While changing plugs last night, I got to the #6 plug and it was really tight. It did loosen about a half a turn, then stopped. So I spent the the rest of the night soaking it with pb blaster and liquid wrench. Hit it a few more times this morning. Got it to turn maybe twice before ......SNAP! Its now broken off right at the threads with no nut to wrench on. I guess I could try a big easy out on it, but wanted some other ideas before I tried anything else. Any help would be great, thanks.

 

I am thinking a cylinder head removal and machine shop is in your future.

 

That's what I was thinking staring at the remnants of that plug. Looking at the other plugs there was another one starting to fall apart. looking at around probably 500
bucks.

 

Yeah, I had that happen to the number 5 plug on my 3.0 the week after I bought it. Check with your local dealer and have them run the VIN, they can tell you if the head gasket recall has been done. If not, then the only charge should be the removal of that plug remnant. Mine had already been done, so I ended up having to just take it apart and take the heads to a machine shop. Ended up being a lil more than $500, but I also had them rebuild the heads while they had em there, and having injectors cleaned, new timing belt, water pump, various "while I'm in there" tasks.
Good luck, hope the rest of the engine is in good enough shape to make just a top end job worth it.

 

I blew the head gasket a couple years ago and had the motor rebuilt then. The shop that did the work did a pretty piss poor job. Dont think i want to put any more big money into this truck. Just hoping somebody had a good cheap fix.

 

try an easy out but it sounds like its stripped in there and when u try and get it out u will have to drill and maybe tap it again, good luck and hope it doesnt end up too much of a pain.

 

What about all the spark-plug parts that fall into the cylinder? I don't see any way to fix this without removing the head.

 

Looking at the other plugs I don't think anything has fallen in there. ..yet. maybe vacuum it out with a small hose and a magnet.

 

I've used "easy-out" tools a lot, but I've never had any luck removing a fitting that was broken trying to remove it. That sparkplug had a enough torque on it to break a big piece of metal. The "easy-out", in addition to being made out of much weaker hardened steel, has less cross section than the part of the plug that broke.

I think you are going to have to drill out the plug (after knocking all the ceramic parts of the plug through), and heli-coil the now-drilled hole. Certainly a doable repair, but not with the head on.

 

X2

You have to make the decision; the head has to come off to fix it.