Broken Spark Plug removal: 2001 Civic EX

- Caveats:
- First: I guess most mechanics today don't change spark plugs unless there is an issue. The plugs today last more then 100,000 miles. My issue is I keep my cars for 200,000+ This 2001 Civic EX has 144,000 on it.
- Changing spark plugs has become something that might be best left to a professional due to the many issues with breaking off or being seized to the block that is common today. Some manufactures have special kits for dealers designed for spark plug removal, etc...
- Break spark plugs loose a little at at time; if they loosen, turn only 1/8th of turn and add a little WD-40 then turn back, keep unscrewing, (counter clockwise) a little more each time until if feels free and stops making any noise, (creaking or cracking sound)

- Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic but pretty handy! However, once I ran into trouble, my Dad gave me some help, he is a retired mechanic.

- Situation:
- 3 of my 4 plugs came out cleanly and pretty easy
- Number 3 was very tight. Even after soaking with WD-40, (which I did for all 4 plugs)
- I made a mistake, I put more and more torque on it until number 3 spark plug snapped off

- Thank God the plug broke off cleanly and all the ceramic around the electrode stayed intact.
- If your plug broke apart and the ceramic bits are in the cylinder, you have a bigger problem, those bits will tear things up in a hurry, _don't_ start your car, call a professional
- So, what was left down in the spark plug access tube was just the remaining metal part of the plug - threads and the rounded cap with the compression washer firmly seized into the head.

- How we got it out:

Step 1) Tried an "easy-out": (Only use high quality easy-outs, (Irwin is one good brand) if you break it off, your done, so we don't recommend cheap tools)
- Easy-out = Nut Extractor
- There are three types of easy-outs that I know of, 1) Square shaft tapered with small groove on edges; 2) Square - tapered and slightly fluted;
3) Reverse Spiral - tapered
- *** THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP IMO *** being able to really visualize what your working with down in the head is critical IMO
- After cutting off one of the old plugs and getting a good look at what we were dealing with, we used the Reverse Spiral tapered type, it offered the best, tightest fit to the inside diameter of the old plug. This is what I recommend, (it was an Irwin part, EX-5 was the size)
- put the easy-out on a 12 point 3/8s socket, (for some reason, the easy-outs heads are square and will not fit any common 6 point socket) and use duct tape to hold the 2 together and put on a sock extension, you do not want to have tools keep coming off down that hole.
- Easy-out type #1 and #2 works by tapping the easy-out into the old plug, (not too hard, one or two firm hits with a small hammer, don't over do it) The Reverse Spiral Tapered easy-out will NOT need any hammering, it will self seat/grip, (a really light tap might be all you need).
- then put your socket wrench on it and turn counter clockwise, be firm, hold everything steady, get help to hold the extension steady and centered.
- Don't use too much torque on this, if you strip the plug out or break the easy-out, your done; If your reaching for a long breaker bar at this point your screwed, it is likely not going to come out cleanly and the head will have to come off.
- I think in many cases this will work

Step 2) For us, the easy-out didn't work; We put a lot of torque on this thing, (100+ ft. lbs estimate) and it didn't break the remaining part of the plug free; beware not to put too much torque on it

Step 3) Beware, some are going to say this was crazy!! It is! but saved taking the head off and putting a re-man head on.
- We made a blade for my cordless saws-all out of a sharp - hardened hack saw blade. We tapered the blade end about 3 inches on a bench grinder until it fit easily down inside the remaining part of the spark plug and cut the end off so it fit in the saws-all. (again having that cut off spark plug to experiment on is really helpful)
- Put a small diameter but long philips screw driver down the inside of the spark plug and _gently_ push the contact for the electrode out of the way and use the screw driver to check/measure to ensure the piston is down and not going to be contacted by the blade going up and down!! VERY IMPORTANT: you sure don't want to punch a hole in your piston.
- Put the saws-all blade down inside JUST the remaining part of the plug and cut through _most_ of the plug threads, (NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH)
- Keep the cut even, not going into the block top or bottom
3a) Use the Square - Tapered easy-out, (Irwin ST-4) put it in the groove you cut, (on the 3/8s 6-point socket -> extension and then ratchet)
- turn counter clock wise, be firm, hold steady, extra helper is good at this step
- the remaining part of the spark plug should come out now
- only turn it about an 1/8th of a turn, then turn back and give a small squirt of WD-40, (very small amount around edge of plug ONLY, don't wash all the shavings into the cylinder)
- Then work the spark plug back and forth until you feel like you have pretty free turning, easing it out a little more each time you go counter clock wise.

Step 4) Clean up, (critical step, there is now a bunch of metal bits down in the cylinder... very bad
- if you messed up the threads, you will need to use a spark-plug thread clean up tool; A good tool store should have in the section near where you got the easy-out
- Use a magnet on a small rod: they sell these to pick up tools, nuts and bolts dropped inside tight spots, they usually have a telescoping handle. We made one out of a welding rod and a small magnet.
- You need to have patience, pick up every bit of metal shavings outside the spark plug hole and inside the cylinder. We went in and out wiping off the magnet at least 20-30 times. Move around inside the cylinder in a pattern, you may need to put a small bend in the telescoping rode to get all around inside the cylinder
- Then blow the cylinder out with shop air; if you don't have something to reach inside, then put a piece of small plastic or rubber tubing on the end of your air tool and stick that inside the cylinder.
- Then use a shop vac, couple a hose to a funnel, the funnel to a small plastic or rubber hose that fits inside the spark plug hole. This step requires extra hands to hold all the vac parts together, keep checking to make sure you have suction, move the vac tube around inside the cylinder and get everything out
- There are video scopes available to look down inside the cylinder, but we didn't have one, guess you can rent one ???
- Use your magnet again to get any dislodged pieces of metal
- Last step of clean up: remove the fuel pump fuse, turn the engine over just a few times, this will blow out the spark plug hole any remaining bits. Don't be too worried if it does start up and run, just shut it off, no real harm should be done at this point.

Step 5) Install the plug _with_ anti-seize compound made for the purpose, they sell this at any auto parts store.

Yep, it all worked and I have driven the car for a couple of weeks and all works fine! Thanks to my Dad for his patience and creative problem solving to get this done!

Good Luck, you need a little bit of luck for this to all work!

Regards, and please add bits of wisdom to this thread

 

So, I am in the exact same boat, except I brok part of the ease out off in the tube... Any ideas on how to get that out???

 

If the ease out is jammed in the plug, you might be screwed. No good access. However IF you can inspect the part of the ease out that came out, you might make a tool to put on your extension to fit back on the remaining part stuck in the spark plug, sounds a little far fetched without being there. Best of luck