Removing broken Spark Plugs 

Wow, best video so far on how to get frozen plugs out! You have more patience and determination than most mechanics. A long process, but in the end you saved a ton of time and money!

What I did was use the square bolt extractor (as you have) but I made a mixture of transmission oil and Varsol (or any paint thinner) but instead of spraying the area with the Refrigerant to cool it after heating the area with the oxy/acetylene torch I put the bolt extractor in the freezer for a few hours before using it. Let it sit for about a minute or 2 before extracting. The cold temperature transfers into the broken spark plug causing it to shrink enough to extract it!

Fantastic!! Worked wonderful today on my uncle's plow truck 3 of the 8 broke off swapping out plugs.6 hours of pretty intense labor saved a couple of thousand dollars...thanks man!!

Logan Walter Wow. Just had this happen on a 2000 explorer with a 5.0 this truck had 200k and the original plugs, of corse I got all but one. I went to O’reiley’s and bought the exact same extractor. Soaked it in pb blaster overnight spraying every few hour of so. My tool slipped three times by the fourth time I hammered it on as much as I thought would be ok. And wouldn’t you know with a little elbow grease it finally came out. Thank you for this video. Saved my a few $$$

Just wanted to comment on your video. I have a 1996 f250 and the same problem happened to me. I figured I would check some videos to see what other people have done in the past. So far I have to say your advice about heating.... and walk away..... heat it and spray with aerokroyl.....and walk away was some of the best advice. I live remotely and had to get my brother to bring his back pack oxy/acetylene torch’s as my MPs gas would budge it. I watch a video a Mexican fellow posted where he made an easy out from a bolt which in my opinion is far superior to hardened easy outs which are brittle and break easily. Between learning patience and the awesome idea the Mexican mechanic had using a bolt which is tempered not just hardened without being drawn back I am happy to say after a couple of days of heating, spraying cooling etc the grade eight bolt tapered to a square was very successful, Thanks for posting, patience is learned and my dad used to always tell me when I was a kid.... you better learn to be patient, It payed off and happily lowing my ice road again, I will never put faith in hardened easy outs after breaking one years ago,

O'Reillys carries( or carried) an expanding spark plug "tap". I used it to clean buggered threads on my old Datsun PU. Just back it off to min.size, put a good gob of grease on it to catch any shavings, insert into the spark plug hole and then GENTLY expand it until it just starts to grip the threads. Then run it out with your fingers, clean off the grease, re-grease & repeat until the threads are cleaned up. I never got any metallic particles into the engine with this method. The tool cost about $50.00. Sure beat the cost of a replacement head, or an iffy PITA Helicoil (tm) job. No having to remove the head too, especially since this was a 4 cyl. with 8 plugs. Whole job took under 15 minutes. Slapped some anti-seize on the new plug and put 50K miles on the engine and it was running great when I sold the truck. The nice thing about the tool is it works on any size spark plug hole that the threads match on.

You sir are a lifesaver may God bless you everyday of your life!! I was panicking about the debris inside the cylinder and took the engine apart before hand but the rest of the info saved me time and innovation lol

That’s a wonderful thing to see. I have a similar problem on a ‘93 ford econoline. My issue is the last plug on the passenger side has a weird angle and no space to fit tools in. Still working on it.

You just saved me. I have a race in 2 days and had a plug break. Used your video and just got it out. Thank you

Love your work. Have tried to use screw type extractors myself - crap. Ended up shearing off and having to get the bloody extractor spark eroded out as well as the bolt. I have now started a project on a GS1000 Suzuki that has stood for over 20 years. Have sheared the two inner plugs. Trouble is that the head is aluminium. I am going to have to strip the head off anyway as having looked in the bore I think the barrels will need honing due to rust. Will definitely use the extractors you recommend. Will probably try putting the head in the oven first before using oxy/propane torch approach (far to easy to melt the head itself). Hopefully the differential expansion rates Ally and Steel should work in my favour but we'll see.

Great video man!!! That worked great on the plug that broke on a Kawasaki 4 wheeler I am rebuilding

Great video. Especially that you show what didn't work as well. I have a broken spark plug. Instead of using the extractor (it forces the plug to the engine) I want to cut a thread left way into the plug and use a left way screw to turn it out. And of course use much penetrating oil as well.

Watched your video and it pointed me in the right direction...extractor worked like a champ!

Good video. I have a 99 f250sd with a 5.4 and had someone change my plugs about a year ago and they came out, didn't break, didn't bring threads out either. I was lucky and this guy is good too. Yea some of us have older trucks and will prolly have one for a while yet. haha

A fantastic video and I wish that this had been available when I had a similar plug problem some time ago. Keep up the cracking work!

LOL...same thing happened on my 1990 F250 off road snow plowing vehicle...I used my torch set to "persuade" the plugs to come out....I know the feeling....Great video and thanks for posting.

Hi! Great video! Same thing just happened on my 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid w/ 265K Miles. Driving along in the city of Boston Friday night, and suddenly it started running really rough. I hobbled to a safe place to park, and ran a test on the FIXD device & App. Got a code P0303 Cylinder 3 misfire. Had the car towed home as to avoid any further damage. Saturday morning, I picked up new plugs, ignition coils, & plenum gaskets. In the afternoon, I started taking the engine apart (which presented some of its own challenges), then got to the spark plugs... They were ALL frozen; Some more than others. Cylinder #3 came out the easiest, then #2, then #4. I broke the spark plug off in cylinder #6. Cylinders number 1 & 5 still have not come out. In New England, it's like Seattle. It rains almost every day. So with rain in the forecast again, I may wait another day (or two) to get back at it. RU-vid University to the rescue one more time!!!

Thanks for showing how you had success and details what didn't work too with this headache problem.

great video - honesty - good details - showed extensive know how .......

I've got to do this on an old tractor, and the tips you showed will come in handy. Thank you!

Great advice. Thank you! Boat’s been sitting for 3 years because of a seized spark plug. Wish me luck!

After its out it is highly recommend to take a scope camera and look down in the cylinder to make sure you remove ALL parts of spark plug out. It is crucial you make sure its all out of there using just a vacuum and a magnet is not the best advice. You will blow your motor or at the very minimum you will destroy your cylinder walls which intern will inevitably blow your motor by making it loose compression.

GOOD VIDEO, ONE OF THE FEW ON U-TUBE THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE ! THANKS !

You had gave me a great great video with a great idea thank you very much for sharing ur ideas. God bless you.

Thanks for the info I just had a spark plug break on my 91 f150 unfortunately it was the back right plug next to the firewall so im hoping I have enough room to try, not looking forward to the alternative

How do you verify what size easy out to use. Working with a 5/8 Champion 3071 Soaking now for 4 days. Dry Ice seems appropriate. Plug snapped on the line. We’re installed December 2017. No excuse!

after cleaning hole squirt some diesel into cylinder and turn over that will help blow porcelain out other wise you well covered it

Very information, great explaination. Thanks

Is the extraction the same for all different plugs

You've just saved my sanity! Thanx from Lancashire!

very well done and easy to understand

good video man. nice job and awesome repair!

The sparkplug I have is sized and not broken ....yet? I don't want to use any force at this point. Do you recommend the penetration oil ? Do I spray inside the hole and let it soak/absorb for a few hours? How many times I have to do it before I can try to unscrew it again ? Thank you 👌

I just discover you youpage today and I did subs to you my friend we always need other to learn more in mecanic and more stuff thkx buddy

Thank you. You saved me many hours and curse words.

You got the sunny beach out! I haven't been so lucky. Still working on 2 broken plugs.

I haven't tried it yet but I can honestly say you are halirous and damn good rigging job with the vacuum and all. I do alot of that myself. Thanks for the tips. Mike from Philly

great idea of the Temperature change on the metal of from Hot to Cold then Penetrating oil.

Great video I hade the 2 same plugs break on my 97 f350 as well good to know I’m not the only one.. will have to give this method a shot tomorrow!

I'm having very good success with left-handed drill bits to extract broken bolts. Not sure if they would help here.

Woww AWSOME video Thank you . I had a broken spark plug and now I have some ideas Sr thanks for sharing.. wish me luck.-:)

Very helpful thank you sir.

thank you for this video it helped me

Hi Guy in WY. I have a 1988 Ford Thunderbird with a 5.0 engine. On the driver's side, I removed the first plug- took a little elbow grease but it came out. The second plug broke under the oil dipstick bracket...the nut actually broke off the threads. Luckily a guy extracted it for me for only thirty dollars. I lost confidence in removing the rest. I heard about the rocking method (loosen tighten, loosen tighten) an eighth of an inch at a time and then squirt some carb cleaner it and let it soak. Shops want 130 for removal of remaining plugs and that's a bit much as I'm a retired 67-year-old man. I still want to try to remove 'em on my own. Any advice would be appreciated.

great video... hope i dont have to go through the same issue but im about to find out. im gonna spray kroil a on them and let the daily driving work it in just like you said. thanks. really appreciate your video.

What brand is the spark plugs ??? Good thinking 🤔, any thing is better than pulling heads

Tough Job, to get out those mothers out but, I saved big money today . I just fix one that was frozen & cross thread . Did a Re-thread plus new insert with new threads and the hold complete job. Just waiting 24 hrs for the lock-thread paste to dry up...... Thanks for the video.

This was a fantastic video with lots of good techniques.

your video saved my ass lol thats for the tip on the square extractors man

I wound up with a 1994 chevy S10.the plugs are frozen in place. Any good ideas i can do myself ? Im 71 years old so crawling on the ground is not an option. Can you help me ? It is a 4 cylinder.

Very good information. Thank You!

Thanks I have Lexis RX350 2007 it really helped really helped what you video because I did this today

Spot on helped me watching this vid thanks buddy

Lifesaver thanks.

So I have a 2002 dodge, and the spark plug broke inside the head, where it broke you can't get a tool on it, its the 8th spark plug. There is no porcelain in side, the threaded part is the only part stuck inside the head will jb weld and a bolt work, or do I need to take the head off, its a 4.7l byw

Got a 97 ford expedition 4.6l engine and found 2 spark plugs beyond stripped around the hex nut and was thinkin should i buy the extracter and break the porcelain piece first and use extractor please help

And on that note, any thoughts I had on suddenly doing a tune-up in my truck came to an abrupt halt. I definitely don't want that happening to me... How old were those plugs?

thanks

I would suggest using a small long compressed air nozzle inserted deep into the cylinder to blow out the cylinder before turning over the engine. I would do each process several times. Magnetic, vacuum and compressed air. If by some freak chance you have metal shavings caught on the piston and cylinder wall you are going to cause damage. Also suggest some anti-seize on the metal taper and threads of the new plug.

I bought CRC Freeze Off from the hometown auto parts. I used my acetylene torch to get the broken plug hot, then i waited 30 seconds or so and sprayed tje freeze off on it for 20 seconds. I then put the fluted ez out onto the broken plug. It broke loose and came right out. I tried just freezing it first with no luck. This works!

Helpful. Thank you.

Thanks, helpful! I have a car with seized plugs, will get some extra stuff you reccomend!🔩🔧

A quick lick of Never Seize on the threads and chamfer along with properly torquing the plugs will prevent them from breaking in the future. In many cases the plugs are overtightened and the nut cracks on the shell. It begins to rust and the rest is history.

Professional!!!

I broke a plug the same way trying to remove it in my F 150. I guess I need to get one of those extractors from O’ Reilly. If I get that one out I’m taking it to a mechanic to do the other five, and I’m gonna warn them that they’re in there really good.

Like it ,good job

Hey man I got a stuck socket inside the throat hole of the spark plug bore filing it out by using different variety of files

I have a 2005 Explorer with a broken plug. This method looks like the best option I have found so far. Question I have is on breaking up the porcelain that is still in the bottom half of the plug. You just used a chisel to break that up, while your vacuum was in the well also? And hopefully the vacuum catches the electrode if that breaks free?

Yep this works well. Learned it years ago

How do you get the porcelain out?

never thought about using r 134. I have used the propane torch trick and the thing that looks a lot like propane that uses oxygen and mapp gas. Thesre are actually the same as the classic gas welding/cutting torch scaled down. Mapp gas is actually acetylene with a stabilizer added to it. These will actually MELT steel so if all you want to do is heat things up BE DAMN CAREFUL. Beats the hell out of propane in many cases. :) On the good side --- You KNOW the threads in the block are good...

You have a vacuum, but on the street can you use a magnetic tool to pick out any porcelain deposits?

The walk through was educational. That hot to cold method is a nice idea.

Before chiseling out porcelain, try and see it cylinder pressure will push it out. Broke my spark plug due to my stupidity, tried to remove by tightening. Broke in the same place as you did (14 explorer). Turned on the engine and porcelain bew out from the tread in one piece. Now will need to go buy some extractors.

Damn. Went to change the plugs on my early 90's Ford a few months ago and had a hell of a time getting them out. Sure am glad this didn't happen. Never had something like that happen and have been changing plugs for a long time. A Ford issue?

use the penetrating oil before you try to remove

Thank you, you saved me!

One thing I found if the nut on the plug brakes off you can just crank over and the motor and the compression will blow the center out.

So, what you're saying is get someone else to change the plugs. :) I was already told that to change my plugs in my truck will cost me 800 dollars because they might break. I'm thinking I might try it myself first and if I have to I'll buy the tool they made for plugs that break if any do break. Not looking forward to it. Glad you got yours out.

Thanks 👍

good man !!

I hate those washerless sparkplugs Mercedes Benz used them also in aluminium heads. It might help to let the engine run hot. But I prefer loosen and tighten them every oilchange. No problems anymore.

Refrigerant on a red hot cast iron head?

Are there any steps or things I should or shouldn't do when pulling the plugs to prevent them from breaking? Thanks!

I had a plug break the same way. What I did was start the car for less than 10 seconds. The core of the plug was pushed right out. Which I find to be the biggest issue to deal with. From there I used an extractor to remove the rest of the plug.

What about dry ice?

Great great video but it's hard to put a torch on a 2007 GMC envoy what I did I got a number 6 extractor and a half inch long extension and a crescent wrench and PB blast and permission from the customer to replace the head to cover my ass and Give it a good turn and "POP" it came off.

The old style K&D works great but the screw type not so much for me

I did broke the ragout

Broke the same extractor on this car here..... but did not try the freezing.

You have the voice of a preacher.

Ha,..I love Kroil. Not only is it a fantastic penetrating oil, but it smells good too!😂🤣😂🤣.

👍

On may 19 2017 i started watching this and walked away. Tried everything...... atf, tabasco sauce, coca cola, hot piss, cow farts in a bottle even VOODOO! Today i'll continue watching

This happen to my 2014 bmw 3 series gawd I hope I can fix this using this method 😅

Have you learned to use anti seize are your spark plugs yet on your exhaust manifolds. Save you a lot of time anything that's aluminum or steel that gets hot. And you expect it to come out someday

Good information but most people don't have dat ki da equipment

I have to do this on a ford intruder with a 460... ya it's a bus style RV.

This just happened to me GMC envoy

You gonna burn the ozone layer with that refrigerant Buddy!!😆😆