I broke 7 of 8.

This morning after carefully reviewing instructions for removing broke plugs..........

I carefully cleared/cleaned plug ports with air etc for 5-8.

I spent about 10-15 min heating up #5

I went in with the Lisle tool and on the first attempt I don't thnk I pushed the porcelin quite far enought and did not get the plug on the fist attempt.

On the second attempt..... I went back in with the porcelin plunger and made sure it was seated firmly. I went back in with the extractor bolt and made sure it was good and tight and screwed in almost to where I had little room to turn the final nut to extract. I starteded turning and it was tight. Then everything loosened up and I thought I was out.

No....... it looks like the tip of the extractor bolt broke/sheared off in the top of the plug tip.

Now I guess I'm toast. I don't see anyway to get the extractor bolt reengaged.

I guess I may as well
1) Tow it to someone to pull head
or
2) For the cost of towing and the head pull ......... I'm wondering if I could just get a new engine and drop in .... or at least if I'm going to pull the head why not replace it with one where I don't have to put up with this crap ever again.

Worked on a couple of trades 2 years ago... should have closed the deal and gotten rid of this PITA.

 

I did read where one poor soul in my position .......... as a last resort turned the engine over and shot the remaining plug out of the port.

I guess if I can get the other 6 out that might be an option?????

What say ye ????

 

Update: I have #1 #6 and #7 extracted with the tool.

I don't think that the tool tip sheared off as indicated above.

But........... I am having trouble getting another bite on #5. I've tried 3 times now and it seems to be partially screwing in but not far. It's not really getting a bite on it.

Don't know what I'm going to do on #5 ???

Working on #2 #3 and #4 now.

 

UPDATE: All broke plugs out except #5.

Help!!

I've tried serveral attempts to finess the Lisle tool. I really had no problem extracting the other broken plugs. Tool cut into the others and grabbed 'em pretty easy really.

I don't know if not having the porcelin completely pushed down on #5 during the first extraction attempt screwed things up or what.

We are simply not able to get a good bite to puill it out.

I reinstalled all other plugs and reconneted all coils, etc.
Started it up in an attempt to blow it out. No luck.

Trying to figure out something else I can try on #5 ???

 

maybe let it soak overnight with carb cleaner?

try it again tomorrow?

I just did mine tonight as well. broke 6. lisle tool worked great.

 

Be sure to use anti seize. It made my second plug change a breeze.

 

Reading this just makes me angry. Sorry for all your troubles.
I have a plug change coming up in about 10K miles and I am scared to death. To think you could possibly ruin your engine doing a simple plug change is beyond ridiculous. Ford really screwed the pooch on this one for sure.

Good luck!

.

 

graphite675 ---- thanks!! I am very calm but extremely angry. What a POS created by Ford.. and the only thing they did was issue several TSBs.

My son worked on #5 some before dark last night attempting to finesse the plug out. Still no bite.

I got my flashlight and examined it this AM ..... the hole looked different... I didn't see porcelin.... I saw dark color. I took an antennae magnet tool and stuck down there and started pulling pulvarized metal (metal shaving) out.

After 3-4 trips down the hole with the magnet tool I used a long narrow screw driver to loosen metal/porcelin. I also have a long metal pointed sckewer to help with the process. I went down the whole again 2-3 times with the magnet tool and removed a little more metal debris out.

I then took the air (with tubing attached for extention) and blew out any loose debris.

I heated with air dryer for 5-10 min and then sprayed some carb cleaner down to help loosen / disolve things.

I left it for the day and plan to try and clear a little more debris before I try and turn the extractor in again.

Right now I am hoping that I have enough metal left on top to grab onto. I'm going to make sure I have as much as I can get before I try the extractor again.

 

Did you call lisle. The instructions state to call them if the tool doesn't work and they may have another remedy?

 

hey, id check your inbox on your personal profile. There may be a solution!

 

dlongoria - No I haven't called Lisle yet but I did see that note on their instruction sheet.

1997 lariat 4.6 - Thanks for the note. I don't do much PMing here and don't check it to regular..... but I did find a couple of msgs .... thanks!!!

I am working today and a meeting tonight, Tuesday night, and Wednesday night ...... but I will probably get a few minutes here and there to work on it. Hopefully by tomorrow night or Wednesday sometime I will be back up and running.

I think I should stay in a Holiday Inn Express tonight!!!

 

I had a few break where the top half did not come out. I had to take some needle nose, grab what I could and yank the top half out. Such a pain!

 

alfack - I had 2 that I had to pull with the needle nose.... one of the them was #8 which is the only one that came out in one piece. The other broke and the electrode came out.

But who cares............

I finally got #5 out ........ whoot whoot!!

I picked at the top of the porcelin interior and kept sending the antennae magnet tool down to remove any metal. I vac'ed and blew and vac'ed and blew and picked and picked and vac'ed and blew. I could tell with my long narrow flathead that I had at least 1/4-3/8" or more metal exposed at the top. Then I went in with the Lisle extractor and with a little pressure I was able to get it top bite. I checked first to make sure I still had enough length on the extractor.

I tightened a little extra ...... twice ..... before I started turning the nut to pull it up with the extractor. It came right out.

Then I Ni antiseized the last plug and put in in my plug socket ..... and my nylon insert the holds the plug in the socket was gone. My son sat on top of the engine and put in all of the other 7 plugs Sunday evening and never mentioned about the insert not being in to hold the plugs.

Anyway .... still haven't found the nylon insert (yes I did check under/in the COP in the last plug my son put in) .......... but all 8 plugs are replaced with 515's.

I did crank up the engine and it ran a little rough and smelled a little different .... maybe without the air intake and associated vac lines, MAF sensor, etc. it runs a little different.

I'm considering pulling the COP's and replacing the boots before closing everything up.

Anyway...... plugs are out and new ones in ........ finally ...... PITA!!!!

 

Way to keep your head down and get 'er done!

 

Thanks alfack!!

I buttoned everything up and took er for a run.... all seems great!! so far......

I ran the battery down running the air compressor during the plug job so I'm letting it charge back up now (the air compressor is hard wired & bolted in under the hood).

So far I've done....
Air Filter
Oil & Filter
Fuel Filter
Tranny Exchange, Filter & Inline Magnefine (& replaced trans wiring harness)
Power steering fluid change
Plugs (cleaned MAF & throtle body)

Left to go......
Front & Rear diff fluid change
Transfer case fluid change
Coolant Exchange
Front & rear thermo quiets & brake fluid change
Belt change
& maybe go ahead and change the COP boots