# Broken Spark Plug



## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

Soak it with PB Blaster. I've use everything and that stuff wins, hands down. Dig out the inside and hammer the extractor in and keep trying. If not, call a machine shop. They might give ya some pointers. If that doesn't work, Head might have to come off. I would drop the engine out the bottom and then drill it out. But you gotta have a lift. Or yank the engine out the top if you can, then work on it. Better that yankin a head.:vs_cool:


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Is the head cast iron or aluminum?
You will end up with bits in the cylinder, the head should be pulled.

for iron


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Soak them. 



Easy way is to get the motor good and hot, pull the boots, use 50/50 split of synthetic ATF and acetone, let them soak. Be sure to blow out the area to get all the crud away from it first. 



They will come out.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Oh, man, sorry to see this. I can't help but just had to remark I have never heard of a plug breaking off like that. Lots of broken insulators and all but I have never seen one where the hex broke off. Learn something new every day. Good luck. Hope this all works out.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

All the plugs except #2 have been taken care of with the Kroil. I will try the PB, and then the 50/50 mix (have heard a lot of old-timers swear by it). Problem with the 50/50 is finding a suitable method of application that won't be eaten by the acetone!

The Vulcan is supposed to be iron heads and block.

Pic of the part of the plug that did come out. The rest of the ceramic and electrode got sucked out by the vacuum cleaner. So it's just the threaded collar and the little hook on the end that are stuck in there.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

That piece looks every bit the age of the car .

Had these ever been changed?

I too vote Blaster , may take a couple of applications.

Then the removal and replacement of the engine if no luck on getting the broken part out. 

I too had never heard of one breaking off there. 

ED


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

I've seen a plug broken there cause it was cross threaded. But it was in the front so I could drill it out with ease. Watch out using a easy out. If it breaks, your in for a fight. They are super hard so drilling it is not an option unless it goes to a machine shop.:vs_cool:


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

de-nagorg said:


> That piece looks every bit the age of the car .
> 
> Had these ever been changed?
> 
> ...


I mean, if you think about it, that appears to be about the thinnest part of the metal shell, so it's the most likely place to shear, especially if corroded.

I have no idea if the plugs have ever been changed. They're Motorcraft, so if they were changed it was done with OEM parts.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Lisle makes a broken spark plug extraction tool, but I think it is specific to the 5.4 triton 3V. That engine was notorious for having plugs break off in the head. So notorious that Lisle made a tool just for it. Ford eventually changed the design of the plug.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Yeah, I saw a number of those when I was looking for extractors of various types. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) this is not a Triton motor.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

It was a hard-fought battle, but I hereby declare victory!


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Nicely done! That is one UGLY spark plug. Looks like something you'd expect to see from a car that had been submerged in seawater.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

:vs_clap::vs_clap: Well done

:vs_peek::vs_peek: High 5.


ED


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

The others that came out intact were more or less in the same condition. The wetness on the threaded part is obviously from all the penetrant. I ended up using AeroKroil, PBlaster and Liquid Wrench. Figured one of them would do the trick. It did require hammering the extractor in there pretty good, and even then I wasn't sure the extractor wasn't just rotating inside the shell—until I could actually see the socket moving outward.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)




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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Stay far away from a high mileage Triton 3V that has the original plugs.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

Nice work, been there done that! I've had at least two different occasions where the plug broke off the same way and my winning solution was exactly the same as yours.




Bigplanz said:


> Stay far away from a high mileage Triton 3V that has the original plugs.



I've done quite a few of those. There are ways to reduce the problems. I followed ford's recommended procedure and ended up with numerous broken plugs. 

Now I just run an induction cleaner through the engine ahead of time, let the engine cool for 5-10 minutes then pull the plugs while still hot using a 3/8 impact. Rarely break one this way and haven't seen any thread damage. Some plugs can be pretty difficult to get good access with the impact but I'll do whatever I can to work through it. If I give up and switch to a ratchet, those are the ones that usually break. Bought a set of extended, swivel plug sockets specifically for these vehicles, and they are worth it. Always use only OEM motorcraft plugs in the triton engines, the extractor may not work with other brands. I've never had good results with other brands in these engines.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

+1

I’ve done a handful myself and never broken one yet. Heat, de-carbon treatment (BG intake cleaner and 44K), soak them, and speed on the extraction.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I have seen videos of people using 3/8 inch impacts of these triton plugs. Apparently, this works. Pretty counter-intuitive though!

The redesigned plugs supposedly don't have this problem.


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