*Help* 05 mustang gt: Spark plugs

[05 gt]

I was replacing the spark plugs in my 05 mustang gt, the car has about 85k miles. Four of the eight spark plugs broke even after a long soak. All four broke off with the porcelain flush with the bell. I used the lisle tool from amazon for $60 and it did a good job off removing the broken pieces out of the four cylinders. When I was using the pusher tool to that pushes the porcelain down into the end of the bell of the spark plug, I tightened to far and it broke the tip of the ground strap( see pics). I'm worried about the pieces that fell into two of the four cylinders that I used the tool on. I tried using a air gun and was thinking of rigging up a small diameter hose adapter for the shop vacuum. If anyone else has some advice, it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanms

 

[rzaenglein]

Im not sure exactly what you are saying broke off and fell into the cylinder. I would first try the shop vac with a smaller hose attached. I would also fish a magnet down the spark plug hole if what broke off is magnetic. Worse comes to worse disable the fuel and crank the engine to blow the pieces out through the spark plug holes

 

[05 gt]

Cool. Yea I was going to crank the motor over while I have all the plugs out. I used a ton of pb blast/ carb. cleaner which leaked down and has been sitting in there for a few weeks. When I do crank the motor over should I change the oil first or after?

I plan on using the one piece plugs made by champion. I plan on doing a de-carbing service on it, does anyonw know if the auto parts store (Napa) will warranty the plugs if I foul them out ?

 

[BruceH]

Cool. Yea I was going to crank the motor over while I have all the plugs out. I used a ton of pb blast/ carb. cleaner which leaked down and has been sitting in there for a few weeks. When I do crank the motor over should I change the oil first or after?

I plan on using the one piece plugs made by champion. I plan on doing a de-carbing service on it, does anyonw know if the auto parts store (Napa) will warranty the plugs if I foul them out ?

A rare earth magnet will work nicely. They have about 10x the power of a regular magnet.

I always used Autolite plugs. Not to many have had good results with the Champion.

 

[05stroker]

That strap looks as they do when you have to use the tool to remove them. I would dis connect the COPs and injectors and just stick a small expendable magnet in each cylinder with that cylinder close to the bottom and then after you have done each one I would turn the motor over several times and put it pack together.

 

[weather man]

Used plugs are not returnable.

 

[05 gt]

The pieces that broke off are not magnetic. Ill ask about the warranty on the plugs when I buy them tomorrow.

The strap on the other two that I removed successfully with the lisle tool left tw strap intact. When I was tightening the pusher tool I thought it would not push the porcelain too far down. I actually heard it break the strap. The only reason I broke a second one was because the extraction tool wasnt digging in enough threads into the bell.

 

[05 gt]

So should I change the oil before I crank the car over? I used a lot of the carb cleaner, which leaked down into the cylinders after removing the plugs. The car sat for a couple weeks after removing the plugs so I'm sure all the carb cleaner has leaked from the cylinders into the oil pan.

Thanks for all the help so far, I plan on getting the Autolite one piece spark plugs. Should I use the anti-seize?

 

[Hatchman]

So should I change the oil before I crank the car over? I used a lot of the carb cleaner, which leaked down into the cylinders after removing the plugs. The car sat for a couple weeks after removing the plugs so I'm sure all the carb cleaner has leaked from the cylinders into the oil pan.

Thanks for all the help so far, I plan on getting the Autolite one piece spark plugs. Should I use the anti-seize?

I would get a shop vac with a smaller hose and suck out each cylinder really good. Then with all the cops and injectors undone, crank the motor over to blow anything else out. Put it all back together, using anti-seize on the Autolites, then crank it to let it warm up, then change the oil.

Putting anti-seize on the Autolites will make them even easier to get out next time. If you do have trouble ever again, use Kroil, or AeroKroil to soak the plugs with before removing. Kroil is to PB Blaster what moonshine is to light beer.

Out of curiosity, what did you use to soak the plugs with before removing?

 

[rayS197]

Agreed with the small hose attached to the shop vac. Just duct tape the smaller hose to the hose of the vac. Like Brady has stated, PB blaster or Kroil is your friend. There are different thoughts about using anti seize. Some say use it, some say if anti-seize is used when you spray PB blaster or Carb cleaner in the wells the PB blaster cannot get past the anti-seize to penetrate the carbon build up when the plug seats.Next time, use the shop vac to remove the Carb Cleaner, etc from the wells before you remove the plugs. I personally do not use anti-seize on my Stang or my F150 3V. At 65k on my F150, " I got lucky with all 8 coming out with just some squeaking".

 

[05 gt]

I would get a shop vac with a smaller hose and suck out each cylinder really good. Then with all the cops and injectors undone, crank the motor over to blow anything else out. Put it all back together, using anti-seize on the Autolites, then crank it to let it warm up, then change the oil.

Putting anti-seize on the Autolites will make them even easier to get out next time. If you do have trouble ever again, use Kroil, or AeroKroil to soak the plugs with before removing. Kroil is to PB Blaster what moonshine is to light beer.

Out of curiosity, what did you use to soak the plugs with before removing?

I used pb blast on the 4 cylinders on the drivers side and berkebile instant gum cutter(carb. Cleaner) on the other 4 cylinders. Soaked them for a few hours. The car had been sitting for a few months prior to do the plugs. I attempted to remove them while the motor was cold. Some were harder than others to turn.

After breaking four of the plugs I really took my time with the last one. I did a quarter turn every morning before I left for work and another quarter turn when I got home from work. I managed to get the last one out but I noticed the threaded body was spinning on the porcelain so I barely got that one out.

To clear things up. Here is a pic of the plugs to Show the broken strap on the ground shield.

 

[BruceH]

Autolite are a two piece plug. Antisieze needs to be applied to the barrel of the plug. The threads have a thin coat from the factory so they don't need it.

 

[05 gt]

I am assuming all the pb blast/carb. Cleaner I used drained from the cylinders into the pan. When I crank the car over with the plugs uninstalled I don't want to cycle any of the contaminated oil back into the motor. So would it be better to change the oil before I do so?

 

[Hatchman]

I am assuming all the pb blast/carb. Cleaner I used drained from the cylinders into the pan. When I crank the car over with the plugs uninstalled I don't want to cycle any of the contaminated oil back into the motor. So would it be better to change the oil before I do so?

Don't worry about. A little carb cleaner/PB blaster isn't going to hurt anything. There are dozens of products on the market that you pour in your oil, run the engine for a little bit, then change the oil to clean out the engine and all the gunk, sludge, sticky valves, etc. Unless you sprayed the ENTIRE can down all eight plugs, which I doubt, you'll be fine.

 

[05 gt]

Thanks for everyone's input. If anyone else has any ideas let me know, I don't know when is the next time I will be working on the car.

 

[05 gt]

Autolite are a two piece plug. Antisieze needs to be applied to the barrel of the plug. The threads have a thin coat from the factory so they don't need it.

Do the auto lite two piece plugs seize in the head like the factory one?

 

[05 gt]

Just wondering, if I do not retrieve the broken pieces? If I ran the car wouldn't the pieces get blown out the the exhaust? I'm thinking the pieces may be small enough that they would not cause any harm.

 

[stkjock]

Do the auto lite two piece plugs seize in the head like the factory one?

Not if u use anti seize.

 

[BruceH]

Do the auto lite two piece plugs seize in the head like the factory one?

The design was changed at some point, maybe 2006-7? IIRC it had to do with nickel plating.

I've never had an issue. My 2008 came with the early HT style heads. Probably the most miles I've had on a set of ht plugs was 10k because I've changed my setup a few times so as they say your mileage may vary, lol.

The reason I suggested Autolite (they make the Motorcraft plugs btw) is because of the reliability. All of the aftermarket ht plugs have had problems with reliability, not always but there are enough threads about it that I've always steered clear of them.

A search would turn up lots of info on the high thread (HT) plugs and members experiences with the different brands.

 

[05 gt]

Just wondering, if I do not retrieve the broken pieces? If I ran the car wouldn't the pieces get blown out the the exhaust? I'm thinking the pieces may be small enough that they would not cause any harm.

Can anyone chime in on this concern? I ran into this before on a different car. I dropped a piece of hard plastic in a cylinder, I could not retrieve it but it had a misfire afterward. We revved the motor up to blow it out if the exhaust and it was fine after that.