Broken plug update

Well the Cayman broken plug adventure continues. pics enclosed include the jack screw I made to remove the screw extractor. Success! Removed it today. Next pic is the remains of the plug in the cylinder head. This is what I’m trying to get out. Last pic is what I’m going to try next . Snap-On fluted extractor and homemade deep 5/8” socket to get down close to the base of the plug To extract it. Indy has not called, probably doesn’t want to do the job, so I’ll forge on ahead. Hopefully if I can get the fluted end into the plug stopping at the blue tape, it may come out. Pics are Wish me luck…..

ugh, keep the faith , you can do it !

Thought about this some more. The drill for the bluepoint extractor is 11/32”. If I can get a right angle drill in the opening, I’ll drill out more of the plug to relieve the internal stress. I’ll close the valves, grease the drill bit try and capture the shavings, vacuum out as best as I can and then blow out any chips with air, try the fluted easy out. That’s the plan anyway….

You're a better man than I, caymanbob75. I started a plug replacement on my 2011 Cayman a couple weekends ago. The old plugs were TIGHT!!! I could barely get the first one to budge. With this thread in mind, I put everything back together, tiptoed away, and made an appointment with a local indie. I hate hiring people to do things I should be able to do (and like doing) myself, but sometimes that's just the way it goes. Anyway, I'm rooting for you! Hope the final extraction goes as planned and you soon put this obstacle in your rearview mirror.

George, I know how you feel. If I had done more research on this issue I probably would have done the same. The car was running great before I started this project, should have left well enough alone. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I imagine Indy mechanic would cringe a bit thinking about how to approach the job. AFAIC, Porsche really screwed the pooch with this engineering disaster….

Just as an aside for the hell of it, I e-mailed Porsche in Germany about this problem and what a lousy engineering and design issue working anywhere on this engine is. I actually got a response saying someone from the USA Porsche distributor ship will be contacting me. I’m not holding my breath that Porsche would actually help me out, but interesting regardless.

Interesting indeed. FWIW, the mechanic I went to is a former Porsche technician and was quite familiar with the scenario.

I think they will call you, otherwise they could have just ignored your email.

George, could you ask your mechanic what he meant by “familiar scenario”? Has he seen this before and has he made the repair? Not much info on u tube or any other Porsche websites I visited to find a reasonable solution short of pulling the engine to effect repairs. I’d be interested to hear what his take on this is. Thanks, Bob

I wondered the same Boris. Maybe they’ll call and tell me to bring into the dealer and Porsche will repair it for free! Yeah, when pigs fly…..

He didn’t say anything more than that he’d had many Porsches put up a fight when trying to remove the plugs. His only specific comment was that the job tends to go more smoothly when one is diligent about the 4 years/40,000 miles schedule. I bought my car about a year ago with around 60k miles on it.

Update. After much thought and hand wringing, gonna try the following. Purchase a left hand drill bit (11/32”) to drill the shell so the straight fluted easy out will fit. A machinist friend is making a drill guide that will fit in the spark plug access hole to guide the bit straight when drilling. Have a right angle drill that should work in that tight space. Hoping drilling out more of the shell will relieve tension so it’ll back out. My nephew who has Down’s syndrome keeps asking me for a rode in the “porch”. Gotta fix this car so I can take him for a thrill ride. Don‘t want to disappoint him. Also, happy Veterans Day to all who served. I did 3 tours of Nam on a carrier from 1966-1969.

The drill guide is a great choice. Thanks for your service Bob.

Too cute, get that “Porch” going! And thanks for your service—while you are waiting on the guide, go see the new Top Gun. I liked it a lot. Shawn in VA (USA)

So... Thinking a little outside the box.... Before you start drilling... Any merit in turning over the engine by hand to close the exhaust valves but leave the intakes open. Then hook up the shop vac exhaust to the intake throttle body.... Creating positive pressure in the cylinder you are working on that will help blow the metal chips out of the spark plug hole.... Just a thought.... getting just one chip in there that won't blow out could cause bore scoring....

I had every intention of doing that Snips. Haven’t the foggiest on how to bring piston to tdc. Nothing on u tube or any Porsche websites. Took cover off behind seats, no way to get a socket anywhere near the crank that I could see. Before I do any drilling, I’ll grease up the bit and slowly start to drill. Back off the bit, vacuum out any chips, continue careful drilling. Drill stop secured at top of the bit to insure it doesn’t poke through the plug shell into the piston. If the shell does come out, I’ll vacuum out the combustion chamber, send a camera down the hole for inspection. If it looks clean, chase the threads, install new plug and fire it up. That’s the plan anyway. Wish me luck!

You have a manual trans in your Cayman ? If so, pull all your remaining plugs, put the trans in 6th gear, jack the car up and lock one wheel from turning, rotate the opposite wheel by hand.... With the plugs out, no compression resistance, you should be able to rotate the engine by hand to get to TDC.....

PDK . Not gonna pull remaining plugs until I get this shell out. If I’m successful then I may take the other three plugs out on the passenger side. Good advice though…

Are any of the other pully nuts available (alternator, AC compressor)? With the plugs out using one of those would probably be adequate to turn the engine over. Problem is - checking TDC - you need someone with a chopstick stuck in the hole watching it move out.. and ALWAYS turn it in the direction of engine rotation. I understand the reluctance to try removing more plugs - are you hoping to have your shop do those? If not - might as well determine if any of the others will break also.

You can get a socket on the crank pulley from the inside access panel, not the easiest location, but you can do it. I was able to get my breaker bar and torque wrench in to get the pulley off/on so I could install the underdrive unit. With difficult to remove plugs I find if you start to remove them and they get tight, stop, spray with a penetrating oil (I prefer Kroil , it is the best IMO), wait a few mins and try some more, repeat as needed. The old Ford 3V plugs were famous for this (that was the factory procedure) as they didn't use anti seize and were known for breaking. They even make kits to drill them out when they break I did this at 60,000 miles on my 2006 987.1S, no issues.

As of today, no luck getting plug out of #4 cylinder. I used the drill guide, worked great and had 3 different size drills to drill out the plug , using different size e z outs to no avail. Going to use one last drill bit, 7/16” that will drill out most of the plug hopefully so I can use an e-z out to remove the remains of the plug . If this doesn’t work, I’ll purchase the long reach timesert kit like StomskI racing sells. Exhausting and frustrating work…. Porsche PCNA was absolutely useless. Unless you did a lot business with the dealership, they don’t want to know you.

Good luck and keep at it... you'll get it eventually! As said here and on RL, we're all pulling for you. Kudos on the patience with this matter... that's key, otherwise you'd have damaged something else unnecessarily. The suggestion to drop the engine makes sense as well. It's certainly worth considering... I haven't done it myself, but I hear that it's relatively easy to do on this car...

Shove some dry ice down there to try and get the spark plug body to contract?

well as of yesterday, Sunday, tried again to remove the shell. Drilled out to 7/16” greased the bit, magnet, vacuum cleaner, cotton swabs. Tried a 7/16” stubby easy out, shell wouldn’t budge. Can’t believe it didn’t move at all. Called my friend who lives about an hour from me, a Motörhead who has a 4 post lift. Said he’d help me R&R the motor. Maybe have better luck with motor out and straight shot at the plug . Worst case, pull the head, tap for a timesert. I’ve about out of ideas and I don’t want to do something I’ll regret and ending up costing a lot of $$$$. Pretty much given up driving the car this summer. I’m done for now. Appreciate everyone’s advice and encouragement. Talk again in the fall. Peace, out….

Ah man. [emoji30] We are all really rooting for you. Have a good summer. Shawn in VA (USA)

Success! Made one last attempt over the weekend to remove the plug shell. My machinist suggested using a 12.5 mm drill to clean out most of the plug save for the threads. Bought a 14mmx1.25 spark plug tap. Greased up the drill bit, used the drill guide that centered the bit exactly. drilled the shell and most of it came out with the end of the bit. Used a magnet to pull out any small pieces. machinist opened up the drill guide to accept the tap. greased It up, slowly taped a bit, removed it cleaned it up and out came a couple of the plug threads! Ran it in again slowly about 1/2 turn, backed it out, more thread stuck to the tap. Did this for about an hour and camera showed threads in the head were intact. Used magnet, vacuum, rinse repeat. Cleaned out the plug hole with swabs, lacquer thinner, rinse repeat. Hole looked clean of grease and debris. Ran the borscope into the cylinder, looked clean. Now for the hard part. Ran the plug -in finger tight, sign of the cross, prayer to St. Jude, hoping the threads wouldn’t pull if I torqued the plug to 22 ft. Lbs. I did, no problem. Huge sigh of relief. Sign of the cross again, key in ignition, started up, no loud banging noises, some smoke probably from the penetrant I sprayed in the hole. Smoke cleared up, engine ran smoothly, no CEL or other trouble lights. I am one lucky s.o.b. This whole endeavor could have been a major and expensive proposition. I will sleep well tonight, tomorrow put covers back on, move car around and attack the passenger side Spark plugs . if anyone is changing the plugs remove the rear underbody plastic cover and with a 6”-3/8 extension it’s a straight shot to remove #1 and #4 plug . None of the wonky universal, extension b.s. thanks to everyone for your support. None of this would have worked without the machined drill guide and expertise of the machinist and a good friend helping me.

Awesome to hear! Seems like it was just tragedy after tragedy. I'm glad it worked out in the end.

Congratulations Bob! You’ve earned a beverage of your choice. ;^)

Heroic and inspiring. Well done!