73 Blazer 350 spark plug stuck

[Jimmy the Blazer]

I'm doing a 73 Chevy Blazer and the 350 small block has a spark plug stuck.
The nut attached to it rusted and crumbled leaving the spark plug still in the block as shown in pic.
Anyone have a trick to unthread it out now?

 

[Ricko1966]

I don't think anythings going to get it. I know what I'd try and at the same time I'd be ready to pull the head off. I'd get a piece of steel tubing with I.D. as close to O.D. of the porcelain as I could find,I'd also want it thin,but not too thin. This is a long shot but I'd pull the exhaust manifold clean the plug the best I could. Then I'd my tubing over the porcelain and hope I could find enough to weld my tubing to. Now try to turn the the plug out by turning the tubing,with vice grips,if you have to put a bolt in the tubing to keep it from crushing under the pressure of the vice grips. I doubt it works,but worth a try. Hopefully the heat from welding will help loosen the plug.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I don't think you'll weld anything to that mess lol. The right way is to pull the head off and then do your surgery. But if the plugs are looking like that I wouldn't worry about getting crap in the cylinder as long as you're still careful.

Break the porcelain off and most likely drill the center out, then stuff the biggest easy out possible inside the spark plug and use A LOT of heat. An oxy torch. Not the little bottle torches. And lube.

If not you'll have to drill it out as thin as possible then pick it out in pieces.

 

[77Dmax]

Been done that several times.

I'm assuming you put a socket on it and twisted the hex off?

Put the plug wire back on and start it. The entire core of the plug will shoot out. the hex part is what holds the plug together.

Put a little heat on it and an EZ out down it and it'll come right out. No need to pull the head.

 

[Jimmy the Blazer]

I had this happen about 4 years ago,I left it in and put the plugs back on and have it running many times and the spark plug has been stuck in. I have the manifolds off and all the spark plugs but this one. I think I will spray it down a few days with vinegar on the threads and see if it breaks down the rust. I thought it should just pop out of the thread case fully without the nut on myself. Be nice for me to just easy out a clean thread case. Unless I just smash it up and suck with a vaccume to keep the bits out of the cylinder?????

 

[fast 99]

If the porcelain can be blown out as suggested I would try to drill and tap whats left provided there is access. Use grease on the bit and tap to reduce metal entering the cylinder.

Another possibility is a bolt extractor socket for removing rounded nuts. Doubt it will work but worth a try.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Been done that several times.

I'm assuming you put a socket on it and twisted the hex off?

Put the plug wire back on and start it. The entire core of the plug will shoot out. the hex part is what holds the plug together.

Put a little heat on it and an EZ out down it and it'll come right out. No need to pull the head.

Didn't say he had to pull the head, I said it's the right way. Then explained the same thing you said, right after I said that?

 

[77Dmax]

Didn't say he had to pull the head, I said it's the right way. Then explained the same thing you said, right after I said that?

Truthfully I stopped reading your response when you told him to pull the head. Or the "right way" was to pull the head. The EZ out method works great, I've done it many times on all sorts of rigs. You gotta make sure the piston is down and the valves are closed as well.


Either way I meant nothing by it, just offering my experience with it.