Yeah, I can't believe it either... So the tester kit I got from Harbor Freight, came with adapters for different sized spark plug holes. Well the egg heads that designed the thing should have put a reverse thread on the adapters because guess WHAT! lol... the little adapter came off and is now stuck in the spark plug hole. I tried to screw the hose back onto the adapter several times to get it off. So after a little of this . I started to think about my options. The only ones I see are using a long set of needle nose pliers or putting locktite on the treads of the hose and try to remove it that way. The only issue is, I don't want to get locktite in the engine as there is a hole on the bottom of the adapter.

And how did I figure out this happened.... WELL like an idiot . I put the spark plug back in and tightened it down, felt something crack and realized I smashed the tip of the spark plug because it was screwing into the adapter! Blehh... well yeah thats how you can mess up a compression test lol.

On a positive note, the two cylinders I did test showed 137 and 148PSI so I'm pleased with that.

Any other ideas?

Here are some pictures that might help with what I'm describing:

 

You should be able to control the amount of locktite, but to play it safe you can always use JB Weld. That's viscous enough and doesn't require a heavy layer.
RJ__________________
97 XK8 85K mi

 

Ahhh, JB weld. Excellent Idea!

 

Just when I thought I couldn't be any dumber. I used medium thread locker on the hose connection. Well its on there tight... And now I can't get it off. I should have thread locked the spark plug to the adapter and used the socket to get it out. So now I have a hose that is stuck to the spark plug adapter, and the spark plug adapter is nice and tight in the spark plug hole. I'm thinking I might have to take the head off now... Any ideas? I'm stumped, and appreciate any help. Thanks in advance!

 

Have you got a heat gun, like a hotter version of a hairdryer? Get it good and warmed through and hopefully it'll come out, most threadloc has a temp threshold - can you get the hose back out and put the plug in and use the socket?

 

It will destroy the adapter but the right size easy out glued to a socketwill "grab" the fitting and screw it out of he head.

 

Sorry, missed the part about the hose, heat should work.

 

Head off= $$$ in gaskets etc. Keep trying other ideas.

Can you fit a deep socket the can be tapped onto the adapter piece snugly? How about twisting the rubber really hard until it breaks the piece loose or tears?
(you will probably have to sacrifice the hose either way)
I think they make long nose vise grips..
cut a deep socket ala o2 sensor socket
You probably want to go buy another compression tester so you can dry fit whatever solution you decide to use.

If it was me, I would rip the rubber off and use an easy-out as JPM suggested- I have removed a broken spark plug (threaded side) end from an X300 that way.

On another note- doesnt the fitting have a rubber oring around it where it meets the head? a little pb blaster along with some keyboard cleaner sprayed upside down may help it along to get loose.

 

Yep, I agree rip/cut the hose off and keep trying, removing the head, OMG as my teenagers say. Cut the hose off as far down as you can reach them use an undersized socket to TAP not hammer over the brass fitting. It should crumple a bit but lock into the socket. BTW I'm talking a deep socket.

 

Did you get it out?

 

I tried to keep twisting it and it just keep ripping chunks of the hose off. I haven't tried the heat gun idea yet, mainly because I don't have one, and I think while I'm buying that, I'll pick up some PB blaster too.

I haven't been in too big of a rush to tackle it just because I want to sleep on it a few days and make sure I have some good ideas. Especially after being in a rush and really messing it up lol. I was looking at it yesterday though, and if I cut the remaining part of the hose off (which I'm not sure how to do just because I have such little space to do it in) I can jam a 17mm deep socket around the adapter. If I can jam it on there good enough I might be able to get enough leverage on it to remove the whole assembly.

But if I can get the hose fitting off, I'll just JB weld the spark plug to the adapter and do it the smart way . Thanks for all the great ideas!

 

Please post back your results, I'm interested on how it turns out.

 

Another thought- get a rod thin enough to make it into the hose- (threaded maybe?)put jb weld on it and push it all the way down so it adheres to the connector at the end of the hose. Then you should be able to unscrew at least the rubber part with the connector and possibly the whole thing.

 

Well, I think I finally got it out. It took me forever, been busy... and I have another car so I wasn't in a hurry. It took a heat gun, and lots of messing with it using a set of long needle nose pliers. The whole piece seems to be lose now rather than just the hose bit. As a result of using the needle nose pliers, there are some metal shavings at the bottom of the spark plug hole, and I run the risk of some of them finding their way into the cylinder after I remove the compression adapter. The options: Use a slim powerful magnet; but is aluminum so I don't know if one will work, high pressure air hose to blow it all out, or a high suction vacuum to suck it out. I'm going to go pick up a new spark plug later today, since I ruined the other one. Any thoughts or suggestions, I'm almost done and don't want to mess it up. Thanks!

 

I use a length of fishtank tube 1/8" diameter to blow stuff out, or use a thin paintbrush loaded with grease to collect the swarf....oh and maybe a head torch for this particular job

 

Did it, FINALLY. lol

You can probably tell I wasn't in a huge hurry . Replaced the spark plug, put it back together, charged the battery (dead as a doorknob), and she fired right up. Took awhile for the oil pressure to build and the oil light to go out, but that is probably cause it sat for 2 months. Runs and sounds beautiful, thanks for the help!

Now to tackle the wheel bearings....

 

Can you give me advice I got the same kit but for the life of me I can screw it in
.. advice what adapter worked for you

 

You are attempting to revive a thread that's almost seven years old and I don't think JagScott is around now. It would probably be better to start a new thread.

 

I guess they keep changing these kits as mine doesn't quite look the same, but rather has a deep hex sided 14mm adapter instead of a short knurled one. Still, its a bugger to thread it into deep spark plug holes (can't imagine the short knurled type to work at all) so what I did was went to the hardware store and bought a 4 or 5 inch long pipe in the plumbing section, sorry I forgot what diameter, but screwed the adapter on one end of the pipe (with some PTFE tape sealant) and a male air compressor MNPT fitting on the other end. I can now easily screw that rig into any deep spark plug hole with my fingers until the o-ring seats, give it a final twist and then connect the gauge.

 

Ya mine came with 4 short adapters. I just ordered one from Autozone a 14mm long adapter.. so hopefully problem solved. We will see. Thanks everyone
Jayson