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Author Topic: spark plug sheared off in head!!  (Read 1304 times)

Tonz

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spark plug sheared off in head!!
« on: October 15, 2011, 01:23:43 PM »
Hi ALL
While squarely trying to turn out this seized NGK plug: it sheared off flush to head.
I was amazed at how thin the plug walls are!!. I now have the plug sheared flush to the head with the ceramic sheared flush and no eletrode down thro' it.
I did soak it with PlusGas before hand.

I assume this now means I have to get the head off and drill out the plug ceramic  then fine hacksaw blade cut through old plug wall then knock out.  
Is there any alternative method? Perhaps leaving the head on the block? Swarf and ceramic shards being difficult/impossible to blow through with both valves closed. (I don't have compressed air.) The engine hasn't yet run since '85. There is only 29000grnuine miles on the bike and its number matching engine.
So near and now so far?
Thanks for your help
 Tony



tvrla

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2011, 01:46:08 PM »
I've never heard of PlusGas - where are you from?

Are you saying that the hexhead the wrench grabs onto sheared off? That must have taken a lot of force to accomplish.

First off, I'd soak it with a good penetrating oil and then possibly use an easy-out to remove it.

Supposedly the very very best penetrating oil is a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. It's worked very well for me.

If that doesn't work, removing the head and clearing the carbon/corrosion from the other side should make things considerably easier. I wouldn't go near it with a hacksaw!!!

Offline Bob_Roller

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2011, 02:00:15 PM »
If the spark plug sheared off, you are not going to get the plug out gracefully .

I personally, would stop right where you are .

Contact a local machine shop and see if they can do anything for you .

The work needs to be done with the head off of the engine, too much material is going to get into the cylinder, with what needs to be done .

You most likely will need to have the spark plug remains drilled out and a threaded insert installed in the head .

Here is a good example of why to put a small bit of anti-seize compound on the threads of a spark plug before installation .

Don't know where you call home, may want to put it in your profile .
'81 R65
'82 R65 LS
'84 R65 LS
'87 Moto Guzzi V65 Lario
'02 R1150R
Riding all year long since 1993 .
I'll give up my R65, when they pry my cold dead hands from the handlebars !!!!!

Tonz

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2011, 02:18:50 PM »
Thanks All
The old plug was an NGK the sheared wall of the old plug is left clean and so Yes I take responsibity but beleive me I was giving it that much force with a 200 lever socket.
I'll keep clear of NGK in the future! Going to Bosch now.
Cheers

Offline montmil

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2011, 05:13:38 PM »
Quote
I'll keep clear of NGK in the future!

Kinda doubt it was the NGK plug's fault. Bosch, Champion or others would likely develop these problems with intense heating and cooling cycles and corrosion -likely combined with the lack of an anti-sieze compound- to create this disaster.

What's PlusGas?
Monte Miller
Denton, TEXAS
1978 BMW R100S
1981 BMW R65
1983 BMW R65
1995 Triumph Trophy
1986 VW Cabriolet

jg928s4

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2011, 05:44:47 PM »
easy out and shop vac.

Offline Bob_Roller

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2011, 06:13:44 PM »
The spark plug sheared because the aluminum threads of the head and the steel threads of the spark plug are seized .

Easy out tools are brittle hardened steel, they are not meant for any significant torque application, they shear/break easily .

If you break one off, you have compounded the problem, having to deal with a piece of hardened steel to drill out now .

You can get yourself in real deep real fast if you don't think before you act in this instance .

Like I said before, I would stop and call around and see if there are any shops that can help you .

You could easily be replacing the cylinder head if things go bad for you .
'81 R65
'82 R65 LS
'84 R65 LS
'87 Moto Guzzi V65 Lario
'02 R1150R
Riding all year long since 1993 .
I'll give up my R65, when they pry my cold dead hands from the handlebars !!!!!

Offline wilcom

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2011, 08:29:04 PM »
Send us a picture of that  sheared plug and the part that sheared off too. That's one for the garage wall.  Titled......"when plugs go bad"
Joe Wilkerson
Telephone man with a splash of Data
Menifee, CA

Present:
1984 BMW R65LS "Herr Head"
past:
1982 BMW R65LS
1979 R65
1980 R65
1982 R80RT
1974 R90/6
1972 R75
1964 R50/2
19xx R27
ZX-11

tvrla

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2011, 11:36:02 PM »
NGK plugs are one of the brands that do well in beemers. So don't change because of this. It's not the plug's fault.

As you said, the bike sat for 26 years, so I'm assuming corrosion is the issue here. It would take patience on your part, but this is the easiest and cheapest way to resolve this one:

Heat/Cold cycles
Penetrating oil
Back and forth motion
Vibration

Heat up the spark plug remains with a propane torch.

Douse with penetrating fluid

If you can wedge something into the stub remaining - like one of those square sided easy outs - work it CW and CCW - putting just a small bit of force on it.

Let it cool, or even super cool the plug remains to shrink it while the aluminum of the head is expanded.

Back and forth - tap on it to set up vibrations. One metal will vibrate at a different frequency than the other, thus rejecting/breaking the bond.

More penetrating fluid.

Do these things over and over - perhaps only once a day, or for a half hour or longer.

The heating/cooling cycles will allow enough of a gap to develop which will allow the penetrating fluid's ingress. After three or four days, perhaps a week, of this, it'll suddenly move just a tiny bit. Turn it the other direction. More fluid. Back and forth and it'll eventually spin right out.

Once it's out, be prepared to flush the cylinder. I've used a small hose taped to the vacuum cleaner to get inside the cylinder and flush any small remaining bits.

Don't get the idea that because this happened, the threads are buggered. Not necessarily so! Take your time, be patient, and all will work out fine.

Offline Barry

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2011, 05:33:42 AM »
I've had success with heat/cool and penetrating oil method patience usually works in the end. A machine shop may be able to help and then they may make a mess of it. I would choose carefully and compare the cost of a 2nd hand head first. There is a very high tech method that a few shops use call spark erosion but I suspect it would almost certainly cost more than a 2nd hand head.  
Barry Cheshire, England 79 R45

Tonz

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2011, 02:21:33 PM »
Hi


Thanks a lot for that! I've started this process today.

Happy biking!

Offline Justin B.

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Re: spark plug sheared off in head!!
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2011, 07:28:51 PM »
I had the threaded part break off on a Bosch Platinum in my '86 Nissan PU while I was driving down the road!  The remains came out easy with an EZ-Out.
Justin B.

2004 BMW R1150RT
1981 R100RT - Summer bike, NEKKID!!!