Stil lstruggling with this stuck glow tip

[TangTonic]

Still struggling with this stuck glow tip

Well I'm going on a week now that I have battling this stuck glow plug tip in position #7. It is a Motorcraft brand so I have been hoping that it is just carbon buildup and not swelling. When I was trying to remove it, the electrical connection broke off. As I continued to unthread the plug, the threaded housing came completely out, but the tip stayed in. Is there anything else that could be restricting it?

Stuck tip

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Housing

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The problem is getting leverage since the turbo pipe is in the way. I am not too excited about moving that pipe. I have been working it with needle nose vice grips and I think yesterday I actually made some progress- like 1-2mm. I have been using PB blaster liberally and I have the timing mark at 5:00 position which I believe is TDC for that cylinder.

Today I will bring a thin long pry bay home from work. The plan is to get the needle nose vice grips clamped on close to the block, then get the pry bar in there and try to pry up on the vice grips.


Any other suggestions are appreciated. I love this truck but she sure has been testing my patience this week.

 

[sassyrel]

as you pry up on the needle nose,,dont pull toooooo hard, and try and twist the needlenose as you have been doing..patience is the key..if that breaks off to far down,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,well,,,,,,,,,,,, you aint going to like it.......

 

[Wicked97]

I recommend spraying it and letting it soak for a couple more days. If that fails clamp your vice grips on it unhook your shut off solenoid and have someone crank it over. If that doesn't work hook up the shut off and loosen the injector line and have someone start it. When it starts tighten the line and see what happens. I had a set of swelled champions in my truck when I first got it. I had to let it run and get hot and they all came out just make sure your pliers are clamped on it. They will fly if your not.

 

[icanfixall]

Sounds like your doing all the correct things to remove the plug. I can't add more more. PB Blaster is ok to use but I would recommend Aerokroil made by Kano Labs or something that will disolve carbon. Auto parts stores sell a chemical that cleans carburaters too. Its a spray or liquid form. I think it was called Chemstrip or Chemdip.. Its really harsh stuff too. What I recall about it was it comes in a 1 gallon can with a basket for carb parts to dip into the stuff. I know you wont be able to use all of it but a few drops on the plug dripping down it may do the trick. Its sure cheaper than removing the head. Being out of the mainland you may find what you want. Some time back Mercury outboard marine made a crabon remover for their outboard motors. Maybe try an outboard motor repair shop...

 

[DOE-SST]

You may not have room, but I removed mine using a cordless drill and a 90 degree chuck attachment. The attachment jaws clamped to the glow plug, the shaft of the attachment was clamped into the drill. Lots of Kroil and GENTLE pulling pressure while keeping rpms around 200. Worked great, but patience was the key factor.

 

[GOOSE]

Would a carb cleaner such as Berkable 2+2 help any? That stuff seems to eat what ever it gets onto. Good luck, it sounds like you are on the right track.

 

[dizdak]

if all the other glow plugs and injectors are in would the engine have enough compression to blow that piece out of there?

 

[madpogue]

Do you know about the vise-grip "slide hammer" trick? Take the adjuster bolt out of that needle-nose vise-grip, get a bolt of the same thread pitch, but longer. Then fab something that acts as a weight, maybe one socket inside another. Slide the bolt through the weight, and screw into the vise-grip and clamp it down on the stuck core. Then you can yank that weight outward and it will have the same effect as a slide hammer.

 

[icanfixall]

This plug is located under the turbo way at the back end of the passenger side head. Thats number 7 cylinder. Its the worst plug to access. Thats why it now a problem. It was left in when all the others were replaced last time. Vice grips and the slide hammer idea is great if there was enough room. The hammer shocking the hopefull carbon buildup may break it loose. Vice grips and a lever action of a pry bar is steady pressure differant from the shock effect of the slide hammer. Some crabon disolver is about the only real way to soften it now after the pb blaster soaks..

 

[TangTonic]

I GOT IT!
I GOT IT!
I GOT IT!

Yesterday was a huge relief as I finally got the stuck tip out. I clamped the needle nose vice grips on the glow plug tip close to the block. Shoved a sweet little pry bar I borrowed from work in there, and worked it real suave like. She popped out finally and I almost pissed my pants I was so happy . I reamed the hole out some the used the shop vac with some conduit to suck anything out. I think it was effective because when I put the conduit on the injector hole then felt the glow plug hole, there was a good suction there. Turned her over a couple times, then put in the new glow plug, replaced injector, tightened fuel lines. Turned the key, wait to start light stayed on ten seconds like it should, then after a couple cranks getting the fuel system primed, she fired right up. Took a little drive to warm her up. I won't lie, while driving I whispered sweet things and told her how much I missed her .

Upon further inspection of the tip, I can see why it was hard to come out. Definitely some buildup one there. I took a couple picture with my phone but I don't have flash so they didn't come out real detailed.

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Thanks everyone for all the help. This forum is the best one I have ever been a part of. Cheers, have a good weekend!

 

[Hoss6.9]

Congrats on getting out....!!!!

 

[91idi]

Its always a good feeling when you get the last plug out.

 

[icanfixall]

Thats you you and all that helped out a brother fix his rig. It sure is a great feeling when something has a happy ending. That plugs looks great without the end burned off or missing. run it and know there isn't anything banging around in the cylinder or turbo. What little carbon that was left in the precup at stratup will not harm the turbo.

 

[sassyrel]

Do you know about the vise-grip "slide hammer" trick? Take the adjuster bolt out of that needle-nose vise-grip, get a bolt of the same thread pitch, but longer. Then fab something that acts as a weight, maybe one socket inside another. Slide the bolt through the weight, and screw into the vise-grip and clamp it down on the stuck core. Then you can yank that weight outward and it will have the same effect as a slide hammer.

removed many stuck gp's????

 

[lilredtdi]

Never had a stuck glow plug but recently had a stuck injector heat shield on my IDI VW. Used a lag bolt to thread into hole and made a slide hammer to get it out. I KNOW bits and pieces of carbon and pieces of galvanizing from the lag bolt was going to fall in there

I cleaned my small shop vac out squeaky clean and made a homemade filter out of an old white t shirt so anything I knew that fell into cylinder was removed and identifiable. It worked and I was able to sleep well knowing no debris was left in the cylinder.