Broken Spark Plug - 2020 Trixx

Advice

My Trixx has been bogging down so I went to our local Powersports dealer whom I've gotten to know on a first name basis and asked him his thoughts. He advised I do an oil change and change the plugs- also run an injector cleaner through the next tank of gas. If it doesn't help; we will explore further. I changed the no. 3 plug without issue. Plugs 2 & 3 were really hard to get out so I lubed them and let sit. My husband decided he wanted to "help" without my knowing (I'm the wife and I prefer to do my own maintenance on all of my performance vehicles)- he came to me to tell me he was able to get no. 2 out but the new plug was hard to get in. I asked him to stay away from my ski and I will take care of it. He didn't listen and came back to me 20 minutes later to tell me he F'd up and the plug broke off.

(I'm FURIOUS! Hubby is now in hiding under witness protection because he knows just how pissed off I am right now. How stupid... and 2 days before the 4th of July holiday)

Can I use a spark plug extractor to release the stuck part of the plug or will I need to remove the whole head to get it out?! Any advice is truly appreciated!!

in seadooby AshleyGaREagent

1

100%

5d

1

4d

Don't be too hard on him, the CR8 spark plugs are thin and can snap easily, especially compared to automotive plugs. Was this the first time they had been changed? They should be replaced every 2 years at a minimum (we do them annually at my shop), and installed with aluminium antiseize, so if it was it's more a lack of maintenance than carelessness.

Anyway to answer your question, yes the head should come off so the plug can be drilled out from underneath. If you try and remove it from the top the ceramic will likely fall into the cylinder.

1

4d

Yep, I agree the head needs to come off. It’s not a hard or intricate job, just has a good number of steps. You’ll need a new gasket, crankshaft locking pin, more oil and coolant and a good way to clean the threads once you get the end of the plug out. The manual says to replace the head bolts (they’re stretch bolts), but I ran fine reinstalling them the first time I pulled my head.

I bought my Spark with a broken plug in it. Once I got it out, the head threads were pretty mashed from whoever was working on it (maybe trying to get a new plug in like your husband). Two seasons (and 2 plug changes) later, the threads let loose and the plug flung itself out of the head, breaking the coil pack along the way. That lead to second time I had to pull the head. It’s 1/2 day job if you have everything and are ready to go. I put a time-sert into the head to replace the threads and it’s held fine, but that was at the beginning of this season, so time will tell.