broken spark
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,999
Likes: 14
From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
How are we supposed to help?
Year of car?
what part of the spark plug broke off?
Can you get the plug out?
threads messed up?
Every one of these has an answer and a different fix.
Broke sparkplug doesn't help
Year of car?
what part of the spark plug broke off?
Can you get the plug out?
threads messed up?
Every one of these has an answer and a different fix.
Broke sparkplug doesn't help
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,620
Likes: 206
From: Orlando FL
Sounds like the threaded part is still in without the nut to turn it. The threads might not be as tight as you think it might be. As a starting point I would try to get a hold of that piece somehow and just try to turn it. Don't know if it would be possible to drill a small hole or two in it to try to get a better grip in it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
You Need a Square Easy Out broken bolt removal tool.
I have never had that happen on any Corvette I worked on or my own.
But happens to me every Fall & Winter when I have to Tune up Snow Plow trucks for the coming winter season here in Illinois.
Calcium Chloride will corrode the main frame rails into nothing on those trucks within 2 or 3 yeas.
Eats holes right through the cast Iron exhaust manifolds.
2" inch holes.
Take the correct sized square drive bodied easy out tool & place it into the remainder of the spark plug.
Tap it in with a Ball Peen Hammer.
With a good Cresent Wrench & PB blaster applied,
Remove the spark plug shell threads counterclockwise.
It will come out for You.
I have had to do it dozens of times.
Its just a PIA.
Nothing else works correctly besides one of those special tapered square drive bodied easy out tools.
Have a set in my toolbox at work.
Brian
I have never had that happen on any Corvette I worked on or my own.
But happens to me every Fall & Winter when I have to Tune up Snow Plow trucks for the coming winter season here in Illinois.
Calcium Chloride will corrode the main frame rails into nothing on those trucks within 2 or 3 yeas.
Eats holes right through the cast Iron exhaust manifolds.
2" inch holes.
Take the correct sized square drive bodied easy out tool & place it into the remainder of the spark plug.
Tap it in with a Ball Peen Hammer.
With a good Cresent Wrench & PB blaster applied,
Remove the spark plug shell threads counterclockwise.
It will come out for You.
I have had to do it dozens of times.
Its just a PIA.
Nothing else works correctly besides one of those special tapered square drive bodied easy out tools.
Have a set in my toolbox at work.
Brian
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
You Need a Square Easy Out broken bolt removal tool.
I have never had that happen on any Corvette I worked on or my own.
But happens to me every Fall & Winter when I have to Tune up Snow Plow trucks for the coming winter season here in Illinois.
Calcium Chloride will corrode the main frame rails into nothing on those trucks within 2 or 3 yeas.
Eats holes right through the cast Iron exhaust manifolds.
2" inch holes.
Take the correct sized square drive bodied easy out tool & place it into the remainder of the spark plug.
Tap it in with a Ball Peen Hammer.
With a good Cresent Wrench & PB blaster applied,
Remove the spark plug shell threads counterclockwise.
It will come out for You.
I have had to do it dozens of times.
Its just a PIA.
Nothing else works correctly besides one of those special tapered square drive bodied easy out tools.
Have a set in my toolbox at work.
Brian
I have never had that happen on any Corvette I worked on or my own.
But happens to me every Fall & Winter when I have to Tune up Snow Plow trucks for the coming winter season here in Illinois.
Calcium Chloride will corrode the main frame rails into nothing on those trucks within 2 or 3 yeas.
Eats holes right through the cast Iron exhaust manifolds.
2" inch holes.
Take the correct sized square drive bodied easy out tool & place it into the remainder of the spark plug.
Tap it in with a Ball Peen Hammer.
With a good Cresent Wrench & PB blaster applied,
Remove the spark plug shell threads counterclockwise.
It will come out for You.
I have had to do it dozens of times.
Its just a PIA.
Nothing else works correctly besides one of those special tapered square drive bodied easy out tools.
Have a set in my toolbox at work.
Brian
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
Check with the Local Harbor Freight Tools supply outlet in your area.
I think I have seen them there too for sale.
The spiral kind of easy out removal tools don't work too well on those broken off spark plug threaded shells remaining in the cylinder head.
The Tapered square drive bodied easy out removal tool "digs in deep" & the shock of the ball peen hammer works the rust loose also.
I have a favorite Blue Point ball Peen Hammer on a wooden hickory handle.
18 ounce steel head.
Something similar will work great for you too.
You need to "SMACK" that square drive tool sharply in to use it correctly.
Or otherwise it will slip off when turned with a Cresent wrench.
Hit it dead on with the Ball Pean Hammer so you don't smack your Free Hand holding the tool!
Brian
I think I have seen them there too for sale.
The spiral kind of easy out removal tools don't work too well on those broken off spark plug threaded shells remaining in the cylinder head.
The Tapered square drive bodied easy out removal tool "digs in deep" & the shock of the ball peen hammer works the rust loose also.
I have a favorite Blue Point ball Peen Hammer on a wooden hickory handle.
18 ounce steel head.
Something similar will work great for you too.
You need to "SMACK" that square drive tool sharply in to use it correctly.
Or otherwise it will slip off when turned with a Cresent wrench.
Hit it dead on with the Ball Pean Hammer so you don't smack your Free Hand holding the tool!
Brian
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Check with the Local Harbor Freight Tools supply outlet in your area.
I think I have seen them there too for sale.
The spiral kind of easy out removal tools don't work too well on those broken off spark plug threaded shells remaining in the cylinder head.
The Tapered square drive bodied easy out removal tool "digs in deep" & the shock of the ball peen hammer works the rust loose also.
I have a favorite Blue Point ball Peen Hammer on a wooden hickory handle.
18 ounce steel head.
Something similar will work great for you too.
You need to "SMACK" that square drive tool sharply in to use it correctly.
Or otherwise it will slip off when turned with a Cresent wrench.
Hit it dead on with the Ball Pean Hammer so you don't smack your Free Hand holding the tool!
Brian
I think I have seen them there too for sale.
The spiral kind of easy out removal tools don't work too well on those broken off spark plug threaded shells remaining in the cylinder head.
The Tapered square drive bodied easy out removal tool "digs in deep" & the shock of the ball peen hammer works the rust loose also.
I have a favorite Blue Point ball Peen Hammer on a wooden hickory handle.
18 ounce steel head.
Something similar will work great for you too.
You need to "SMACK" that square drive tool sharply in to use it correctly.
Or otherwise it will slip off when turned with a Cresent wrench.
Hit it dead on with the Ball Pean Hammer so you don't smack your Free Hand holding the tool!
Brian
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
You are welcome.
Glad I could help You out.
1st time that happened to me about 10 years ago........broken off spark plug threaded in shell in the cylinder head still stuck & intact I panicked too.
An old timer mechanic showed me the same trick I told you about.
BR
Glad I could help You out.
1st time that happened to me about 10 years ago........broken off spark plug threaded in shell in the cylinder head still stuck & intact I panicked too.
An old timer mechanic showed me the same trick I told you about.
BR
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,620
Likes: 206
From: Orlando FL
You Need a Square Easy Out broken bolt removal tool.
I have never had that happen on any Corvette I worked on or my own.
But happens to me every Fall & Winter when I have to Tune up Snow Plow trucks for the coming winter season here in Illinois.
Calcium Chloride will corrode the main frame rails into nothing on those trucks within 2 or 3 yeas.
Eats holes right through the cast Iron exhaust manifolds.
2" inch holes.
Take the correct sized square drive bodied easy out tool & place it into the remainder of the spark plug.
Tap it in with a Ball Peen Hammer.
With a good Cresent Wrench & PB blaster applied,
Remove the spark plug shell threads counterclockwise.
It will come out for You.
I have had to do it dozens of times.
Its just a PIA.
Nothing else works correctly besides one of those special tapered square drive bodied easy out tools.
Have a set in my toolbox at work.
Brian
I have never had that happen on any Corvette I worked on or my own.
But happens to me every Fall & Winter when I have to Tune up Snow Plow trucks for the coming winter season here in Illinois.
Calcium Chloride will corrode the main frame rails into nothing on those trucks within 2 or 3 yeas.
Eats holes right through the cast Iron exhaust manifolds.
2" inch holes.
Take the correct sized square drive bodied easy out tool & place it into the remainder of the spark plug.
Tap it in with a Ball Peen Hammer.
With a good Cresent Wrench & PB blaster applied,
Remove the spark plug shell threads counterclockwise.
It will come out for You.
I have had to do it dozens of times.
Its just a PIA.
Nothing else works correctly besides one of those special tapered square drive bodied easy out tools.
Have a set in my toolbox at work.
Brian
I actually thought about an easy out but since I did not have a picture of what it looked like, I was not sure if it was possible to get an easy out in there without drilling. I thought drilling was a bad idea as a starting point.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
I will have to remember this and hope I won't have to use it.
I actually thought about an easy out but since I did not have a picture of what it looked like, I was not sure if it was possible to get an easy out in there without drilling. I thought drilling was a bad idea as a starting point.
I actually thought about an easy out but since I did not have a picture of what it looked like, I was not sure if it was possible to get an easy out in there without drilling. I thought drilling was a bad idea as a starting point.
That is why I said "Old Timer Mechanic's" from the 1950's to 1980"s were the best in past.
I learned from them.
Taught me hundreds of tricks long forgotten by most.
I try to share them with all when the situation or need arises here on C4.
Saying Thanks here to my long time Bud "Bill"/ "Crazy" out loud here on C4 Tech.
He passed on sadly in 2007.
If you guys think I am a "piece of work".....
Bill broke the mold on all.
Was only 1 of him.
It was his trick I shared last 2 days.
Brian