All plugs broke, see the wonderful picture. Worse part is that every one of my plugs the top electrode strap is broken off somehow and in the engine I presume, I even lost a long electrode in the number 3 cylinder. I am pissed, at this point I am going to put the new plugs in, and get this turd towed to the dealer to pull the heads and clean out the cylinders..... Any idea what I did wrong. I used the lisle.

 

Oh yeah what gets me is the electrode straps on every plug being gone. I don't see how the extractor could have done that.........

 

Did you run a few tanks of Techron before you pulled them? Did you follow the protocol of shooting brake cleaner in the plug well? Many shops are now also swearing by simply using an electric impact wrench to remove the plugs. It seems odd that you would have broken that many plugs!

 

And just out of curiosity, how many miles were on those plugs?

 

Jeez....

 

^^^ MC Carb cleaner, not brake cleaner. Fluid will also do no good unless gas seal is broken ever-so-minutely ( 1/16th of a turn or less ) to allow wicking to occur.

OP - my sincere condolences.

MGD

 

Thanks for the correction! It will be interesting to see how this guy did his change -- the fact that he knew about the Lisle tool would make you think he had at least some knowledge on how to approach these trucks. Unfortunately, the results would say otherwise.

 

Yes I used the tsb with the carb cleaner and cracked them a 1/8 turn and let them soak as described. I did not do the fuel treatment, that wasn't in the tsb so I skipped that.

This truck has 104k miles on original plugs, reason I did the change was truck is stumbling/missing.

Off to the dealer now with the plugs I pulled, trying to get advice. I have all new plugs in there now, my problem is ***** in the cylinders. Maybe the dealer has some kind of bore scope vacuum or something, beats me.......

 

Porcelain looks like it's pushed through to the point that it broke the straps off..
You use nickel anti sieze on the new plug shafts?

Forget the tsb, next time use methods tried and trued by day to day mechanics. Techron additive has been proven to help if ran in a few tanks before the change. Also, the use of an impact gun seems to work well. There are more and more stories of people having complete successful plug changes using those methods. Including myself.

Sorry about the luck... I wouldnt be a happy camper if that were me

 

Yes used anti-seize on the plug shafts....

 

Before you drive it in there and jack your cylinders up try this. It will require some research though. I had this happen and called a specialist out to fix it and it was quite ingenious.

1. Pull your plugs out
2. Rotate engine crank by hand and place a cylinder so that it is on the exhaust stroke (the research part)
3. Take a shop vac/leaf blower and place it over your tail pipe and duct tape it so that it is sealed
4. Turn the blower on
5. You should be blowing air up the exhaust backwards through the engine. If you do it right you will blow any porcelain out the spark plug hole.

I know it sounds redneck as crap but it totally worked on my truck (although I only had porcelain in two cylinders). It may save you a hefty dealer charge. The guy I had do it has a website www.blownoutsparkplug.com.

 

Looking at that web site, it would appear that he specializes in the earlier 2 valve modular motors where blowing plugs out of the heads was a big problem. (Actually only a problem from 1997 - 2001.) The 2004 & up 3 valve issues with plugs not wanting to come out is a whole different issue.

 

You mean "tow" the truck there, can't drive it. Dealer service was closed today will go there tomorrow am and see what the damage is. I'm guessing I'll be at 2k worst scenario if they have to pull heads. Crossing fingers they have another option....... Really glad this truck is paid off.

 

I would imagine a vacuum with a small hose attachment and a bore-scope to follow. If that doesnt work, the heads come off.

 

Yes that is what he specializes in however when I called him after I snapped two plugs off in my heads he came out and did that trick. Porcelain is a very very hard substance. If you run the engine with that in the cylinder it will scratch and gouge the pistons, valves and cylinder walls. When that guy came out and did that the porcelain came right out the plug holes in the heads and he just picked them out with some long tweezers.