With the engine out of the engine bay so you can use gravity can help you out. Right?

 

Thats how I do it, with a little antiseize.

 

And while we're on the subject... good engineering practice is to screw the plugs in with your fingers... NOT an air tool. I'd say accidental cross threading occurs about as often as seizing.

 

i always wiggle them in when they start to get tight. if they dont go in more with the wiggling method, i try again.

 

i always tell my cousin to never use air tools to put the spark plug in the engine, and what does he go and do, he use an air ratchet to take the spark plugs out.......I gave him a smack and tell him to never use air tool removing or installing spark plugs LOL

 

Ima pull the engine out and open it up to see wtf is up. Never had experience opening an engine especially a rotary so we'll see how it goes.

 

What did you use to extract the spark plug? If it was a welder, I have to wonder where you placed the electrode. A lot of people don't understand that when welding on something that has moving parts, you don't place the electrode in a position that allows current to flow through something that moves. i.e. when welding a differential, don't just place the electrode on the case and weld the spider gears, it'll destroy the bearings. Same goes for the engine. Placing the electrode on front pulley (for instance) and welding on something else would destroy the eccentric shaft bearings, etc.

If you used a bolt extractor, then the likelihood of jamming something (porcelain, metal) inside the engine is pretty damn good. I've rescued numerous engines from certain doom by taking a little time to do things properly.

 

i used to use my air ratchet to remove plugs all the time. not one issue.

i also used to use it to install them..

AFTER installing the plugs a few threads by finger.

course i didn't crank down on them, just seated them and gave it a nudge by hand.

 

ok took the engine apart and the rear rotor and housing are fucked. So they are getting replaced! will post up pics.

 

we demand pics nao!

 

we used to have a tech who used his electric impact gun to put spark plugs in, which is ok, but the battery goes flat, and then it doesn't tighten the plugs! so they used to fly out (and wheels fall off)

 

meh, impact isn't a good idea, it vibrates the socket and can shatter the porcelain if the socket touches the tip of the plug.

 

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that'll buff out!

 

Ouch! Better luck next time? Man, I am sorry to see that... Hope you get it up and running again, soon.

 

If the only damage is in that area just above the exhaust port you could still use that housing. Any damage to the apex seals or grooves?

 

yeah two of the apex seals got nicked by the bolt extractor but are still good. During disassembly the water jacket seals popped out and were stretched. Theres a kit on atkins for like 150.

 

wait.. here i was all feeling bad for being somewhat responsible for your fucked engine but then
...

how did the extractor "nick" two apex seals? what exactly did you do? i did this procedure with absolutely no problem..

 

The extractor went through the trailing plug hole and broke inside the rotor.

 

and you rotated the engine anyways?

eh, oh well. i gave my best answer in my first reply.

you can lead a horse to water but... you know the rest.

 

Well i didn't know it broke. My brother and my friend pulled out the spark plug while i was at work then cranked it over. I'm not mad that any of this happened cuz it's all a learning experience. I just ordered the gasket kit off of atkins should be here in two days.

 

possibly, but it still would require some deburring, the rotor as well, and a whole new set of seals.

 

More importantly how the hell did this break off to begin with?

I had a bad lot of plugs once. Had two of them break off just as the crush washer was compressing. Luckily I used an easy out and got them out with no damage. I returned the rest of the plugs for new ones.

You can always use a q tip with grease to try to chase out most of the shavings too, but I wouldn't recommend this on a rotary because of the bathtub shaped combustion chamber.

 

We're replacing the housing and rotor with the gasket seal kit from atkins. I'll post more pics when the parts come in.