I have an 02 f250 5.4 2v. It does not have the long spark plugs which it seems commonly break. It has what I think look like normal plugs. Anyways change 2 and 3rd one broke. I was told these would not break but the truck has 140k miles on it and I'm thinking its the first time they've been changed. Anyways one broke and I found a lot of info online about removing the 3 v plugs but nothing on 2v. Anyone have a tool they'd recommend? Also one of the screws that holds the coil broke. Any thoughts on removing that?

 

I'm not clear on what you mean by "they broke". If the porcelain snapped off it's no big deal. Just put the socket back on the metal base and remove. These are one piece plugs, metal base that screws into the aluminium head. It should back right out.

 

As u can see from the pic, one is broke

 

No magic tool for removing plugs of this style snapped off in that way.

I just broke off 4 of the 8 plugs on a 4 cylinder ranger. It often happens when the plugs are left in too long and the plug well is angled up or vertical to where water can sit in there. Usually the plugs end up badly rusted and snap off right below the hex. Not sure why yours broke as they appear nickel plated and don't look to be too rusted. Hopefully it snapped off pretty easily, if you were applying a lot of torque when it broke you may have more problems if it is seized in there.

Your best bet is probably a square, fluted easy out. You will have to remove the porcelain some way, possibly suck it out with a vac, or maybe try to pull the center electrode out with some needle nose. Sometimes you can crank the engine and blow the remaining porcelain out of the plug body. BEWARE, if it blows out that piece will come out with unbelievable force so put some rags or something over the hole to catch it!. I got incredibly lucky when one piece came out that it didn't hit me, I would never have believed the force that piece shot out with.

Going to be very difficult with the modular engine because the plugs are so deep. Some porcelain will probably end up in the cylinder and have to be cleaned out. I tape a hose to my shop vac and work it around in the cylinder to suck out what I can, a good borescope is a nice thing to have too. After getting the plug out, cleaning and inspecting you can turn it over or even start it with that plug removed to try to blow out any remaining debris.

Before inserting the easy out you have to be careful that the valves are closed and the piston is down so you don't damage anything because the easy out will protrude through the plug body.

You will need to adapt the fluted easy out to your extension, then tap it into the plug to get it to bite. You don't want to go crazy hammering it in there because it can deform the plug and cause it to bind. I usually tap it in then try to turn, do this repeatedly, tapping a little harder each time until I get it to bite into the plug.

I swore I broke the easy out every single time a broken plug popped loose. Using a long extension and long ratchet I applied a LOT of torque, it would break loose with a hard snap then screw right out. Buying a high quality square, fluted easy-out is VERY important, no spiral type or cheap ones will do for this job. Snap that easy out and you will probably be pulling the head.

 

Well that is basically what I was trying the last half hour. I had turned the truck on earlier unaware it may blow out the porcelain. I checked w a flashlight and did not see the porcelain, although I couldn't find it anywhere near truck. So I proceeded to try the easy out, I got no movement so I sprayed w pb blaster and liquid wrench. Still no movement so I'm gonna let it soak overnight. I may start it tomorrow and let it heat up and hope that helps. Is this a good or bad idea? I only have the screw type easy out. Could u recommend a brand for the fluted one with maybe a link? I have never seen those. I have Napa, advance, and autozones near me w Napa being the closest.

 

I broke one off of a 4.0l SOHC earlier this year which takes the same plug. The hex snapped off and left the rest of the steel and the ceramic intact in the head. What I did was pull the ceramic core out and then stick in a larger eze out (spiral type) that fit and turned the broken piece out. If you don't have a tap socket for the square on the eze out then use a socket that fits and wrap it with electrical tape to hold everything together.

 

Yea I stuck the easy out in an old socket I had that was just a little too small. I hit it with a hammer and it's stuck on there pretty good. I was wondering if I could use a torch and stick the nosle right in the hole and push the button. Would this be a good or bad idea?

 

Heat should help to break the death grip. Don't get it too hot though, don't want the aluminum to get too hot and soften up.

 

Problem I have with the spiral type is that they don't really cut into the hole, they more rely on trying to pull themselves in deeper to wedge tight and tend to expand the piece you are trying to get out. Expanding can make the stuck piece stuck even tighter.

Fluted style easy outs are square with sharpened corners, you have to tap them in to get them to grab, once they grab they cut into the sides and wedge in. I have had much better luck with these over any spiral type. Not sure of a brand to recommend, mine have been in my toolbox for many years. They are possibly vermont american or may have come off one of the tool trucks. Seems too often though that brands that were once great are cheaply made or poor quality now. There is a mighty fine line for hardness of an easy out.

I can't begin to tell you how hard I had to crank on these to get them out. I torqued the ratchet so hard that when the broken plug snapped loose it would sting my hands and pop my Snap-on ratchet into the wrong gear on all four plugs. I was using a long handle ratchet and probably a 12" extension with a square drive socket.

 

Just to update I was able to get it out fairly easily with the spiral easy out. What I think made all the difference was soaking it in penetrating oil overnight. I am going to do that with all the plugs, maybe not overnight but definitely soak them. I have also been having issues with the coil screws, one snapped and another the head stripped. I'm thinking I will have to drill them out and I'm only on plug 4. It's pretty obvious these have never been changed. The plugs are the factory type they don't make anymore and the gap is huge. Since I did my manifolds last week and they went smoothly, it is only fitting get this is a huge pita.

 

how did you remove the porcelain and electrode? I have the same issue on cylinder #8 of my 05 Explorer 4.6L V-8 (non-Triton). Debating calling a machine shop to get it out as my local shop did not want to chance it. But i feel if I could get the electrode and porcelain out, then a square easy out should do the trick.