Help...lost a tool in spark plug hole
06-25-2003, 11:43 AM
#1
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Posts: 74
Help...lost a tool in spark plug hole
I was changing my spark plugs last night. On the 5th plug the rubber spark plug boot inside my spark plug socket stayed attached to the plug after tightening it. I tried to fish it out for 4hrs. I couldnt get the socket back over the grommet...no matter what I did. I couldnt get it off with a long screwdriver or any other tool I had at my disposel. As a last resort I tried heating up the head of the screwdriver to try to cut the grommet off. The only thing I accomplished was pushing it on further. At about 2am I stuffed the coil over the plug. Start it up and all six cylinders are firing..great. Well at least I got to work today. Hopefully it didnt melt inside the spark plug hole...I didnt smell anything burning.
Any idea's how to get it off? I am totally open to suggestions.
Any idea's how to get it off? I am totally open to suggestions.
06-25-2003, 12:03 PM
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,812
Re: Help...lost a tool in spark plug hole
Originally posted by maxnomo
Any idea's how to get it off? I am totally open to suggestions.
Any idea's how to get it off? I am totally open to suggestions.
A stick and lots of duct tape
Frankly, I'm surprised that you closed up shop and
drove away...scary stuff...best of luck! I think you'll
need it!
FLO_BOY
06-25-2003, 01:46 PM
#6
Remove the spark plug w/ another tool? And hope it doesn't fall into the cylinder?
You should have trid to vacuum it back out w/ a shop vac. It might still work if you can dislodge it w/ a long slim tool.
You should have trid to vacuum it back out w/ a shop vac. It might still work if you can dislodge it w/ a long slim tool.
06-26-2003, 12:04 PM
#8
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Posts: 74
Short Story: Got half the boot out and the spark plug. The other half fell into the cylinder. Should I put the plug in and crank in up and try to burn it off? Engine guru's I need some help here.
Long Story: Is far too painfull to relive the whole saga. I bought picks, fabricated picks, fabricated tongs, bought tubing attached it to a shop vac and tried sucking it out. In the end I was trying to pick it out and it fell into the cylinder. I removed the plug because the rubber was still stuck to it. When I finally got the plug out the rubber was still in the hole.
Long Story: Is far too painfull to relive the whole saga. I bought picks, fabricated picks, fabricated tongs, bought tubing attached it to a shop vac and tried sucking it out. In the end I was trying to pick it out and it fell into the cylinder. I removed the plug because the rubber was still stuck to it. When I finally got the plug out the rubber was still in the hole.
06-26-2003, 12:43 PM
#10
Well if you got 1/2 of it out, I think the part that's still in there can be more than 1" square. It would probably just blow out when you start the car. It's also soft so "probably" no damage. I'd still take a shop vac and make some type of attachment so you could stick it in the plug hole. That should suck up the rest of the rubber piece fairly easy.
06-26-2003, 01:33 PM
#11
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Well Ive been talking to some old time gear heads around work. They say that I should just start it up and I shouldnt even worry about it. That I wont even notice it cause it will burn up in seconds or less. One claims that if it was his car he'd put the old plug in and crank it up without a second thought.
Does anyone know what the clearance is between the valves and the piston? The piece of rubber is a ring about 3/8" tall and 5/8" in diameter.
Unless someone has a good reason why I shouldn't just crank it up. Im going to install an old plug and try to burn it off when I get home.
Does anyone know what the clearance is between the valves and the piston? The piece of rubber is a ring about 3/8" tall and 5/8" in diameter.
Unless someone has a good reason why I shouldn't just crank it up. Im going to install an old plug and try to burn it off when I get home.
06-26-2003, 03:08 PM
#12
I think that IF it gets stuck in the valve opening when the valve closes, it will bend/break the valve. You could try to start the car with the coil pack out. That way the compression pushes it out instead of possibly getting melted rubber inside your combustion chamber.
06-26-2003, 03:46 PM
#14
I say a long hook tool with a sharp end. If it is loos in there rig up an attachment to hook up to a shop vac that will fit down in there and suck it out. That is how i get the oil out of one of my spark plug wells.
06-26-2003, 05:09 PM
#15
I don't know if it would be long enough, but they make a screw-grabber type thing for computer repairs that has three prongs on the one end and a little button on the other. Push the button in and the prongs expand, release and they grab whatever's in between them. Sort of like the crane game.
06-26-2003, 06:45 PM
#16
Start your car with the spark plug out and get out of the way, It should be blown out the spark plug hole.
Just turn the key untill the compression happens in that cylinder and it's blown out and shut the car off...
Just turn the key untill the compression happens in that cylinder and it's blown out and shut the car off...
06-27-2003, 04:31 AM
#19
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Rotate the engine by hand (using a socket on the lower pully) until that cylinder / piston comes up to or about TDC. You can use a long rod in the spark plug hole if you'd like to see it's position.
Once the piston is up, your object is very close to the spark plug hole. Try again to fish it out, suck it out or whatever clever idea you can come up with.
I think just by bringing the piston close to the top will give you easier access to whatever is in there.
Once the piston is up, your object is very close to the spark plug hole. Try again to fish it out, suck it out or whatever clever idea you can come up with.
I think just by bringing the piston close to the top will give you easier access to whatever is in there.
06-27-2003, 04:49 AM
#20
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Location: Hfx, N.S.
Posts: 231
Get a around a 3/8" diameter (or something that will clear the hole) piece of tubing and attach it ot the end of your shop vac or vacume cleaner hose( use duct tape). Stick in the spark plug hole and hope your pick an edge of the gormet so you can clear the hole. Shut the vacume or shop vac off time to time or you will burn up the motor.
Good luck
Good luck
06-27-2003, 06:57 AM
#22
Originally posted by njmaxseltd
Rotate the engine by hand (using a socket on the lower pully) until that cylinder / piston comes up to or about TDC. You can use a long rod in the spark plug hole if you'd like to see it's position.
Once the piston is up, your object is very close to the spark plug hole. Try again to fish it out, suck it out or whatever clever idea you can come up with.
I think just by bringing the piston close to the top will give you easier access to whatever is in there.
Rotate the engine by hand (using a socket on the lower pully) until that cylinder / piston comes up to or about TDC. You can use a long rod in the spark plug hole if you'd like to see it's position.
Once the piston is up, your object is very close to the spark plug hole. Try again to fish it out, suck it out or whatever clever idea you can come up with.
I think just by bringing the piston close to the top will give you easier access to whatever is in there.
06-27-2003, 08:47 AM
#24
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 173
Man you're in deep ****. If had I read this post earlier I would have told you to coat your plug socket inside with crazy glue and put it back down over the plug for a few minutes.
If you're going to start up I suggest you disconnect you y-pipe so you don't foul up your cat and remove the plug from that cylinder so the piece has a chance of poping out. Maybe you could figure out a way to turn the engine with out starting...would be safer.
If you're going to start up I suggest you disconnect you y-pipe so you don't foul up your cat and remove the plug from that cylinder so the piece has a chance of poping out. Maybe you could figure out a way to turn the engine with out starting...would be safer.
06-27-2003, 08:51 AM
#25
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 173
Man you're in deep ****
. If had I read this post earlier I would have told you to coat your plug socket inside with crazy glue and put it back down over the plug for a few minutes.
If you're going to start up I suggest you disconnect you y-pipe so you don't foul up your cat and remove the plug from that cylinder so the piece has a chance of poping out. Maybe you could figure out a way to turn the engine with out starting...would be safer.
. If had I read this post earlier I would have told you to coat your plug socket inside with crazy glue and put it back down over the plug for a few minutes.If you're going to start up I suggest you disconnect you y-pipe so you don't foul up your cat and remove the plug from that cylinder so the piece has a chance of poping out. Maybe you could figure out a way to turn the engine with out starting...would be safer.
06-27-2003, 11:04 AM
#26
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 74
Thanks everybody for the replies. Well the bad news is that shortly after my last post I left work early and went home to fix my car. So I didnt get to read any of your posts prior to working on my car.
The goodnews is that I got it out...well sort of....
Well I have to say that I consider variations of many your posts. First off remember the head is tilted back towards the firewall. So the piece that fell in there WAS lying against the cylinder wall. So I my best chance to retrieve it would be to have the piston at the bottom of the stoke to give me room to manuver.
The piece of rubber that fell in was extremely soft. So the chances of damaging any hard parts were nonexistant. I really dont think a piece like this could hold open a valve (valves are very strong). The adiabatic combustion temp of gasoline is over 2000C. The surface temperatures have to be at least 700C. At those temps a piece of rubber disappears very quickly.
I put an old plug in and cranked it up. I heard a kind of soft rattling or squishing sound for about 5-10seconds. There was no smoke or anything. After that it ran perfectly normal. I let it idle until it reached operating temp. I then held it at about 2000rpm for 30sec. I shut it down and pulled the plug. It looked alot like it did when I put it in, maybe a little richer as indicated by blackness. But these cars run rich during warmup anyway. So I put in the new plug. The car runs great, like nothing ever happened.
The goodnews is that I got it out...well sort of....
Well I have to say that I consider variations of many your posts. First off remember the head is tilted back towards the firewall. So the piece that fell in there WAS lying against the cylinder wall. So I my best chance to retrieve it would be to have the piston at the bottom of the stoke to give me room to manuver.
The piece of rubber that fell in was extremely soft. So the chances of damaging any hard parts were nonexistant. I really dont think a piece like this could hold open a valve (valves are very strong). The adiabatic combustion temp of gasoline is over 2000C. The surface temperatures have to be at least 700C. At those temps a piece of rubber disappears very quickly.
I put an old plug in and cranked it up. I heard a kind of soft rattling or squishing sound for about 5-10seconds. There was no smoke or anything. After that it ran perfectly normal. I let it idle until it reached operating temp. I then held it at about 2000rpm for 30sec. I shut it down and pulled the plug. It looked alot like it did when I put it in, maybe a little richer as indicated by blackness. But these cars run rich during warmup anyway. So I put in the new plug. The car runs great, like nothing ever happened.
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