Ok here's the deal...it has the 4.6 l Triton V8, as you may or may not know the Plugs and COP's (coil over plugs) are a pain to change out, it had a bad missfire on cylinder #4, the very hardest one to get to, I pulled the #4 COP and tried to get the plug out but could not, the reason I found after about 30 minutes, well the COP's bottom half fell off inside the hole next to the plug and is preventing a socket from going onto the plug, the piece is not magnetic (looks like carbon) and is wedged beside the plug, I have tried a magnet, compressed air, a claw pickup tool, a piece of wire and duct tape on a wire, all to no avail, it can't be seen so that adds to the problem, I can't change the plug so the missfire continues, keep in mind the plug hole is basically under and against the firewall and is angled towards the front of the motor making things more of a pain, can anyone think of a way to get the broken piece out other than pulling the head? I have even thought about cutting part of the side of a socket away to avoid the blockage and remove the plug, but then the piece would possibly fall into the cylinder and cause bigger problems. Taking all and any suggestions!!!
Maybe a 1/4" rod with bends to fit in there with a hook and point on the end to try to snag it? Can you see it with a mirror? I have a small 1" round mirror that can fit in tight places.
I am not sure on this one, I mean I am afraid to break the plug off for fear I still cant get a socket on it, the truck runs now, just not good and if I break the plug off and still can't get it out might be a lot worse off, but this may be somethimg I will try as a last chance. I did get a brake line in there after flattening it out and tried to move it around and it seems to be stuck pretty good, I will check on the mirror....it would help to know what it is in the way and where at least. Thanks guys for some fresh thinking~ Keep em' coming!!!
A Maverick part saves the day!!!!! Ok got the mirror and upon looking into the hole it did turn out to be a part of the COP in there that had came off, the good thing is it was the carbon looking part, which turns out to be pretty soft, I took the suggestion from maverick1970 (thanks so much) and just stuck the socket in there and dropped it pretty forcefully into the hole, thus breaking up the carbon looking stuff into smaller pieces, I the took the washer fluid hose from a MAVERICK I had laying close by (you know how small it is, so it got way down almost under the stuff) and taped it to my air hose blowing valve, I stuck it in the hole and hit the pressure and wooooo black rain of carbon pieces came flying out, put the socket back in and screwed out the plug ....DONE!!! Many Thanks for all the help and suggestions...I needed the backing from ya'll on this one as I was at a loss on what to do.
next time you can also superglue the piece to a stick. Then just pull it out. The real superglue "cyanoacrylate" will harden to concrete strength.
Cool trick. We just had a Harley 5.4 truck in as a used sale. Misfire fault. Sent it straight down the road to Ford. No way am I messin with that thing. Our Hemis dont seem so bad to work on after looking at the 5.4 set up. Good to hear you got yours fixed moneymaker.
