Debris went down spark plug hole, I am in a PICKLE now.... Advice would be nice. :)
 

So i was replacing my spark plugs and i replaced 3 cylinders fine but the last cylinder was pretty fucked up.

There was ceramic insulator debris on the base of the plug from the cracking of the spark plug insulator.

I managed to pull out the spark plug but some ceramic pieces fell into the cylinder by accident.

If i shine a light down the spark plug hole i can see the ceramic debris and im scared of starting my car with ceramic inside the engine.

Any recommendations on how to remove the pieces from the engine? If i turn on the car will the ceramic ruin the engine or will it just spit out the exhaust? Thanks

Don't turn on the engine, it can easily scratch your cylinder.

So starting the car is a big no no?

See if you can rig up a straw or something to the end of a shop vac and suck it out.

Duct tape some tubing to the end of a vacuum nozzle.

Do you have a blow gun/air compressor? If the debris are small enough, you can just blow it out

DON'T BLOW AIR INTO THE CYLINDER!!!

The spark plug hole is the highest point so if you blow air into there, that's the last place the debris will go. More than likely, it'll lodge small pieces on the top ring or into an open valve.

You know this is important. He never says this unless absolutely necessary.

fixed :fullofwin:



So four cylinders are playing poker and .....

coat-hanger or stiff wire, tape looped around the end, go to town.

Note: Use a LONG loop of tape so you are still holding both ends outside of the cylinder head. that way you aren't likely to drop more crap in the engine. Electrical tape or duct-tape cut thinly will work well.

-D

inb4 coat hanger glass pack exhaust system

Bubble Tea Straw + Duct Tape + Shop Vac

Tape the straw (or even stack a few straws to get an extra long reach), duck tape them to the vac hose and insert down the spark plug hole.

If you cant fit a bubble tea straw down the hole try a McDicks straw as they are wider than the average straw.

this happened to me once. i used one of those pick up claws and managed to pluck it out after a whole lot of swearing and sweating.

Some really good idea's here, and i really like that shop vac/straw idea.

And i also agree not to blow air into the cylinder