It happened to me a few years back.
I soaked it in Penetrating fluid and used an extractor like your doing.
Try and grab the shield with a vise grip style pliers and yank it out.
Spray the outside of the tube with some PS too.
If you have access once the heat shield is off blow off around the spark plug with compressed air and get all the debris off.
If you use heat, heat up around the plug. Don't heat the plug or the extractor.
You should be OK as long as nobody cross threaded the old plug.

If your concerned about debris in the cylinder, once you get the old plug out start the engine with the plug out for a few seconds. It will be very loud but any debris should blow out.

 

Sorry bro but that doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I'd use a shop vac and rig up a small tube that's big enough to fit down the spark plug hole and suck any loose debris out. I wouldn't want to see something get caught in the valve seat or between the piston and cylinder wall. Mess those up and you'll have even bigger problems then what you started with.

 

ya, you can take a shop vac and reduce the hose down to a small vinal tubing that will fit in the cylinder, and small enough to be able to move it around it there too.i still like the reverse thread tap and reverse thread bolt idea;i have one 5/16 reverse tap but i dont know where the bolts i had went, but it is pretty much the absolute best way to extract somthing.

 

+1 on this . Take your time and get it as straight as possible to get a good grip. If it feels as though it's going to snap, heat some more. The shop vac is the other good idea.

 

Thanks guys. I haven't done anything yet. Just letting it soak overnight right now. I sprayed it down heavy at around noon today and will just wait till tomorrow to mess with it.

phlash---nothing has fallin into the cylinder as of yet. Yes I can see into the cylinder thru the hole in the bottom of the plug and can also still see the electrode ground still intact.
I want to try and avoid pulling the heads IF possible just because if my luck holds out I will end up snapping off head bolts too. I figure worst case right now is that I have a 50-50 chance of getting it out with the extractor with the head intact. If it snaps then I will pull the head.

rabbler---did you use heat? Which type extractor did you use? It is my #4cylinder which is the second one in on the passanger side. Not to tough to get at. I know tboss just said he didn't like the square type which is why I haven't started this yet. I am getting mixed answers as 1 would expect. The guy I met at Napa suggested the square ones because he said the spiral ones spread the plug once driven in and made it tougher in his opinion to get out.

tboss---I do have both types of extractors...just looking for first hand experience which I greatly appreciate. For a handle I was thinking of using a 6pt socket so I could keep pressure in it. I just thought the handle wouldnt give me the pressure or leverage I need. Plus I am not sure I have the clearance with the exhause manifolds with the short handle. As far as the heating went, I do also have a cylinder of Mapp gas which is hotter. Should that be ok?

 

Chopper, pipeking and Tarner---I do have a shop vac and my wife has the weird piece for her vacuum that has the funky 6" small tube on the end that I figured I would use to clean the cylinder out once done. I have a feeling the electrode ground piece will end up coming off in the process of doing all this so I was planning on having the shop vac ready to go.

 

Tboss and Chopper1,
If I use the spiral, what size? I just wanna make sure before I drill it for the extractor that I am drilling for the right size...

 

I used a square extractor but only because the one that fit best was square. I have both kinds.
Get the beefiest extractor that will fit. Try to avoid drilling.
Just tap the extractor in don't wail on it. ( you can expand the plug and make it tighter)
I have a square socket that fits the end of the extractor so I used that and a long extensionon a ratchet.
I torqued on the ratchet and kept constant pressure. It finally released with a snap which made me think the extractor snapped.
Be careful not to snap the extractor. If you so the head will have to come off. You can't drill the extractor out.

As long as you don't have to drill there shouldn't be any debris in the cylinder.

Good luck

 

rabbler,
that is what I was planning on trying. I didn't think the handles that were made for the extractors would give me leverage so I was going to use a ratchet. I will keep everyone posted as today will be the day to try it....

 

So........ did you get that damn thing out yet?