Have a 99 5.4 four by four 472000 MI number 3 spark plug spinning took J-B Weld and a spark plug tool and welded it to the broken spark plug after sitting for three or four days the spark plug is spinning but will not come out had a helicoil put in about 4 years ago.
any suggestions on removing this plug that spinning and attached to a spark plug remover.
thanks

 

Hi and welcome. As far as I know, the first thing you need to do is get the spark plug socket tool and the part of the plug it is "welded" to out of the engine. I think you're going to have to somehow "pull" on the plug while you are unscrewing it, which should get it into the threads to allow extraction. I hate to suggest this, but maybe you could JB Weld a socket extension into the socket and than weld that to the wrench handle. This might allow you to get enough "pull" to do the trick. If you could "grab" the socket with "Vise-grip" pliers, you might be able to pull on it too, while turning it.

Sounds like the threads in the helicoil got stripped? Your model year truck engine doesn't have the broken plug problem that was so common in the next generation.

Perhaps some other members will have a better suggestion. I've never heard of this problem, so I''m at a bit of a loss.

- Jack

 

When you get it out, you will probably need a "Bigsert" which is an oversized Timesert. As you found out the hard way, a Helicoil does not work in these engines. Hopefully you don't have to pull the head.

http://www.timesert.com/html/bigsert.html

 

472,000 miles? It might be time to pull that engine and overhaul it anyway.

 

This motor has been well-maintained and my goal is 1 million miles before I even think about overhauling it it is strong and the upper intake manifold was replaced 20,000 miles ago.