spark plug snapped in head!

[spitfire123]

hi all,
doing a full rebuild on a 95 ninja 600. shes in a bad way to be fair needs alot of work.


Right.. the spark plug holes were all corroded up but cleaned all out.. managed to get 3 plugs out fine and on the last one its boody snapped!!

the engine ran as sweet as a nut before anr REALY don want to ake the head off.....

is there any way of removing it not taking the head off.

cheers
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You won't be able to eat my dust......As it'll settle before you get there.

[Dazbo666]

Is there any way to get a deep socket over the remainder of the plug?? or has the hex part of the plug come out already??

[edit] or maybe even use something like a bolt extractor... very carefully
https://www.matcotools.com/ProductImages/mbx5.jpg


I'm sure there's other members with more info, or pro experience
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[spitfire123]

hi mate,
there is no bolt left just the thread burried in the head.

i will get a pic when my phone charges. but it is litraly the thread in there with some white porcoline showing thats it.

and bearing in mine its 2-3" in the head it makes it even harder to get at!

thanks for your help.
apriciated
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You won't be able to eat my dust......As it'll settle before you get there.

[ZebraDriver]

Head off, smash last bits of porcelain out, use screw extractor to wind the last bit of thread out. Wind it out from the outside, so that a damaged bit of thread on the plug does not destroy the thread in the head (assuming the thread is still ok). A 12 point socket will fit over the head of a screw extractor to allow you access down the plug hole

Try using vinegar on the threads first (it breaks down the corrosion that happens between steel and aluminium) a long soak will help. If the thing is still tight try some heat on the head and quench the broken part to "thermal shock" it.

You may find that nothing works - screw extractors are not good on thin walled stuff - they tend to splay the thing out and lock it tighter. In this case you need to get an eengineering shop to bore out what is left and helecoil the head, but a second hand head may be a cheaper option.

ZD

[Pete.]

Not removing the head is a bit of a non-option here. If you drop even the tiniest piece of that ceramic insulator into the engine it'll tear the piston up.

Head off time I'm afraid.
____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Budgetboy]

Head off mate im afraid.

if i had it here i would use heat on the stubborn plug.The heat will expand the metal (alloy v normal metal)
It takes allot of patience to remove these and if you get it wrong you will ruin the threads in the plug port.So don't go wacking it out.i would then weld a bolt on the underside (once the innards was out) then heat it up, ass some lube and slowly apply pressure. 9/10 it will come out.

2nd hand Cylinder head is about £60-£80 just so you know.
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www.Mailorderrepairs.co.uk We service your Carburetor's, Calipers & Suspension for less Also Bike repairs undertaken.

[kestrel]

If there's a machine shop local to you that does spark erosion then take the head there. They will be able to remove the plug without damaging the thread.
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Isle of Man.........Road Racing Capital Of The World

[Bezzer]

There would be no need for expensive spark erosion, if the head is off you've got access to both ends of the thread and should be easy enough to sort out.
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I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

[RIDINGforKICK...]

You could hammer the tang of a file into the plug, the use adjustable spanner on the file.

Make sure the piston is at the bottom of the cylinder first.

[Pete.]

[RIDINGforKICK...]

It's work for me!

I even got one out with a star socket once and a chisel on another occasion.

I did have the proper snap on easy out, but sold them last year.

Big mistake.

[swampy]

[RIDINGforKICK...]

https://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13252

It's an old trick, and well known it the trade.

It really depends on what you have to hand when the situation arises.

Just about any thing tool steel hard and square and about the right size can be hammered in, but you need a way of turning it.

[spitfire123]

[RIDINGforKICK...]

https://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?item_ID=630634&group_ID=675450

This is the set I had, but I had larger ones too.

[Pete.]

[Budgetboy]

If the screw extractor snaps (which the sometimes do) you are in a world of s***.
Take the head off and do it properly.
if you were closer you could have dropped your bike off at mine and i would have done all the calipers,carbs and other stuff for you.It would cost you less and be quicker lol.
____________________
www.Mailorderrepairs.co.uk We service your Carburetor's, Calipers & Suspension for less Also Bike repairs undertaken.

[RIDINGforKICK...]

The remains of the plug may not be all that tight.

If the plug was over tightened the tightness would be between the washer and the surface of the head, once the washer and shoulder breaks off the thread itself can become loose.

If it were me I would spend some time trying to unscrew the remains of the plug.

If I still couldn't get it out, I'd take the head off.

But on a water-cooled twin overhead cam 4 stroke engine, you can bet your arse I would get it out, eventually.

[Mikey3]

providing its snapped flush, could you put a nut over it and put some weld inside the nut, so it only welds to the plug, Then get a long reach socket, or a spark plug socket which is the same size as the nut, obviously, to get it out?
Might need someone with some skill though, I doubt its as simple as steel to steel, not sure how this technique would work with a spark plug, but im sure someone will

Mike
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'04 Yamaha WR450F
'99 SV650 Streetfighter Project - mid build
'Motorcycling is about what you do; not about what you own, or how much you spend on it'

[Pete.]

You won't get near it, the stuck part is three inches down a narrow hole.
____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Budgetboy]

yep you wont be doing that with the head on the bike. Its about 6-7 inches down a inch and a bit hole.
As we said Head off the bike..No easy way around it..
____________________
www.Mailorderrepairs.co.uk We service your Carburetor's, Calipers & Suspension for less Also Bike repairs undertaken.

[spitfire123]

it litraly buy another engine than fix i as it would probebrly be cheaper.

all gaskets will need replacing. other things will be ceized solid.


timimng it will be a pain. i just cant be botherd with it. id rather just try get it out with an extractor. if that fails. burn it.
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You won't be able to eat my dust......As it'll settle before you get there.

[Budgetboy]

Its £20 for a head gasket for your bike mate. Another engine is probably £200 odd. And even then you dont know what you are getting.
____________________
www.Mailorderrepairs.co.uk We service your Carburetor's, Calipers & Suspension for less Also Bike repairs undertaken.

[spitfire123]

[Budgetboy]

It wouldnt be,
You would set the timing before you take the head off.That way when you put it all back together it will already be done.
And you would use the same head bolts.

Just buy a new rocker gasket and new head gasket. Torque the head down to spec and you will be fine.
____________________
www.Mailorderrepairs.co.uk We service your Carburetor's, Calipers & Suspension for less Also Bike repairs undertaken.