I was changing the plugs on my Sidekick last night, and the #2 plug snapped off leaving only the threaded part & a thin ceramic ring inside the head.
I tried using an extractor to back it out, but I bent the handle on it & it still didn't budge. What else should I try?
What diameter did you drill the threads to in order to get an extractor in there?
Thr threads are M-14, major diameter is .551 (inches) and the minor diameter is areound .471". If you poke a .425 or so drill through it, that should take out most of the thread. You could gently cut through the thread sidewall so you can roll it into itself and pull it our that way.
Worse case, punch the thing right out with a drill and put in a helicoil. NAPA sells the kit that includes several helicoils and the threading tool. If you don't want to buy one, I have one but you have to ship it back.
Dan
Someone on this board gave me the shaving creame trick, so I feel I must pass it on...
Set the piston at the bottom, just beginning the compression stroke. Fill the cylinder with shaving creme before you drill it out and the metal shavings all get "floated". So, when you are done - turn the engine over and it will push all the shavings back out the spark plug hole. Use a shopvac to clean the rest out.
I didn't drill it. It broke right where the threads enter the head - the whole electrode came out with the rest of the plug. 
Again, drill more, use a bigger E-Z-Out.
...and bring the shaving cream. 
Ouch. It broke coming out? That usually indicates it was crossthreaded or etc going in. An extractor will tend to 'spread' the broken piece and wedge it even tighter. Long shot: use a left hand thread tap inside the broken part, then thread a left hand thread bolt/nut into the hole, use the nut to jam it and then try to back it out.
You can get left hand thread taps and stuff through McMaster-Carr.
Was it a Bosh? ( sp ) Used to be a problem with Beetles, Folks would over torque 'em and stress the steel shell. Then they would sieze in the head and snap off when trying to turn 'em out.
I made some big bucks helicoil 'in 'em back in the day
It was a Champion...and they felt like they had been installed with an impact wrench.
I'll hit Napa for an easy-out set & try the shaving cream trick before I tear into it.
Thanks!
Shotgun?
SoloSonett wrote: Was it a Bosh? ( sp ) Used to be a problem with Beetles, Folks would over torque 'em and stress the steel shell. Then they would sieze in the head and snap off when trying to turn 'em out. I made some big bucks helicoil 'in 'em back in the day
We never had a problem with Bosch plugs, just Champions.
Jensenman wrote: Ouch. It broke coming out? That usually indicates it was crossthreaded or etc going in.
...or they're the factory Motorcraft "100,000 mile" plugs that when you try to change at 60k are seized in the head because they didn't use any anti-seize when they put the damn things together... oh wait, that was me, dealer was able to get it out with an ez-out
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