How Bad is This?!?

[drokmofo]

2007 expy el. I have had multiple misfire issues. Replaced plugs and coils, was good. Misfiring again and found heater hose leakage onto the coils on passenger side. Replaced heater hoses. Checking plugs and coils, found the ground MISSING off of #2 plug! I used the updated Motorcraft plugs. Obviously the ground probe went into the cylinder. Would it burn up? Go out exhaust? Or just damage the piston head? No idea how long this could have been occuring. Any thoughts, ideas, advice is always appreciated.

 

[bobmbx]

2007 expy el. I have had multiple misfire issues. Replaced plugs and coils, was good. Misfiring again and found heater hose leakage onto the coils on passenger side. Replaced heater hoses. Checking plugs and coils, found the ground MISSING off of #2 plug! I used the updated Motorcraft plugs. Obviously the ground probe went into the cylinder. Would it burn up? Go out exhaust? Or just damage the piston head? No idea how long this could have been occuring. Any thoughts, ideas, advice is always appreciated.

Its unlikely to cause any damage unless it gets wedged between the piston and cylinder. That would be a problem.

Put that cylinder at BDC (or close to it), then snake a magnet into the cylinder to try to pick it up. It the magnet doesn't pick it up, get your compressed air hose and blow out the cylinder as best you can. I'm not sure if the electrodes on spark plugs are magnetic, so maybe test it before you use the magnet in the cylinder.

If you have a small camera, use it to peek inside the cylinder.

Its possible its already sitting in the cat.

 

[drokmofo]

Thx bobmbx

 

[Neights Templar]

2007 expy el. I have had multiple misfire issues. Replaced plugs and coils, was good. Misfiring again and found heater hose leakage onto the coils on passenger side. Replaced heater hoses. Checking plugs and coils, found the ground MISSING off of #2 plug! I used the updated Motorcraft plugs. Obviously the ground probe went into the cylinder. Would it burn up? Go out exhaust? Or just damage the piston head? No idea how long this could have been occuring. Any thoughts, ideas, advice is always appreciated.

What do you mean ground MISSING off of #2 plug? Please show picture of plug.

 

[drokmofo]

 

[drokmofo]

I tried a magnet in the cylinder and then sprayed air and tried magnet again. Got nothing. Put new plug in and and coil. Runs much smoother now. I thought I was having the cam phaser ticking and that is gone now. These engines are fun.

 

[Frank Wilson]

It was just needing some iron. Easier than pills.

 

[drokmofo]

 

[GaryB]

That's crazy! Also, isn't that the old-style 2pc plug?!?

 

[TobyU]

I tried a magnet in the cylinder and then sprayed air and tried magnet again. Got nothing. Put new plug in and and coil. Runs much smoother now. I thought I was having the cam phaser ticking and that is gone now. These engines are fun.

It probably blew out the exhaust and into the converter or muffler a long time ago. Should be fine.
In the future after you magnet and blow with air, I like to start it up for 4-5 seconds with the plug out and let that cyl blow out the plug hole too.

 

[bobmbx]

It probably blew out the exhaust and into the converter or muffler a long time ago. Should be fine.
In the future after you magnet and blow with air, I like to start it up for 4-5 seconds with the plug out and let that cyl blow out the plug hole too.

Don't ever do that. With the plug out, the 'stuff' that comes out of the plug hole is essentially a fuel-air explosive (FAE), just looking for an ignition source.

 

[TobyU]

Don't ever do that. With the plug out, the 'stuff' that comes out of the plug hole is essentially a fuel-air explosive (FAE), just looking for an ignition source.

I've been doing this for decades and never had one catch on fire. Not even a flame thrower.
If you ever have a plug blow out THEN you should remove the coil or at least unplug the connector to it or much better yet, unplug the fuel injector for that cylinder so you're not washing away the oil and flooding out the cylinder and creating a possibility for a fire. But starting an engine with a spark plug out there so you can sit there and let it run all day and with no ignition Source there it's not going to catch on fire. Not even a vapor Mist really comes out. I only do it for 3 or 4 seconds to blow everything or anything out of the cylinder.

 

[drokmofo]

It is the updated plug... sp546