Q-Tip Down the Spark Plug Hole

[dirtrack49]

Well, I can not believe I did this. While cleaning the spark plugs and attempting to clean the area around the spark plug hole, I dropped a Q-Tip down into the cylinder on number three.

I tried to fish it out with a parts grabber but without any luck.

Anyone have any tricks, or do I need to take the head off?

Not so happy and feeling real dumb.

Tom L.
66 230SL

[IXLR8]

Hi-

I don't know if any of these would be successful, but I would try:

Fit an adapter on your shop vac nozzle to get a small hose down into the cylinder to see if you can suck it out.

Or, put a light into the hole and see where the Qtip is. Then use one of those wire-bound parts retreivers to grab it.

Rather than removing the head, see if you can more easily remove either the intake or exhaust manifold and go in sideways. You might be able to got in through the intake manifold with one of those parts grabbers without removing it.

Put your shop vac hose on the blower side and see if you can blow the Qtip out from # 3, or at least move it so that you can grab it.

Good luck,

Joe

[Cees Klumper]

Try if your style of Q-tip floats - then you can try pooring water into the hole so it will float to the level of the spark plug hole and fish it out (literally) that way. Then of course pump out the water and poor in some oil, start up the engine so remaining water does not stay and corrode anything.

Or mount something really sticky on a stick (fly paper?) and try getting that stuck to one of the Q-tip ends.

But start with turning the engine (by hand) slowly so the no 3 piston will be at least at its top (TDC) level. That should help things?

[thelews]

This may be stupid, but wouldn't it be burned up and blown out the exhaust when the car was running?  It's only paper and cotton.

BTW, your ear is on your head.

[ja17]

Sounds like any of the suggestions could work. Cees's idea may work better with auto trans fluid or light weight motor oil to float the Q-tip. Crank the engine with the spark plug out after the Q-tip is removed to expell the fluid.  Also try turning the engine by hand util the piston is near the top so you can get at the Q-tip.  Try a pipe cleaner with some sticky grease on the end to nab it. The vacuum idea is also a good one. Use some furnace tape to tape a small diameter hose on the end of the vacuum hose, so you can get it down the spark pug hole.

[dirtrack49]

Gee, I like all of your ideas.

I wish I had read this last night before trying to get some sleep. Had a bad night thinking about it and now I am at work for the next 9-10 hours.

When I get home this evening, I am going to try the vacume cleaner idea. I had given that some thought after attempting to retrieve it with a parts grabber.

And yes, if all else fails, I think I will do what John suggested. Just start the car and let it burn the Q-tip up.

On a side note, my wife finds it kind of odd how much time I spend worrying about things I do with my car collection. She just doesn't understand why I don't sleep at night sometimes concerning myself with such matters.

I am planning on retirement in the next three years and the car hobby is suppose to be my top entertainment value. Besides the 230SL that I am currently working on, I need to get started on a 1949 Ford F1 pickup. There is also a Pietenpol Aircamper aircraft that I need to finish.

Like everyone else, I hope I can find the time in retirement to get some projects completed, and still have the funds neccessary to accomplish those goals.

Everyone on this forum has been a great help with the 230SL.

I will post here again with the outcome.

Thanks to everyone,
Tom L.

[dirtrack49]

Hooray, I finally got the Q-tip out!

I tried the vacuum with several hose size reductions down to 1/4 inch od. It just did not have enough suction to get a hold on the Q-tip.

I went back to using the wire parts grabber and by pure luck, got it by the tip and pulled it out.

Now I find I have a new problem. Number two plug hole may have some fouled threads in it. The plug will work down to the last couple of threads if I work it back and forth. But there is what I would consider too much resistance when bringing it down all the way. After bringing it down, I have resistance coming back out. It is difficult to see the threads well but it just does not feel right.
In fact, I tried two different plugs in #2 and now they do not want to thread into any other hole. Does this sound like I have stripped the threads when I earlier had to force the plugs out? Or, maybe I cross threaded the plug?

Anyway of cleaning up the threads with the head still on? If the threads need repair, I have heard of heliocoils but have never used one. Does the head need to come off?

Thanks again for your help.

Tom L.

[Shvegel]

For future reference of anyone reading this using a shop vac on air that may contain gasoline vapor air is a bad idea. More than one shop vac has exploded that way.

[dirtrack49]

Shvegel,

Thank you for pointing that out. I obviously had never given it any thought.

Even though I did not use a shop vac, but an ordinary vacuum cleaner, it would still be dangerous since you are dealing with an electric motor.

I probably was lucky that the vehicle was dry as can be from sitting so many years. But yes, the possibility of ignition of vapors still being present is a reality.

Thanks for the input.

Tom L