4g64 sucked #3 plug into cylinder - HELP

**falling-debris** · 02-24-2008, 08:43 PM

OK time for the pros to answer this one.

What would cause a spark plug to be sucked into the combustion chamber.

My #3 is unreachable with a plug socket.

How did I find out? Oh, severe vibrations on the interstate when I lost cylinder #3. Then the wire boot had shot off. And then there's the photographic evidence:

So what do I do now? And, how the hell did it happen"? I spent 4 hours searching this issue online and only managed to find ONE relevant topic, involving a 2002 RSX, and even then only a piece of the electrode fell into the chamber.

Has anyone heard of this before? And how do I fix it?

thanks

steve

**seth98esT** · 02-24-2008, 08:48 PM

Did you not use the correct spark plug? Only way I see that hapenning is if you used a spark plug that didnt have the correct thread size/pitch.

More then likely you have a damaged set of valves, possible damage to the head, and piston and/or cylinder wall damage on that cylinder. Were you able to pull the plug out? Youd be lucky not to have stripped threads for the spark plug in the head too.

If you get the plug out, do a compression test, if thats ok, throw another plug in it and pray lolz. Good luck man!

WarmAndSCSI · 02-24-2008, 09:01 PM

That's more than just the threads on the spark plug that got damaged, somehow the hex part of the spark plug that is larger in diameter than the threads got worn down as well. The threads on the head are probably trashed. Remember, the head is only aluminum. You can Heli-Coil the threads if you want, but like Seth said, there's going to be internal damage to that cylinder from the pieces of the spark plug that got broken off on the piston stroke. I can't remember how the intake strokes of cylinders overlap on an inline-4, but I know I've had broken material sucked into other cylinders before on my V6.

**Galant306m** · 02-24-2008, 09:10 PM

i would pull the head off, check for damage, and possibly have the hole rethreaded. ive never seen that happen.

**falling-debris** · 02-24-2008, 09:17 PM

I did not install these plugs, they were in here since I got the car a year ago.

Can't get the plug out. You can see in the pic the seal is clean in a perfect circle where the socket was spinning around, not grabbing anything.

Compare that image with an image of the #2 plug, which is fine:

the bad plug is way shorter so it's either shrinking magically, or it magically got sucked INTO the chamber, somehow defeating the threads AND the wider hex nut too?? I am at a loss......

**RAZ_76** · 02-24-2008, 09:22 PM

It will be cheaper to just buy another head and go that route.

WarmAndSCSI · 02-24-2008, 09:26 PM

Don't bother buying a new head unless you're sure the cylinder is OK as well. Might as well just drop in a whole new engine then.

**4-G-rim** · 02-25-2008, 07:33 AM

I am still at a loss of words on how your spark plug was able to be "sucked" through? I can't see how the hex got so grounded down that it was almost the same diameter as the threaded head of the spark plug?

Either or I see that you are going to need a new cylinder head. The head is aluminum and if the threads are stripped I wouldn't even try to reuse it. Helicoiling is a idea...but head goes is exposed to alot of heat, vibration, and high cylinder pressure.

Like what others have stated though...you are most likely better off dropping a healthier motor in. I honestly think the one you got right now is a goner.

Have you tried to used a extemely longed nose plier or a magnetic tool grabber to try to get the spark plug out?

**4g63mightymax** · 02-25-2008, 07:59 AM

I am also at an extreme loss as to how the spark plug hole got big enough for the entire plug to go through. Could there have already been a heli coil in there that blew out? That would be my best guess.
Sadly, I think pulling the head is the best idea, because there will likely be piston / cylinder damage from the plug bouncing around in there.
-Jeremy

WarmAndSCSI · 02-25-2008, 08:15 AM

I thought about it some more and this is just strange. Usually when spark plug threads get stripped, the plug blows OUT! I'm with Jeremy, looks like it was Heli-Coiled before or something. Maybe the plug got stuck as well and somebody stripped the hex trying to get it out.

**falling-debris** · 02-25-2008, 09:16 AM

Hey Jeremy whats up! Didn't know you were on TGC too.
We talked on HRCS several times. This was the 7g I was gonna swap a 4g63 motor into, but of course, I sold that motor, I could use it now!!!!

I'm trying to sell the whole car, start over with something else. This is above and beyond me. (Unless I buy another motor....arrrrgh...could be cheaper than a new car....hmmm)

WarmAndSCSI · 02-25-2008, 09:18 AM

You're definitely going to have a hard time selling the car without knowing the actual damage. If you're going to be honest about it, you might as well tell them the whole engine is shot (swapping a junkyard engine in is by far the cheapest option here). :?

**DOHCstunr** · 02-25-2008, 11:16 AM

the picture in your first post looks to me like your spark plug wire boot has seperated into two pieces.

compare the plugwire boot you pulled out from that cylinder to the other cylinders,

and you will notice that it is missing a little rubber donut(looking) thing.

this happens a lot unfortunatly, but its not difficult to get it out.

you can try a grabber if you'd like.

or you can simply put your entire body weight onto your ratchet as you try to turn. this should get the plug loose to where you can completely remove the plug. once its freed from the threads, you can pull it out with a telescoping magnet.

in closing. your engine is fine.
buy new plugwires,
and if the reason the boot seperated, was that there was oil in the spark plug tube.....
then you need to install a new valve cover gasket set. :D

**DOHCstunr** · 02-25-2008, 11:19 AM

actually. i DO see oil in those tubes. get some new plugwires, plugs(while you are at it) and a valve cover gasket.

wouldn't be a bad time to do the cap and rotor.

WarmAndSCSI · 02-25-2008, 11:24 AM

Holy crap, John you're absolutely right. I don't know why, but the end of that plug boot looked suspiciously metallic to me. In all honesty, the OP didn't give us nearly enough information. Such as: did the engine actually act like it was kicking the bucket before this occurred? Had I realized it is actually running fine, I would have never suspected otherwise

**4-G-rim** · 02-25-2008, 03:58 PM

Great call John. I was too busy concentrating on the plug itself that I didn't even notice the surrounds of it. Since you stated it was a seperated boot and I looked at the pic again and I now clearly see it..but if it was a picture more focused away it would of been more clear.

If its a seperated spark plug wire boot, then you are safe. A good pair of long nose pliers should be able to pull the seperated boot and from there you should be able to get to the spark plug with hopefully no issues.

**falling-debris** · 02-25-2008, 10:08 PM

DOHCstunr....John, right???

Holy Friggin crap, dude. YOU SAVED MY G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

I read your post this evening, and told myself, no way. Can't be that simple. The wires were new, I watched the last owner open the package and put them on! That was almost a year ago. A year ago come late March.

So I go outside. I open the hood. Look at the wires. They're fine! nothing missing. But you post made sense, because I could feel a rubbery squishyness in there with the plug puller socket.

Then it dawned on me. It's not THESE wires that left part of the boot in there, it was the OLD wires!!!!!!

I couldn't get the boot out, don't have needles skinny enough (need to get them medical ones....)

So I cut the boot off the #3 wire, just the rubber tip (which is already stuffed in the plug tube anyway) and guess what?? the fu**er fit right in!!!!

Son of a bi**ch!!!

All this time......I have owned this car, for 11 months.....it was like this.
The spark in cylinder 3 must have been arcing quite a distance between the width of TWO plug boots in order for it to fire!!!!

You want to talk about a power boost??? How about the ability to burn 2nd and squeak 3rd, completely by accident??? Feels like a new motor.

Un freaking believable. I almost sold my g today, had three responses from CL.

TGC rocks. THANK YOU JOHN and everyone else in this thread. awesome. where do I donate.

-steve

PS perfect stance on that G, looks sick. And, I want your spoiler. lol j/k

**seth98esT** · 02-25-2008, 10:15 PM

Yeah looking at it again, thats definitely the issue, it didnt get sucked into the combustion chamber. But since there is oil in the spark plug well, thats the reason the boot seperated(may it be from the old or new wires), so change the spark plug well gaskets, clean out the oil, replace the plug, get a set of good wires, and go drive some :)

**falling-debris** · 02-25-2008, 10:34 PM

whats up with the oil in there anyway.

I put a new valve cover gasket in there 2 months ago, with the plug tube gaskets.

also, how the hell do I torque the valve cover bolts to 36 in-lbs (yes INCH pounds) my tq wrench only goes to 10 ft lbs the lowest....

I did them hand tight with a socket wrench and then gave another 90 degree past that.

:-?