Broken off spark plug - any help appreciate

[honda600wiz]

Hi everyone! I'm sending this to all the groups so I apologize if some of
you get duplicates of this message.
A friend and I acquired this weekend, two coupes from a barn where they had
been sitting for 20 years! One is a parts car for the other, so I think by
and large we are going to be in great shape with our restoration...
We had a rough start, however, and I'm wondering if any of you have
thoughts you might share with us to resolve a problem. During removal of
the spark plugs, the plug on right bank (left side if you're
standing in front of car, the plug that's under the points/condenser
compartment), broke off almost flush at the head. The electrode came out
with the plug, and you can see straight down into cylinder. All that's
left is the plug sleeve and the bent metal part at the bottom of the plug
(still attached to plug sleeve). We were thinking of putting an oily rag
on a wire down into the
cylinder to catch the swarf and then use a small dremel tool to try and
grind down enough of the plug sleeve to bend it in on itself and remove it.
Then remove the oily rag through the plug hole (hopefully with most metal
shavings attached). Then open oil drain plug and flush hole with gasoline
and crank the engine over with both plugs out to blow out any remaining
metal shaving swarf through the plug hole.
Our only other option (and it's a BIGGIE) is to remove the cylinder
head. Biggie because the exhaust header studs look completely rusted
on...would be a major bear to get off. Plus, I'd need a full top end
gasket set.
Any one with insights PLEASE help!
Thanks in advance.
Doug
P.S. you can email me directly if you prefer to
mailto:dstark@...
Douglas Stark
STARK CONSULTANTS, INC.
One Memorial Square, Whitinsville, MA 01588
http://www.starkconsult.com XXX-XXX-XXXX

[acuhondvig]

Check with an automotive store for a reverse thread tap.

> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> Doug
> Stark
> To:
> Recipient list suppressed
> Sent:
> Monday, July 19, 2004 10:27
> AM
> Subject:
> [2cylinderhondas] Broken off
> spark plug - any help appreciate
> Hi everyone!  I'm sending this to all the groups so I
> apologize if some of
> you get duplicates of this message.
> A friend
> and I acquired this weekend, two coupes from a barn where they had > been > sitting for 20 years!  One is a parts car for the other, so I think by
> and large we are going to be in great shape with our
> restoration...
> We had a rough start, however, and I'm wondering if any
> of you have
> thoughts you might share with us to resolve a problem.
> During removal of
> the spark plugs,  the plug on right bank (left side
> if you're
> standing in front of car, the plug that's under the
> points/condenser
> compartment), broke off almost flush at the head.
> The  electrode came out
> with the plug, and you can see straight down
> into cylinder.  All that's
> left is the plug sleeve and the bent metal
> part at the bottom of the plug
> (still attached to plug sleeve).  We
> were thinking of putting an oily rag
> on a wire down into the
> cylinder
> to catch the swarf and then use a small dremel tool to try and > grind down > enough of the plug sleeve to bend it in on itself and remove it.
> Then
> remove the oily rag through the plug hole (hopefully with most metal
> shavings attached).  Then open oil drain plug and flush hole with > gasoline > and crank the engine over with both plugs out to blow out any > remaining > metal shaving swarf through the plug hole.
> Our only other
> option (and it's a BIGGIE) is to remove the cylinder
> head.  Biggie
> because the exhaust header studs look completely rusted
> on...would be a
> major bear to get off.  Plus, I'd need a full top end
> gasket
> set.
> Any one with insights PLEASE help!
> Thanks in
> advance.
> Doug
> P.S.  you can email me directly if you prefer
> to
> mailto:dstark@...
> Douglas
> Stark
> STARK CONSULTANTS, INC.
> One Memorial Square, Whitinsville, MA
> 01588
> http://www.starkconsult.com
> XXX-XXX-XXXX

[Mark]

Hi Doug
Well I think I had the same thing happen to me a while back.  When trying to remove a NGK  plug out of my Honda motorcycle the spark plug separated into two parts.  In the plug wrench was the insulator and hex body of plug and still in the cylinder head was the threaded portion of the plug.   It had broke in two where the metal part of the plug was necked down too far and hardly no metal was left.   I imagine you had the same look of disbelief on your face as I had!
I took a 1/2" diameter  bit of rod and arc welded it to the remaining part of the plug that was stuck in the head.  Poured water on it to cool it fast.    Came out easy then..   Photo showing this bit of  experience enclosed.   Threads were ok in the head and a new plug screwed in ok..
Wally Skyrman Southern Oregon
================================================================
From: Doug Stark dstark@...
  wrote
 During removal of the spark plugs, the plug on right bank (left side if you're
standing in front of car, the plug that's under the points/condenser compartment), broke off almost flush at the head. The electrode came out with the plug, and you can see straight down into cylinder. All that's left is the plug sleeve and the bent metal part at the bottom of the plug (still attached to plug sleeve). Our only other option (and it's a BIGGIE) is to remove the cylinder head.
--------- Biggie because the exhaust header studs look completely rusted on...would be a major bear to get off.

Note: 1 image(s) originally linked in this post are no longer available (cid:650245614@20072004-2a34).

[Steve]

Unless you have a hole in your piston, opening the drain plug and
flushing will not get you anywhere. You'd be better having the piston
near TDC and blasting the chips out the exhaust with 150psi of air.
If you can't get get the plug chunk out you can more easily remove
the head and deal with it off the car, because most likely the engine
needs worked on anyways.
Miles