broken spark plug

[Steelbuddha]

This old dirtbag's trick: 1) Mix up your own penetrant from 50/50 acetone and transmission fluid. (Penetrates better than any commercial product.) Repeatedly treat the stuck fastener/sparkplug over the course of a day or so. 2) Put a blunt chisel in an air hammer and rattle the fastener/sparkplug. You may be surprised.

 

[Dejure]

Stupid old farts have been known to heat things just enough to melt candle wax, then let it wick into the threads to get bolts out. They thought just because it works it was a good idea.

 

[Ricko1966]

I've used 50/50 acetone and transmission fluid,it works well. The science behind it is the acetone thins the transmission fluid enough to let it weep in,then the acetone evaporates leaving the transmission fluid as a lubricant. I also use wax often. If you've sweated pipe you will understand it.You get the piece hot enough to run a crayon around the base and wick the wax in just like solder wicks in sweating pipe. This works really good because you have heat and lubrication. When I do this at a friend's house to remove a broken bolt etc. I tell them to get me a yellow crayon, I tell them the chemical coloring the yellow frees the stuck bolt. It's funny how many people believe me.

 

[Edelbrock]

True story-

An old timer mechanic that I know said that when he owned auto repair shops in the city, various salesman would stop by his shop to sell "miracle penetrating fluids" that would loosen even the most stubborn bolt.

He put an large sheet of metal up against the back of his shop. He would ask them to pray their miracle fluid against the bottom right side of the metal, at the same time he sprayed his "miracle mixture" on the bottom left side of the metal.

The salesman never won, because his fluid always climbed much higher and faster than theirs. They always asked him what his secret was.

The secret mixture was a combination of gasoline and transmission fluid.


Its like using vinegar as a solvent / deodorizer. You can't take a simple effective solution and sell it for top dollar. What are you going to do, patent vinegar? You have to try to make a "special patented fluid" that tries to perform as well as the generic basic product, and then charge 50 times more for it.