Glow Plug, very specific question

[Desert Diesel Dog]

Hi All…

Problem; [Champion] Glow Plug breaks loose but freezes [real firm] at less than a quarter turn out. I am imagining a lot of carbon built up on the tip… right up to the cast iron head.

I have read many threads on this basic problem… but… I just don’t see this plug loosening even with many cycles back and forth.

The specific question… Can anyone recommend anything that is highly effective at eating carbon buildup in a situation like this? …but won’t eat a hole in my piston etc.? I believe only a drop or two could ever drip down to the tip when it would have so far to go down the threads.

History; I successfully removed the seven other Champion plugs and replaced them with Motorcraft zd9’s. Most came out without too much trouble… only a couple were a little stubborn. I Sure Wish I could get this last plug out before it causes me any more problems. I doubt that this situation will ever get any better on its own. The plug does test good but who really knows. Maybe I will just have to live with it until the next teardown. Yikes !! can’t afford that.
What… Am… I… Gonna… Do ??

Please Tell Me If You Know Of Something That REALLY Eats Carbon fast !!

Also… just need to mention this. I broke a tip off of a bad plug [on the bench] just to see what I would be up against if I broke one in the engine. I determined that it is a Very Tough piece of metal and that I Would NEVER Leave It In A Cylinder And Start The Engine !!!!

Thanks for reading this far!

 

[reklund]

Tip may be swollen. Carbon usually will scrape off. Where in Nevada are you located?

 

[fordf350man]

pb blaster will do it but might have to sit overnight, also there is aero kroil made by kano( hope i spelled it right) it has an orange can, i have used that on a sludged up cylinder head because i didn't have a parts washer, soaked it up and let it sit overnight and all the sludge came right off, that stuff works great, i would use that but if you don't have it i would say pb blaster would be the next best,

 

[79jasper]

I would start with PB.
Some oilfield supply shops will have aerokroil. Some fastenals have it too.

After letting it soak a bit, if it won't break free, you could put a heavy towel over it, maybe even a piece of wood, then start it. Should blow it out, just don't go looking at it, nor try to put your finger over the hole. It'll blow out with heavy force.

Sent from my USCC-C6721 using Tapatalk

 

[The Warden]

If it comes down to the point where the plug absolutely will not come out even after soaking it as the others have suggested, you can try this:

1) Bring the piston to top dead center with both valves closed.

2) Force the plug out, and if the tip breaks off, it breaks off.

3) Remove the injector for that cylinder.

4) Take a shop vacuum and put it as far in the injector hole as you can, and try to suck the broken tip out. If it doesn't readily come out, maybe try applying air to the glow plug hole to see if the tip will move around enough for the vacuum to catch it.

WIth the piston at TDC with both valves closed, the tip won't have anywhere to go but out the injector hole...the piston's close enough to the bottom of the precombustion chamber that the tip won't fall into the cylinder.

This is a last-ditch effort, if soaking the glow plug in Kroil or PB Blaster doesn't help...at that point, the only real other alternative is pulling the head. Actually, at this point, I would strongly recommend bringing the piston to TDC before trying to extract the plug any further. Better safe than sorry!

Hope this helps some...good luck, and welcome aboard!

BTW, this is what Aero-Kroil looks like...this stuff works wonders; if it can't loosen something up, you'll probably need to apply heat to it...

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[HammerDown]

You didn't mention if the GP is fully unscrewed or, just a turn or so loose?
Anyhow, one time I spent 4 hours and sweating bullets walking a GP in and out...baby turns each time and using PB Blaster the whole way. It tip wasn't swollen but had a slight bend/distorted with carbon build-up.

I do believe Kroil is the best, but I have never seen it on the local shelves for sale.

 

[ToughOldFord]

Also… just need to mention this. I broke a tip off of a bad plug [on the bench] just to see what I would be up against if I broke one in the engine. I determined that it is a Very Tough piece of metal and that I Would NEVER Leave It In A Cylinder And Start The Engine !!!!

Thanks for reading this far!

That's a good call:

What happens when you try to pass a broken off glow plug tip!!

And:

You must be registered for see images

From:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/k2pilot/#Bottom

 

[mohavewolfpup]

Hey fellow desert dog. what part of nevada are you around?

 

[Desert Diesel Dog]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Just to clarify… broke it loose… then was only able to turn it 1/8 turn out. After working it back and forth gently many times [maybe 50] I was only able to get it to move out 1/4 turn out.

So… It Barely Moved, then froze. It didn’t even move out 1 turn. With [maybe] 20 fine threads this is a little different than I have ever read about.

I’m Thinkin’… [maybe not a good idea!] there must be a very large carbon build up on the tip... right against the head [hole area] I don’t know but I’m guessing that the ‘body’ of the plug is not causing the problem.

This is on the number two cylinder [driver side, right in front] [maybe a little cooler running??]. The engine runs great. I have no reason to believe that there is any more carbon problem in this cylinder than the rest. [other plugs came out Relatively easy]

SUMMERY: WON’T EVEN TURN OUT ONE TURN… THEN GOES TIGHT ‘REAL FAST AND HARD’.

ME? NERVIOUS AS ‘SOME PEOPLE’ MIGHT BE IN CHURCH !! …AND LOOKING FOR A SOURCE FOR ~~Kroil~~

THANKS TO ALL !!!!

kj.. of the desert.

 

[The Warden]

It's either quite a bit of carbon build-up, or the tip's swollen...and, unfortunately, with how much of a hissey fit it's throwing, I'm leaning towards the latter.

Again...and I cannot stress this enough...if you haven't already, GET THAT CYLINDER TO TOP DEAD CENTER BEFORE TRYING ANY FURTHER!!! If it's a swollen tip (and this is a symptom of that), and if that tip breaks and falls out of the precombustion chamber into the cylinder, you're pretty much left with no choice but to pull the cylinder head.

Best of luck with it...and, re: Kroil, I have yet to see it available at a brick & mortar retail store...I bought two cans from Amazon, and I would suggest going that way. You have to wait for shipping (especially since it can only be shipped by ground), but it's probably still going to be faster than sourcing it locally...

 

[theguruat12]

I'm in the PB blaster club, it's at Ace Hardware and Home Depot if I remember correctly. We have one can and I can't even remember how old it is that's how little of the stuff we need to use for it to work.

 

[icanfixall]

Some gun shops carry Aerokroil. Kano Labs makes it. the make this offer. buy 2 cans of anything they sell. If you don't like it return the unused can and keep the used can. I guarantee you wont ever return anything. Might try warming up the engine and then using some pb or kroil or maybe some brake fluid. Just working the plug back and forth will break up whats holding on to it. Getting the piston to top dead center is very important as posted already by others. By the way. Every cylinder has a number stamped on the intake port runner near the head. That cylinder you talk about is number 4. On the drivers side from the radiator back to the firewall its 2-4-6-8. You guessed what the passenger side is from the front to the firewall.

 

[rpm427]

How often should you change glow plugs as my originals had 89,000 on motor?

 

[The Warden]

How often should you change glow plugs as my originals had 89,000 on motor?

There's really no change interval for them...if they're still working, no need to change them out. With that said, if they're not Motorcraft/Beru plugs, getting them out soon would be a good idea...this way you minimize the chances of a tip swelling.

 

[rpm427]

Is there anybody here with a deal on these glow plugs as I changed mine awhile back and my truck has 125,000 on it now?I bought the ones the government use in their diesels and were stainless I think?