Broken spark plug

[Goodman]

Originally Posted by 03glgold

on the ecotec you can't get to the spark plugs by hand it takes a long extension to even reach them with a spark plug socket.

Originally Posted by a.graham52

turn the extension by hand....

Exactly! doesn't take much brain to figured this out...

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by a.graham52

leave them be. your good to 100k unless one carbon tracs.

Possibly so, but on my 1995 Ford Escort going over 70,000 miles on those "100,000 mile" plugs results in a plug gap so big you wonder how the car can possibly run.

[a.graham52]

Originally Posted by zzyzzx

Possibly so, but on my 1995 Ford Escort going over 70,000 miles on those "100,000 mile" plugs results in a plug gap so big you wonder how the car can possibly run.

its a ford... get use to wondering. But in all seriousness iv worked on gms for a while now. Dont make a problem trying to correct a problem when there is no problem. Unless u either have a miss fire, feel the need to upgrade, have a missfire, or a confirmed "lack of power," leave them be.

[spc2125]

found this thread and found it will be very informative when i go to remove my head
http://www.ecotecforum.com/forums/sh...ll-(LSJ)/page3

But one question, if i mes sup the timing chain by chance, how difficult is it to get it back to "normal" ?

[billytheman1188]

Originally Posted by a.graham52

its a ford... get use to wondering. But in all seriousness iv worked on gms for a while now. Dont make a problem trying to correct a problem when there is no problem. Unless u either have a miss fire, feel the need to upgrade, have a missfire, or a confirmed "lack of power," leave them be.

Make a problem taking spark plugs out? It wouldn't hurt anything to take them out, put some never seize on and re gap. Especially if you havea 4 banger....their cake to do. If you have a 6....leave them until you need to do them

[Goodman]

Originally Posted by zzyzzx

Possibly so, but on my 1995 Ford Escort going over 70,000 miles on those "100,000 mile" plugs results in a plug gap so big you wonder how the car can possibly run.

Like when i bought my Alero i think the plugs & wires were original on the car 9 years 136000 km lol!

Took me a few hours (~3hrs) to do the tune up
The wires were melt to the plugs i had to use pliers & twist the wire then try to pull them out of the spark plugs (pulling really hard) one was so bad i had to slice the end of the wire so i could get my flat screwdriver in & separate it all around the plug so i could finally use my spark plugs socket

Spark plugs removal was no fun either had to use 14" bar in to my ratchet to give me strength if only i had my torque ratchet back then i am pretty sure i was pull 100 ft to turn them loose lol!

Lucky me none of them broke but man surprise! , surprise! i had about 1/8 inch gap or more on the plugs no kidding
I still wonder how the car ran so good?
In fact i think the car had more kick/power before i change the plugs with the correct gap 0.060 inch don't know why?
It also change nothing on gas mileage , oh! well...

[03glgold]

Originally Posted by Goodman

Exactly! doesn't take much brain to figured this out...

I do tighten it with the extension but you still have more torque tightening with an extension than your hand...i also don't like that you have to line up the threads using a socket on an extension, makes it very easy to get something started in wrong

[a.graham52]

Originally Posted by 03glgold

I do tighten it with the extension but you still have more torque tightening with an extension than your hand...i also don't like that you have to line up the threads using a socket on an extension, makes it very easy to get something started in wrong

thats exactly why i suggest leaving them alone.

could use a peice of 4-6" hose over the end of the spark plug to get it started.

[jawa]

Originally Posted by zzyzzx

Possibly so, but on my 1995 Ford Escort going over 70,000 miles on those "100,000 mile" plugs results in a plug gap so big you wonder how the car can possibly run.

must you always make refrance to that damm escort on a alero fourm

[Gr1m]

i would take the head off and bring it to the shop. you are going to have to do this regardless. stop while your ahead. if you try to drill out the old threads and you score up the head surface then you just added a couple hundred onto the price tag of this fix. not to mention that you are going to get metal shavings in the cylinder which is not good.

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by jawa

must you always make refrance to that damm escort on a alero fourm

My Alero only has 31,500 miles on it and is like new and generally speaking does not have problems. My Escort has over 208,500 miles and has had a lot of stuff done to it so I'm better able to give maintenance advice with respect to the problems I've had with it. That and with respect to spark plug gap increasing over miles, it will happen to the Alero as well, just might take more miles on a V6 than it would on a 4 cylinder car (I would think) to produce the same widening effect.

[jawa]

yet this is a ALERO fourm not a escort fourm they are two completely different cars

[a.graham52]

Originally Posted by zzyzzx

My Alero only has 31,500 miles on it and is like new and generally speaking does not have problems. My Escort has over 208,500 miles and has had a lot of stuff done to it so I'm better able to give maintenance advice with respect to the problems I've had with it. That and with respect to spark plug gap increasing over miles, it will happen to the Alero as well, just might take more miles on a V6 than it would on a 4 cylinder car (I would think) to produce the same widening effect.

oh man. i like you effort but realy. i could give you advice from my experience with my 85 gmc but how does that help? ford escort ignition system, engine, brakes, seats, tranny, windshields, coolant, a/c system, computers, EVERYTHING is differnt.

you need to remember that we are dealing with machanical systems and every system has a tolerence. if the factory says to set spark gap to .060" then they plan on the gap beaing such a spec at 100k miles and still with in "running" tolerences. if you set the gap to .100" then probably it wont make it to 100k miles. numbers are exaggerated but the therory is there. your right that the gaps going to change after so many miles but as long as everything is within the right tolerences (compression, timming, combustion chamber temps, spark plug wire ohms, proper ground path etc) then you should not have to worry. you could re gap the plugs every 3k miles if you would like but what are you saving yourself? just more of a chance of damaging threads or forgetting to tighten things or knocking stuff into the engine.

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by a.graham52

. you could re gap the plugs every 3k miles if you would like but what are you saving yourself? just more of a chance of damaging threads or forgetting to tighten things or knocking stuff into the engine.

But regapping every 40,000 miles might be more appropriate.

[a.graham52]

Originally Posted by zzyzzx

But regapping every 40,000 miles might be more appropriate.

i was being sarcastic.

[spc2125]

So i went to talk to a mechanic today and he said to me this which makes sense

He said that if you have a head on the table or in a car, its the same thing. They both dont move. So theres no reason to take off the head.
He said that I should just drill out the threads and if worse comes to worse, drill them out and then put a helicoil in there.
He said since i have my headers off that I could use a vacuum or blow air and have the remaining pieces or chips or watever go out through the exhaust.
He said that to take out the head and everything, it would cost more than the car.

[a.graham52]

personally if it was me i would not want shavings to get into my cylinders like that. theres a lot of space for them shavings to stick and score cylinder walls. if you feel scoring cylinder walls is the appropriate risk to take to save money and keep the car on the road then by all means have at it. thats where i also suggested putting the shaving cream into the the cylinder to catch all the metal shavings on top and then you can vacuum out the cream and metal.

[spc2125]

i need to find the kit that would get them out though...
got any ideas what one is it?

[spc2125]

something like this maybe?
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-LIS65600.../dp/B00267PZUK

I know it says ford, but would this tool work?

[a.graham52]

no. i was looking at those thinking the same thign. ford has a different issue. their issue is the threads come out but nothing else does. i have some ideas of things to try but im trying to think of the best way to explain them. kinda hair brain ideas that in theory would work.