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Boat spark plug blew up!
Topic Started: Apr 26 2012, 10:09 PM (3,035 Views)
geojojo
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We were out on the boat tubing and we heard a loud POP! Followed by a bunch of loud poofs of air, apparently, the White insulated part of the plug blew out causing all the compressed air to just keep blowing out, the hex (metal) part of the plug was still in there but the hex ripped off as soon as we tried to take the rest of the plug out, so now we have the spark plug threads stuck in the head with no easy way to get it out... Has anyone seen this happen before? And does anyone have any tips? We've tried using an "easy out" along with a crap load of pb blaster, but with no luck. I'm pretty sure the head has to come off.
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geojojo
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Stiffchezze
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Sir Metrologist

Anti-seize is a REQUIREMENT on a marine engine spark plug . It needs to be re-applied every season and/or replace the spark plugs. The marine environment is not kind to engines. ^o)

Dude that sucks! :'( Are we talking about an inboard or an outboard? :hmm
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geojojo
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Inboard! I know firsthand they are a pain to work on, I recently just had the lower unit off twice, once for a shift cable and again for a spun hub which also included pulling the engine once, this will be the first time I've had the engine itself apart though.
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Stiffchezze
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Sir Metrologist

Sounds like your enjoying boating. :-/
Ouch. :'( Outboards are much easier in this particular instance. But the good news is the gasket set should be a little cheaper if you have to pull the head.

Soak it down in PB Blaster overnight, and try the ezout again. What engine do you have? Does it have an aluminum head?
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geojojo
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It's a 170/470 mercruiser, and I believe it's a cast iron head
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Spock
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Live Long and Prosper.

Yep, the head pretty much has to come off. I work on Honda outboards for a living and I have seen this kind of thing before. Although, the last time I took a set of heads to a machine shop the guy told me that he could have repaired the threads with the head still on the motor. I guess it can be done, just not the preferred method in my opinion.

Of course, once you start putting a wrench to bolts that have been in/around salt water you may be opening a can of worms. :die

Good luck :thumb
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geojojo
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As far as the easy out goes, it's a tight area to work in and hard to use a wrench, valve cover on one side and exhaust manifold on the other...
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geojojo
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Spock
Apr 26 2012, 10:48 PM
Yep, the head pretty much has to come off. I work on Honda outboards for a living and I have seen this kind of thing before. Although, the last time I took a set of heads to a machine shop the guy told me that he could have repaired the threads with the head still on the motor. I guess it can be done, just not the preferred method in my opinion.

Of course, once you start putting a wrench to bolts that have been in/around salt water you may be opening a can of worms. :die

Good luck :thumb
I think the head has to come off anyway, some metal shavings most likely fell into the cylinder hole when we broke the hex off, and as for the rusted bolts, we have special sockets designed for rusted bolts, they spiral in and get tighter as you turn the wrench, but I hope those bolts don't give me too much trouble.
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Stiffchezze
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Sir Metrologist

Gonna have to agree with Spock on this one. If you think you *might* have metal shavings in the cylinder, the head needs to come off. :'(

Good time for a refresh though. Good luck and post some pics! :thumb
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geojojo
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Stiffchezze
Apr 26 2012, 11:11 PM
Gonna have to agree with Spock on this one. If you think you *might* have metal shavings in the cylinder, the head needs to come off. :'(

Good time for a refresh though. Good luck and post some pics! :thumb
I'll be sure to post a few pics, I'm just waiting on a few helpers before I start, and I need to get a gasket set, and I intend to replace the head bolts, they don't look too good.

Someone remarked that I should just leave it running on three cylinders and go geo metro style, but that would end up destroying the engine eventually, feels good to start fresh though
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cpalz
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[ *  *  *  * ]
On cast iron heads, I learned this trick form an old mechanic when I worked at the chevy garage, and had it work for me. Once. I heated up with a torch (Medium heat) the threads left in the head, and touched a candle to it. The theory is to try to get the wax to flow between the threads and block. Then I used an easy out, and it turned right out.
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geojojo
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cpalz
Apr 27 2012, 04:58 AM
On cast iron heads, I learned this trick form an old mechanic when I worked at the chevy garage, and had it work for me. Once. I heated up with a torch (Medium heat) the threads left in the head, and touched a candle to it. The theory is to try to get the wax to flow between the threads and block. Then I used an easy out, and it turned right out.
All this with the head still on the engine?
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cpalz
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[ *  *  *  * ]
geojojo
Apr 27 2012, 06:23 AM
cpalz
Apr 27 2012, 04:58 AM
On cast iron heads, I learned this trick form an old mechanic when I worked at the chevy garage, and had it work for me. Once. I heated up with a torch (Medium heat) the threads left in the head, and touched a candle to it. The theory is to try to get the wax to flow between the threads and block. Then I used an easy out, and it turned right out.
All this with the head still on the engine?
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cpalz
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[ *  *  *  * ]
Yes.
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