mmmBACON

I drive a 2004 S2000 with approximately 71k miles. Car was throwing misfire CEL codes in the #1, 2, and 3 cylinders. I checked the battery, alternator, coilpacks, and spark plugs and they all checked out fine. I decided to swap out the old spark plugs ( First time doing so and had the ChampION brand ) for the NGK pfr7g-11s. Old ones looked decent with all light, to light dark brown tips. Reset the ECU and the car felt like it was running fine. Before, it would sometimes drop idle when coming to a stop and/or bog when accelerating from a stop. So it stopped doing that and the CEL went away. Had the car smogged and it failed emissions. So i decided to run a compression test. Removed the spark plugs and since they were new, looked fine. Ran the compression test ( 2x each cylinder, WOT, warmed up engine) and came out with these results:

#1 Cyl: 180, #2 Cyl: 225, #3 Cyl: 180, #4 Cyl 250.

So there's obviously something going on in cylinders 1 and 3... but thats not the end of it =/

When i went to go re-install the spark plugs, I noticed that when tightening the #2 plug (20ft lbs) i noticed it kept spinning when it should've stopped. Took the plug out and the electrode was bent all the way down. (WTF?!) looked down the hole and saw a nut at the bottom with a small hole at its center. Checked the others and they don't have it. But when tightening the spark plug into that plug, there weren't any issues until it kept spinning. So my ASSUMPTION would be that the previous owner for some reason had a non-fouler plug installed in the #2 spark plug hole. The 5/8 spark plug socket is too small to get around it, and any larger sized socket would be too large in diameter to fit in the hole. My goal is to remove the non fouler plug to drill that hole in its center to make it larger, or just remove that non-fouler plug entirely and install a new spark plug, and go on about my compression issue. Having a leak down test would be my next step. So my questions are:

1. Do they make a thin wall 17/18 socket thats the same size in diameter as the 5/8 socket?
2. Is there another way to remove that plug without removing any other engine parts?

ANY help will be taken into consideration and will be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you in advance!

-Dean

ahrmike

Are you sure its not a threaded insert? Perhaps the person stripped the head and threw in an insert. Is it tall like a non-fouler or mostly flush (same level as other plugs)

If you got a plug out, you should be able to get a plug in if you aim it properly into the center. Most car heads guide plugs in, but I'd assume an insert wouldnt.

stilleno

I have exactly the same problem you describe. My approach is to glue with heavyduty epoxy an old plug to the non-fouler and hope that 24hrs later they fill be so tight together that when I try to remove the plug, the non-fouler will unthread and come out as well.


If you were able to pull it out some other way, Please advise. Thanks

Demolash

I have the same problem. Did the epoxy method work? If not, how did you resolve it?

B serious

Lol 3 different people have found defoulers stuffed into the plug holes?!

My proposed solution is to lobby for better education and access to mental health treatment for whomever decided to do this.

Epoxy-ing the threads of the plugs is risky, but it may work. That's the only way I can think of to remove the defouler without getting tons of metal into the cylinder. If it doesn't work, you might need to remove the cylinder head. And if the threads in the head are damaged, then you need to probably replace the cylinder head.

Unfortunately, in a few years, when the cars have gone to new owners, this may result in new posts, requesting info on how to remove an epoxied plug from a cylinder head.

The circle of shit can only continue, eh?

Slowcrash_101

7664604-guascor-pre-chamber-spark-plug-blue.jpg (200×489) (birkasco.com)

You've never heard of passive pre-chamber spark plugs? They actually work. Not really worthwhile on our engines, but for highly boosted applications they make a big improvement in terms of combustion quality and velocity. Of course the plug jets have to be precisely designed both in angle, taper, spacing, and quantity, which takes a fair bit of development work. Considering what it costs to develop and the limited benefit in an NA engine, probably not worth the hassle.

B serious

Passiv...

my brother, this is completely different than what's being described in this shitthread.

But maybe you were joking and it went over my head. I'm just trying to get by.

Slowcrash_101

The non foulers do the same thing in a much cruder way. Some air and fuel gets pushed into the non fouler space creating a rich pocket near the plug, increasing the chance of a successful combustion. Which then shoots out the hole igniting the rest of the mixture.

Surely you've seen this
Honda F1 Self ignition combustion engine (streamable.com)

B serious

Hmm yes I'm 100% sure the person who left a defouler stuffed into ONE cylinder was thinking, "this is how they do it in Formula 1", as they stood in their driveway, itching their belly button.

B serious

You know, a surgeon once told me about how a baseball bat does the same thing as a scalpel, but in a crude way.

I'm sure you'll hear about him eventually.