help pulling head
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Onalaska
help pulling head
OK, so I replaced 7 out of 8 glow plugs, but the 8th broke and the heating element is still stuck in the head. I submerged it in degreaser and tried pulling it with long needle nose vise grips, but it won't budge. If anyone knows a trick or some type of tool to remove it, please advise. Otherwise I guess I'm going to have to pull the head. What is involved - is it difficult or tricky? It is the driver side. I've only done a head on a 71 Triumph Spitfire and it is a different animal. Any special tools required? Can anyone provide torque specs, howto, etc? Thanks. 97 F450 5 speed.
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From: texas
there alway has to be one. If I was you I would soak it with some kind penetration lubricant for a day. and try to work out. I heard some people start eng. and try to below it out with compression. but there are a lot of smart people here. so see what they say.before you pull cly head. good luck!!
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: MICHIGAN
I see that you live in FL. If you don't have any luck with the penetrating oil. You can get away with 7 new GP's and leave the 8th alone IMO. It's alot of work getting a head off, as you probably already figured out. Even in cold climates these diesels will start with 7 good GP's. Just takes a little longer and that cylinder will miss-fire for 20-30 seconds and then clean up.
If you decide to remove the head PM your email address to me and I'll send the info you need.
If you decide to remove the head PM your email address to me and I'll send the info you need.
Playing in the Dirt
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Southwest Georgia
IMPORTANT: If you decide to leave it in, before you close up the engine, (with the valve cover off) REMOVE YOUR HOOD. I was helping a guy at his shop with a stuck glow plug, we had it so that it would wiggle, but not move in or out. He said he was going to start the engine and see if that would blow it out.
Here is the IMPORTANT part, as I walked to the tool box to get wrenches to take the hood off, he jumps in the truck and fires it up. ****OH YEA, did that glow plug come out, right through the hood, and bounced off of the shop wall. Guess who had to buy a new hood for his customers truck, NOT ME!!!!!!
I have seen others that would not come out while running, and have been in for several years. So... If your going to leave it in, take off the hood, crank it up, run the rpm's up, and if it does not come out, put everything back together. Don't forget to cap off the glow plug wire. Good Luck
Here is the IMPORTANT part, as I walked to the tool box to get wrenches to take the hood off, he jumps in the truck and fires it up. ****OH YEA, did that glow plug come out, right through the hood, and bounced off of the shop wall. Guess who had to buy a new hood for his customers truck, NOT ME!!!!!!
I have seen others that would not come out while running, and have been in for several years. So... If your going to leave it in, take off the hood, crank it up, run the rpm's up, and if it does not come out, put everything back together. Don't forget to cap off the glow plug wire. Good Luck
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Joined: Apr 2007
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I've heard some say they were able to drive the tip down into the combustion chamber. Then fish it out through the injector hole. Not something I've had to do myself tho. I'd be nervous leaving it in the head. If it came out later into the engine it could do some damage.
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From: Albuquerque
Originally Posted by JOAT
I've heard some say they were able to drive the tip down into the combustion chamber. Then fish it out through the injector hole. Not something I've had to do myself tho. I'd be nervous leaving it in the head. If it came out later into the engine it could do some damage.
It can, and HAS done damage to many from what I understand!
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From: Onalaska
We removed the hood and fired it up. It simply spit exhaust out around the glow plug element. It did not come out. We can wiggle it around but cannot pull it out. We're trying to summon a diesel mechanic (a friend of a friend) to see what he can do. If he can't retract it I guess I'll have him pull the head to get it out - I really don't want to tackle the head myself. Anyone have any other ideas?
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Freshman User
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If you're down to pulling the head, try driving it into the combustion chamber and see if you can fish it out thru the Injector hole (or maybe exhaust?).
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From: Herndon KY
if you can get a hold of it to wiggle it, can you twist it like unscrewing it. Eventually you are going to wear away the carbon that is keeping it in, may take a while but not as long as pulling the head, I agree with joat, also if you are going to pull the head, first try and fish it through the injector hole.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Originally Posted by bkcowboss
if you can get a hold of it to wiggle it, can you twist it like unscrewing it. Eventually you are going to wear away the carbon that is keeping it in, may take a while but not as long as pulling the head, I agree with joat, also if you are going to pull the head, first try and fish it through the injector hole.
If you can move it that means there is a way for some Free-All to work it's way down there and dissolve the carbon. Keep at it, don't force it, but let the movement and the penetrant do it's work. Patience will reward you.
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From: Onalaska
Thanks all for the encouragement. Removing the head is my last resort, so tomorrow I will try again to twist it or drive it down. There isn't much room to get the long needle nose vise-grips between the head wall, the pushrod, and injector assembly but I don't want to remove the rockers/pushrod either. The heating element is so thin it is difficult to grab ahold of.
I saw another thread suggesting welding a nut onto the element and then using a socket to twist it out. I'm considering it too.
I saw another thread suggesting welding a nut onto the element and then using a socket to twist it out. I'm considering it too.
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From: Onalaska
The other GPs were not warped but a couple were corroded quite a bit and the rest were fine. I used carb cleaner in a spray can; I haven't tried the "dip in" gallon can stuff - I don't know if it is any better?
JOAT - off topic a bit, but do you still run WVO? I do in my MB 300D.
JOAT - off topic a bit, but do you still run WVO? I do in my MB 300D.
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From: Onalaska
This thing is NOT coming out. We've tried dissolvents, pulling, pushing, rotating, revolving. Now we're going to rent a MIG tomorrow and weld a nut, perhaps an extension so we have more options for "grabbing" it and pulling it.