Engine: T5: Broken spark plug

[marco24v]

Hi all

I have broken my spark plug. When I removed it the casing snapped off and I managed to hoover out some of the remnants of it but their is a small pesky piece that is still embedded near the thread that my hoover just won't fit in. Does anybody have any suggestions as I obviously don't want the casing to go into the engine as then it'd be a real headache or if anyone knows someone or a garage near to Middlesbrough would be much appreciated

Thanks Marc

[reggit]

Have you tried covering a screwdriver in a thick layer of Vaseline, or something similar and using that to pull it out - depending on how it’s stuck, it may stick to the screwdriver?

[marco24v]

Originally Posted by reggit

Have you tried covering a screwdriver in a thick layer of Vaseline, or something similar and using that to pull it out - depending on how it’s stuck, it may stick to the screwdriver?

No but that is a good suggestion. It seems to be stuck/lodged against the thread.when i loosen it it budges but i dont want to loosen it too much in case it ends up in the engine. trying to find a really long pair of tweezers.

[reggit]

Next thought.... is a spark plug ferrous?(will it stick to a magnet), assuming head is alloy (I don’t know), the errant price should stick to a magnet.

I’d also suggest bringing the piston on the cylinder upto TDC in case it falls in. Will make it slightly easier to retrieve.

[davebb]

a lump of blue tack on a screw driver,
Dave

[ksmi]

A small amount of super glue on a long slender screw driver,or welding wire,or a bit of quick drying Araldite?

If this fails,how about turning it up side down and shaking it? As the Duchess said to the Vicar.

Regards,Keith.

[petey]

A length of vacuum advance pipe and just suck on the end of it? If the debris is big enough, it should block the pipe and you lift it out that way?

I would be very cautious about putting anything else down there that could fall in (blu-tac, glue etc.) else you'll make it worse.

Get some compressed air and blow past it into the cylinder. The uprush of air will dislodge it?


When you say casing, do you mean the ceramic? It'll smash before it does too much damage if it did fall in (I once had a 1984 340 that ate a stone when the air filter wriggled about; the stone smashed a plug, made a lot of noise, but wasn't terminal in the end.)

[marco24v]

Originally Posted by petey

A length of vacuum advance pipe and just suck on the end of it? If the debris is big enough, it should block the pipe and you lift it out that way?

I would be very cautious about putting anything else down there that could fall in (blu-tac, glue etc.) else you'll make it worse.

Get some compressed air and blow past it into the cylinder. The uprush of air will dislodge it?


When you say casing, do you mean the ceramic? It'll smash before it does too much damage if it did fall in (I once had a 1984 340 that ate a stone when the air filter wriggled about; the stone smashed a plug, made a lot of noise, but wasn't terminal in the end.)

Yes a small piece of the ceramic is stuck near the thread. I've managed to get the rest of it out. its a small piece just dont want it to do any damage as it took me ages to find this car in this condition.

[Lancee]

Probably OCD but to make 100% sure nothing has dropped into the cylinder is it worth getting one of those small inspection cameras to look inside the cylinder?

Perhaps you are absolutely sure it's only going to be a bit of ceramic, if anything, and that a small piece of ceramic will not hurt the engine on start up but will be blown out (or into the exhaust system) ?

[ASt85]

Originally Posted by Lancee

that a small piece of ceramic will not hurt the engine on start up but will be blown out (or into the exhaust system) ?

The snake camera suggestion is excellent, as is rotating the engine to get that piston that bore's piston to TDC - if it does drop in use a piece of neoprene tubing taped to the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner the rate of air movement achieved will pull out most bits and pieces.

NB that small piece of ceramic is highly heat resistant and of hardness slightly less than that of carborundum. If it does drop in, it has the potential to repeatedly score the bore so it cannot be left in situ in the hope that it will be blown out by the exhaust cycle.