ok, well to make a long story short, a friend of mine was working on his 95 civic (sohc vtec d16z6), and broke a spark plug off in the head. I know how to fix it, but i need to remove this "tower" that surrounds the spark plug first, and I can't figure out how to remove it. I have some pics and the arrows are pointing to what i need to remove. I need to know does the head have to come off? or does this thing unscrew? or does it just tap in/out? any help will be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance.

Pics:

 

Dayum! After seeing the condition of the head...I'd say pull it...clean it...fix it, get a new head gasket and put that thing back together.

 

All seriousness, I would clean all that varnish/tar out for inside your head. That's not good for your motor or your oil system.

If the plug is still in the head, and you haven't pulled the threads out of the head, you should easily be able to use a plug socket to get the plug out...

Unless I missed something

 

the part that the plug socket grabs the plug broke off, and the threads are still inside the head. i was going to use a heli coil to fix it if i could just get a drill bit inside the head to remove the spark plug itself. i know the head is filthy, but its not my car, so i dont really care. they havent changed the oil in over a year. but i just need to know if there is a way to remove that cylinder or do i have to remove the head to get to what i need. thanks again. any more help?

 

Well, from what I can tell you could use a screw extractor on a 3/8 drive ratchet and 6" extension. That should be enough to get that out.

I would hold up on the heli coil as your last option.

 

i took apart a d16y8 head once... i don't know a lot about engine internals, but i couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get those spark plug towers out. they're epoxyed or stamped in or something. it's just a pressure fit (no threads or bolts, i know that much), but they're fucking in there. good luck.

 

get a new head. that shit is done and over with.

 

The spark plug threads into the head, not the tube. Yank the head and try to get it from the chamber side. I don't care what you do, you're going to have to take the head off to at least clean out the debris, there is no way around it. Once you have the head off, you may be able to heat the head and get the plug out, it depends on how much is left. If you just broke the ceramic insulator off of the plug, you can probably still get it out. Damn though...

 

i knew the spark plug threads into the head, not the tube, but the tube would have to be removed to drill into the head for a heli coil. but thank you very much, thats the kind of answer i was looking for.

I couldn't figure out what was holding it in either, thats why i was asking. thanks for the reply.

and this can be locked/closed/deleted now. thanks for everyones quick help. ill probably pull the head tomorrow, and try to see what i can do. if i cant get it out, he'll have to go get another head. thanks again.