Disaster stuck while changing plugs on 320
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Cali
2000 CLK 320
Disaster stuck while changing plugs on 320
well i was half way done changing all the plugs on passenger side. then when i got to the first plug on drivers side, the dam spark plug BROKE, rite above the thread. so the thread is still in engine, and most of the plug came out. does anyone know how to take it out? is it gona be expensive? dam i am pissed!
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From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
i had the same problem. ok what i'm about to tell you you have to be very carefull while doing this. grab a filer and a rubber hammer you have to put a little cut or a openning on the surface. this will take a long time but PLEASE BE PAITENT DO NOT HIT HARD OR RUSH THE JOB very slowly and softly because you can do some seriouse damage to the treating of the spark plug bay. keep filing and hitting until you can fit a flat head in the opening that you made and it has to be a pretty good size flat head and then unscrew it and pull it out. good luck man BE CAREFULL AND TAKE YOURE TIME NOOOOOO HARRRRDDD HIIIITTTTING
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From: Nova / Rockville
Custom CLK / 05 E500 4matic / 04 Acura TL <<Daily
i had the same problem. ok what i'm about to tell you you have to be very carefull while doing this. grab a filer and a rubber hammer you have to put a little cut or a openning on the surface. this will take a long time but PLEASE BE PAITENT DO NOT HIT HARD OR RUSH THE JOB very slowly and softly because you can do some seriouse damage to the treating of the spark plug bay. keep filing and hitting until you can fit a flat head in the opening that you made and it has to be a pretty good size flat head and then unscrew it and pull it out. good luck man BE CAREFULL AND TAKE YOURE TIME NOOOOOO HARRRRDDD HIIIITTTTING
This does sounds like huge mission, good luck.
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From: Boston North Shore
2001 CLK320 Cabrio
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From: Cali
2000 CLK 320
okay, heres is what i tried today. i used an extractor. we logded it in there, but no luck. we attached a 2ft pipe to the rachet to get more torque, and the dam extention broke. plan c tomorow, ima buy an air rachet and hook it up to air compressor. if that dont work, im fukd. and defenately have to pay some1 alota money to get engine taken apart. dam,wish me luck.
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
Are these the original plugs that you're changing? Meaning the ones that were on the car when it left Germany? Lastly, are you saying the plug broke in half where the arrow points to the red line?
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03 R230 SL55 / 94 W124 E500
Did you use an "easy out"?
It is a bolt extractor .. you need to drill in to the center of the plug ,and insert the easy out inside the hole that you drilled ,then use a good grip to twist the easy out of the bay. Try to get the proper size for the easy out , I hope this will work . Good luck dude
It is a bolt extractor .. you need to drill in to the center of the plug ,and insert the easy out inside the hole that you drilled ,then use a good grip to twist the easy out of the bay. Try to get the proper size for the easy out , I hope this will work . Good luck dude
Last edited by superstar; Dec 23, 2006 at 02:16 AM.
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From: Cali
2000 CLK 320
ok here is a pick of the broken plug. the thread is still in there. yes, we used an easy out already. we got a good grip, but it only ended up breaking one of the extensions. we we reapplied the easy out, then used an impact wrench. and still nothin. a mechanic we know advised us to stop messing with it cause we may damage to cylinder head,wich is aluminum, and end up spending more money. so what i feared has occured. the cylinder head has to come out. this mechanic is gona do it then take head to machine shop to get the piece of the plug out. he is charging me $500 for labor. plus gaskets, oil will need to be changed, also coolant. dam, this is a horrible xmas for me. i know it gona be near 900 dollars when he is done. does his price seem too much???
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From: Cali
2000 CLK 320
ya, im pretty sure its the original plug. because i purchased my car with 40k miles, and i doubt any1 changed them.currently my car has 100K miles. tuesday after xmas my car gettin towed to the mechanics home so he can work on it there.
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From: Bay Area
2001 CLK430 Cab; 2008 GL550
Hey Marcus, I have 65k on my 2001, do you think it has seized on to the engine at this point, do you think I should take on this project myself or should I bring it to a certified mechanic?
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From: New Jersey
things with and without wheels
Guys make sure you change plugs when the engine is cold.
Did you try spraying any stuff like wd-40? if you did then your mechanic / friend gave you good advice about taking it appart, good luck!
Did you try spraying any stuff like wd-40? if you did then your mechanic / friend gave you good advice about taking it appart, good luck!
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From: English expat in Spain
CLK 430 Cabrio
The type of extractor photographed is no good for such a job. Their tapered nature will just make what you are trying to remove even tighter in the hole as you wind it in. Dont know if you have Proto over there, but they make a square extractor with a very slight taper that you knock in to the hole as opposed to screwing it in and then get a crescent wrench on it. I have removed many broken fittings with this type where the spiral type wouldnt budge them.
Good luck fella. Hope you get it sorted.
Good luck fella. Hope you get it sorted.
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
I asked Krayzie_99 if they were the original plugs because sometimes people cross thread plugs -then the guy who goes to change them later has a problem.
Krayzie_99, give us some details. Did the plug loosen a little first, tighten up, and then snap? Was the engine dead cold? How hard did you have to lay on the socket before the plug snapped?
Thanks
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From: Sugar Land, TX
BMW E39
Just did the plugs myself a few weeks back. If something like that happened to me, I would go nuts, seeing this is my daily driver.
In addition to Marcus's questions, I will ask, was the socket firmly seated into the a spark plug before you tried to break torque? It's important that the socket was in all the way.
In addition to Marcus's questions, I will ask, was the socket firmly seated into the a spark plug before you tried to break torque? It's important that the socket was in all the way.
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03 R230 SL55 / 94 W124 E500
The type of extractor photographed is no good for such a job. Their tapered nature will just make what you are trying to remove even tighter in the hole as you wind it in. Dont know if you have Proto over there, but they make a square extractor with a very slight taper that you knock in to the hole as opposed to screwing it in and then get a crescent wrench on it. I have removed many broken fittings with this type where the spiral type wouldnt budge them.
Good luck fella. Hope you get it sorted.
Good luck fella. Hope you get it sorted.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Cali
2000 CLK 320
I don't know about you, but I'm doing my plugs myself. I've never seen a plug broken like this. Of course, there's a lot I've never seen. If the engine is cold, then the plug should come right out. If it doesn't come right out, then spraying WD-40/PB Blaster comes next and the plug should be worked out (back and forth). If the engine isn't cold, then the steel threads on the plug retains heat and remains expanded longer than the aluminum head. That will make for a tight fit and (occasionally) stripped threads.
I asked Krayzie_99 if they were the original plugs because sometimes people cross thread plugs -then the guy who goes to change them later has a problem.
Krayzie_99, give us some details. Did the plug loosen a little first, tighten up, and then snap? Was the engine dead cold? How hard did you have to lay on the socket before the plug snapped?
Thanks
I asked Krayzie_99 if they were the original plugs because sometimes people cross thread plugs -then the guy who goes to change them later has a problem.
Krayzie_99, give us some details. Did the plug loosen a little first, tighten up, and then snap? Was the engine dead cold? How hard did you have to lay on the socket before the plug snapped?
Thanks
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From: English expat in Spain
CLK 430 Cabrio
Superstar,
I am new to this whole forum thing and don't know yet how to attach pics or drawings or links. I will be on the proto website and write back the old fashioned way. Back in ten minutes.
I am new to this whole forum thing and don't know yet how to attach pics or drawings or links. I will be on the proto website and write back the old fashioned way. Back in ten minutes.
