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Surfer
03-05-2004, 07:41 AM
After two months of rebuilding my drive, I finally put her in the water yesterday. Everything running great, then POP. Blew the ceramic out of the middle of the starboard second to rear plug. What's it take to remove the treaded metal sleve left in the block, and why did this happen? Plugs are only about six months old. (350 Chev) :angryfire

Rootsy
03-05-2004, 07:48 AM
if you only blew the insulator out then the hex should still be there so a 5/8 deep socket if its a sbc... the hex and the threads and the ground electrode, etc are all one piece on a spark plug...

now if it's a sbf it's most likely 13/16... at least MOST SBF's are... i do believe some of the later heads and motors take a smaller plug like the chevies so then bck to the 5/8 thing...

JR - need to refresh my SBF encylopedia

Surfer
03-05-2004, 07:53 AM
The hex blew off with the ceramic. How does that happen?

BillG
03-05-2004, 08:07 AM
Over tightened plugs?

Bill G

Surfer
03-05-2004, 08:25 AM
OK so I'm a bonehead, how do I get the damn thing out?

BUIZILLA
03-05-2004, 08:35 AM
I've seen detonation do this.....

J :wavey:

Forrest
03-05-2004, 08:44 AM
The hex blew off with the ceramic.


Wow! You mean to say that the only part of the sparkplug that is left in the head is the threaded section? Oh my!!! Never seen that before. If that's the case, I would start by removing the exhaust manifold on that side to see if you can gain enough access to use a large ez-out to remove it. If this thing is really in there tight, the main problem that you will need to be careful of is keeping any metal chips that may break loose from the old plug when using the ez-out from falling into the cylinder. Sometimes you can put a dab of grease on the area where the ez-out contacts in order to catch any metal chips, but that may make the ez-out slip depending on how tight the plug is inthe head. Short of removing the plug with an ez-out, you will need to pull the head, which is somthing that I sure you are trying to avoid. Best of luck.

MOP
03-05-2004, 10:20 AM
I have seen what Jim is talking about, please try to take a picture of the ejected parts tip and post it lots of good eyes up here. Getting it out should not pose a problem, if it does there are more ideas.

Phil

Rootsy
03-05-2004, 11:02 AM
YIKES...

did it blow straight through? as in the guts and everything, leaving a ring with threads lodged in the cylinder head threads? if it blew the taper off (sbc) or the gasket seating surface (sbf) then there should be not torque on the threads and they should back out easily unless burred or siezed... if it is a hollow ring i say the easy out is the best way... if not welp i say remove a manifold to get at it.. get your die grinder or dremel and cut a thin deep slot in the plug (don't get the head)... use a GOOD screwdriver to try and turn it out... i prefer the ole snap-on with the hex at the handle and a wrench for leverage...

i agree.. i've seen detonation do this...

mphatc
03-05-2004, 09:05 PM
detonation and over torqueing . . or maybe Champion plugs :jestera:

As previously stated clear access is essential to facilitate a good repair! Remove the manifolds

TIP. turn the engine over to TDC on this cylinder, compression stroke. this will allow you to blow out large particulate incase it falls into the cylinder. To do this use a long small nozzle blow gun inserted into the cylinder, squeeze and the crap has only one way out!

be patient, not all is lost here!

a rack of beer job ! Good Luck!

MPHATC

Cuda
03-05-2004, 10:14 PM
I don't know if it's just like yours happened, but I blew the "guts" out of a plug in a stock 350 I had in a cruiser. I wasn't running hard at all. I think it was just a defective plug. Mine still had the nut on it, so I just backed it out. No apparent damage to the engine.