp edges work a bit better than the spiral ones, expansion-wise.

[dave 911]

Thanks for the advice guys. Yikes, this is definitely a case one-thing-leading-to-another. I needed to get the air injector line out of the way to get the smog pump bracket off, which I did... the fittings came off so easily between the air injector line and the injectors that I figured 'what the heck, those came off easy so the injectors shouldn't be too bad."

And the first 3 on the passenger came out w/ no problem, very easy. Then, snap, like a twig....

One chance, huh? Hmm.... my thinking right now is if I've never used an extractor before the odds may not be in my favor. Hmm, I think I'll go watch some more football and think about it.

[dave 911]

John -
Is this what you are talking about?

http://www.mactools.com/Portals/1/aspdnsf/images/PRODUCT/medium/5663ES.jpg



How do you use these? The threaded ones make sense, but I can also see how they would expand the remains of the screw - but do you pound these in? That seems risky also

[James Brown]

Yes there all risky. Unless you have the 'feel' of a mechanic/machinist for the past 10 years. then you might want to farm it out to the experts.

[Joe Bob]

What is the goal? R&R or plugging them?

[47silver]

if plugging you should be able to tap it and put in a cap.

[dave 911]

The goal is plugging. A concern w/ tapping & threading: would the remaining part of the injector now would be weakened, and possibly break off at some point and do nasty things inside the cylinder head?

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by dave 911

would be weakened, and possibly break off at some point and do nasty things inside the cylinder head?

No it won't. Drill, tap, and red loctite it.Done.

The size you drill and tap is up to you. You could remove the air injector completely, but I recall they are a bastard thread (M8 fine maybe?) and you won't likely have that tap.

I would just tap the inside of the remaining injector material to M6, or something similar.

[Aurel]

If you rethread the hole to put a plug my concern would be the metal shavings falling inside the head, though gravity is working in your favor in this case. I would rather try first to use a left hand tap to remove it and if still does not move, a heat torch may help.

[Carrerax]

Dave, I guess you got a little energetic after leaving my house yesterday huh? If you can wait a bit I can get down there and give you a hand. Shoot me an email or a text. I will need a couple of weeks though. Call me this afternoon if you want to discuss it. Be back after 2. And no, you cant borrow my motor

[dave 911]

Originally Posted by Carrerax

.... And no, you cant borrow my motor

Aww, man, I'd be a good caretaker til you get your car ready, and I'd follow all the proper break-in rules. .

Thanks for the hospitality yesterday, and your car is even more awesome in person! And yeah, that motor's ok too .... .

I've got a freind helping (a Porsche mechanic), just dropped the car off with him. He's going to tap & then locktite a bolt in, then remove everything. Thanks for all the help and advice here, gang.

[Carrerax]

You need to put some pics of the beautiful car on here! It is gorgeous!

[john walker's workshop]

that may come out pretty easily with one of those straight remover tools. the problem is that they rot and break at the seal ring. the thread is 10x1.00. a good plug is a 1/8" pipe plug with a hex head. it's tapered and the threads are real close, so it self locks.

[mikeferg75]

Dave sorry for the late reply to your PM...

Having been there done that and the easy outs not working for me, I can say this is a real "B(*&" But can be done.

After exhausting all other tools (easy outs ect) I was forced to drill out mine. I started making sure it goes in straight, then upsized the drill bits till I thought I was close to the threads in the heads. You really really have to be carefull as to not drill into to deep as the it's possible to punch though and hit the valve, I let my drill swallow all the bit deeper than normal to prevent this. (my heat exchangers were off, since I was also doing ssi upgrade so I could see my valve) Since its' the exhaust port, metal shavings not to much of an issue, but I still made sure valve was closed and used a tiny vac before I was done.

Once close to the threads I got out the dremel and focused on cutting a small line perpendicular to the threads untill I could see that I was just barely starting to touch the threads, then I got the dental pick out and began the very tedious process of folding it in upon itself, once I got it started I was able to cave it in and pull it out in a few big pieces.

Hope this helps.

Ferg