Broken Sparkplug flush with head

[thewrightman]

Okay I just bought a GS750LN (1979), it needs a bit of work but thats not the problem, the problem is that as I was checking the sparkplugs when I got to NO.1, I went to take it out and it broke off just flush with the head I got the porcelin out but the bottom half is still stuck in there and the threads seem to be stuck.

my question is does anyone have an idea how to get it out or should I just save up and take it to a shop.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.[-o<

[scotto58]

I had the same thing happen with my 79 GS850 on the #4 plug. I tried everything I could to get the piece out without any luck. Pull the head and take it to a machine shop! The guy I took it to welded a bolt to the sparkplug threads to remove it and ended up breaking the bolt off. He ended up drilling the bolt out, and the threads, and put in a Helicoil insert. He also removed the other 3 plugs for me. He had the head about 2 weeks and still only charged me $30.00.
Of course you could buy another head off eBAy.

Good Luck

Scott

[Nessism]

Pulling the head is the obvious answer. If you really can't do this you could try drilling out the spark plug using progressively larger drill bits coated in heavy grease to catch the chips. It will be a very slow processs once the hole you are drilling goes through into the combustion chamber. Coat with grease, drill, clean, coat with grease, drill, etc. You do not want any chips to fall into the combustion chamber. For the final clean up you are going to have to do the same grease/clean business with a tap. I've never done a job like I've just described but it "should" work. Good luck.

[brveagle]

Pull the head real quick, replace the gaskets and get that spark plug out

[N56629]

Pull the head, soak it with penetrating oil for a long time and try an EZ-out. If you don't have the experience, have someone do it, or expect it to be a total lose.

[feelergaugephil]

Pull the head real quick, replace the gaskets and get that spark plug out

+1 and good luck.

[SPARKSS]

Well, I'd try a lucky-out (easy-out) myself, more particularly the kind with a short plug-type helix which work VERY well for this type of extraction. Note this is NOT the long helix type often seen in small kits. I've removed many broken plugs over the years using this method.

Biggest question here is why it broke in the first place. I'd bet the torque spec is not much more than 15 ft-lbs (my 79 GS1000 requires only 14 ft-lbs for it's B8ES plugs for example). I have seen unplated plugs rust so badly that they broke easily in Detroit iron engines (most specifically AC Delco.....which even at that had not been replaced for a long time).

If it took a lot of torque to break that one, I'd bet it's badly cross threaded and/or worse been put in with locktite or a similar disaster. OR it has a thread or 2 reaching INTO the cylinder and that thread or 2 is carboned (typically the plug will start to unscrew then seize firmly). This is a plug mismatch, lack of plug washer or less likely a head issue.

You might likely be into a thread repair after removal.

[txironhead]

This is why I never install a plug into an aluminum head, motorcycle or automotive, without anti-seize. I even put it on the plug in my lawnmower.

[t3rmin]

I think people over-torque spark plugs. It doesn't take much to seal it up...