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HELP! detonation?! spark plug shot out!

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  #1  
Old 04-24-2013 | 07:55 PM
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Default HELP! detonation?! spark plug shot out!

Ok lets ignore my previous thread about random misfire cuz **** just got real. Im driving home on the highway and I hear a huge pop/bang. Cars barely running misfiring like crazy. Pull over, pop hood, my spark plug is sitting on my valve cover and my coil is like all melted and has a spring sticking out of the end of it? I have a picture if you want to see it. Anyways. Whats my first course of action? Is thing like a pinging/pre-detonation exploded it out due to sludge or carbon buildup igniting the a/f mixture prematurely? What should I check to make sure its alright?
 
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Old 04-24-2013 | 08:51 PM
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If there was enough detonation to rip the spark plug out of the threads in the head, I think there must be more wrong. Even if you figure out what is causing the detonation, you're still missing the threads in the head for the spark plug. I would start looking for another head. Others on here may be able to assist more with the cause of the detonation.
 
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Old 04-24-2013 | 10:10 PM
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So I cant just tap new threads in there? The top of the spark plug is like bent and ****. So Idk if something in there physically may have hit it or its just from detonation. Either way Im fucked. Ive been getting a few misfires in random cylinders before this too. Im sure its related but still dont know how.
 
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Old 04-24-2013 | 11:46 PM
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What kind of gas are you running? Your injector could've been clogged or something. They do make spark plug thread repair kits but your best off running a new head.


I wanna see pics!!!! Not to make fun of your situation but these issues aren't common at all. Its the kind of things tech schools look for
 
  #5  
Old 04-25-2013 | 12:06 AM
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Always 93 octane. I have pics will edit shortly to add them.

On another note I went ahead and removed all spark plugs and coils and also will be taking pics of all 4 spark plugs and adding those shortly when I get home. All the spark plugs were (remaining) were pretty damn loose... I regapped them when I got the tune and although I didnt torque them ive done it countless times.

overviewas you can see cylinder 2 is black.. why? -cylinder 1 is the one that spark plug shot out of -I have a bad valve cover gasket)

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How I found it:

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1:

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2:

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3:

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4:

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Spark plug 1 ( the one that shot out) :


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Spark plug 2:


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Spark plug 3:


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Spark plug 4:


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Last edited by Sheasta; 04-25-2013 at 02:53 AM.
  #6  
Old 04-25-2013 | 05:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Sheasta
I didnt torque them ive done it countless times.
im going out on a limb here and going to say you have not been tightening you plugs enough. the threads in #1 look good, but i cant for sure tell. this means it backed out. if all the other plugs were loose, it tells me you just arent torqueing them down enough.

there are two types of washers that come on plugs. one is like a regular washer. after getting tight, they need an extra quarter turn to torque well. the others are like a lock washer (AFAIK all car plugs fit under category 2) and they need a 3/4 of a turn to torque well. if you go to the store and check out the box of a simple ngk spark plug, like a br9es, it shows right on the box it needs between a 1/2 and 2/3 of a turn extra after getting tight.

however, the #1 plug looks like it had contact. i'd like a close up of that plug. and please embed the photos next time.

i really dont think this is much to be alarmed about, but i could be wrong. if that plug had contact, its pretty bad
 
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Old 04-25-2013 | 11:57 AM
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Yes thats what Im worried about, the plug did have contact, but couldnt the plug have just gotten damage from shooting out? I Im hoping i just didnt torque them enough haha. I will upload more pictures now. The fact that the threads are only kind of fucked up at the top tell me it was already loose and then shot out. I got a different spark plug to thread in as well. When I took it out it had metal shavings on it. But it seemed to thread in and tighten nicely. My phone camera kind of sucks. One of the three posts of the spark plug that u gap from electrode broke off and the other two are now touching the electrode so something happened.

another problem i have is the coil is screwed up. Spark plugs no big deal since theyre cheap but I just ordered an ICM delete kit with 4 new coils and I dont want to mess up those coils or buy a new stock coil just to test. But might have to do that. I'd love to do a compression test but I dont have the tool. ( If I had contact something would be messed up and id not have good compression in cyl 1 right?)

Sorry for this long post. Im just trying to get all my facts straight in one post. So If the plug had contact.... which it did... then Im screwed? How screwed like new head screwed or like new motor screwed?


edit : Pics:


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Pic of threads in the day:

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Last edited by Sheasta; 04-25-2013 at 12:30 PM.
  #8  
Old 04-25-2013 | 10:52 PM
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Threads were screwed from spark plug shooting out. Tapped it with some kit. Compression test all cylinders. Cylinder 1 (spark plug shot out of) : 145, cylinder 2 : 150, Cylinder 3: 150, cylinder 4: 150. Got all new spark plugs and a new coil to replace the one that got owned by the spark plug (Which kind of sucks since I ordered the ICM delete setup just before all this happened and it came today). Running good so far.

Related issue: When the spark plug shot out the engine on the highway I noticed the speedometer stopped working. After getting it running today I took it for a ride and noticed not only was my speedometer not working but my gas gauge needle seems to be jumpy(it still reads amount of gas but seems to wander back and forth and not be steady) and it wasnt like this before that happened.

Thanks for the help.
 
  #9  
Old 04-26-2013 | 04:46 AM
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yeah it sounds like you dont torque your plugs down enough
 
  #10  
Old 04-26-2013 | 04:08 PM
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I used a torque wrench this time
 



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