Tried this with TIG welding but I'm still a noob. With TIG it's more challenging to melt the bolt into the relatively thin washer. That said some of the aluminum spindle housings I was trying to remove bolts from actually broke apart once I was finally able to get one out. Aluminum + steel sucks, galvanic corrosion and all that. I recently installed a TTY bolt on my jetta using marine grade anti sieze(no metal particles) after having to grind the ear off the old one using a carbide burr and die grinder. Was then able to get the bolt out of the subframe no problemo with some very small crescent pliers. (They dig in really well.) Basically torqued it dry, removed it, lubricated it, reinstalled to the torque point that I marked with a paint pen, then yielded it. FWIW I read about 90% of the original torque to the same point, not exactly what I read(some claim 75% when lubricated) but was at the low side of the range for my wrench.
Yeah..It just depends on the size of your bolt really. If it's too small, it's hard to get a good weld on it, no matter what you do; but the washer does make since, because you can get a much better welding angle, not having to stab it in there virtually straight up and down.
I think the best way to sum up the difference is that a real mechanic knows to do other things than sort wrenches in a tool box. They also generally have a very specific path towards a solution. Most of the classic, garage wrench mechanics i associate with are very "cut the bullshit" path oriented guys. On the other hand, you can spot the ones you want to avoid by a mile, when they start putting sugar in discussions, telling you someone did this or that, looking at your pocket before looking at your problem type of person.
@@WatchWesWork I left the last one I snapped in place. I figured that 3 out of 4 a direct injection engine would be good enough. It's pretty rare that we see anything worse than -5c in England.
@@WatchWesWork You're a true mechanic! Others I've seen just order parts and replace anything without proper troubleshooting. As a Army diesel mechanic my Master Sergeant would always stress trouble shooting first before ordering.
No kidding after almost 30years in shops no ticket I'm proud to call myself a mechanic not a tech far as I'm concerned most of those guys are "bolter on of parts" amazing how many times their 25k code reader can't tell them what my 10 buck vacum gauge tells me. But wow what a good reader can tell you amazing.
This was the most entertaining mechanical video I've ever seen! The tension was palpable, the suspense had me on the edge of my seat. From someone who has had 10 minute jobs spin out into a weekend affair, I fully appreciated this! And a happy ending what more could you want?
In this business the mechanic is governed by the flat rate manual (for a good reason it keeps the shysters from gouging the customer in unfounded over charging) but it is a bane for the mechanic because every repair is not perfect and the conditions vary contributing to the difficulty and increased time to do the repair (of which the system short changes the mechanic). We have the same system here in transportation as the loads are paid on a flat rate mileage system that prevents the customer from being overcharge by shysters who are padding the miles. Unfortunately those who do shoddy repairs to beat or meet the flat rate manual cause a lot of problems for a repair shop. Friend of mine hired a guy in his shop and the fellow was experienced in his work. He was fast (we called him R2D2) and he made good money, but after he left his comebacks started coming back and of course R2D2 flew the coop and my buddy's shop was still there and guess who the customer was looking at wanting warranty work, Seems as though R2D2 left out about half the fasteners on a job and half of those were loose. It is ok for mechanics to meet or beat the flat rate and many have legitimate time saving procedures to do so, but when you sacrifice quality of work just to get paid what the job pays then we have problems with the reputation of auto and truck mechanics. I like Watching Wes Work is although he knows he is going to lose his ass on the labor time, he still takes the time to fix the problem properly. As you can see in his videos he gets a lot of repeat business from his customers and takes care of them. A shop like that is one that people can trust. It was a sad situation for R2D2 as he was a good knowledgeable mechanic but he got contaminated by the system.
it's near impossible to accidentally weld steel wire to aluminum, let alone a giant chunk ( like the head) it may spark and sputter little holes in it though LOL
Wow! What an interesting video! First we get a lesson in perseverance, ingenuity, and stubbornness. And then it morphed into an electrical engineering video! What a wonderful way to start a Saturday morning!
Great job, Wes. Truly appreciate you bringing us along. The starts and stops you encountered make the video all that much more interesting; especially for someone like me who is all thumbs. Only thing missing was hearing the bad words - would like to make sure I'm using the right ones. I hope this guy paid you for all your effort. You definitely earned it.
You are truly the thinking man’s mechanic, and what makes your videos so interesting and compelling is that you not only take us along for the ride, but also serve as our tour guide, keeping us posted every step of the way with explanations that don’t go over the heads of us mechanically illiterate viewers and camera shots that give us a close up look at what you’re doing. And if all else fails, bring in the drop dead gorgeous Mrs. Wes. That is sure to shake us up and refocus our attention. All in all, a successful and proven formula.
Thanks for not editing out the little oops moments like the battery not connected. Helpful and makes us all feel a bit better when we do it too!! Thanks Wes!
People have no idea of the frustration level of a stuck fastener especially an internal one. Your only thought is “what am I gonna do”? Equally and probably more so is the feeling of finally be able to break one loose. You are definitely persistent and more so clever. Keep up the awesome vids.
i was literally holding my breath the whole time you were working on that glow plug. good welding skills. i'm happy that all of my diesels have the glow plugs and injectors on top of the engine.
You know Wes, I cut my teeth working on 7.3 powerstrokes and whined that the glow plugs were under the valve cover. You have completely changed my attitude now. Great due diligence on this. Technicians worst nightmare for sure.
Hey Wes, just another tip for welding on a nut, let the nut cool naturally after welding, if you quench it, especially if you quench it with oil, you harden the metal and make it brittle, then the weld breaks easier.
mild steel doesnt harden, and it doesnt absorb carbon either so oil or water makes no difference, it may cool it quick enough to introduce unwanted tensions but its not going to make it any harder or brittle than just letting it air cool your philosophy will apply just not with mild steel like er70s wire tends to be
If I recall from other videos, he sometimes uses the penetrating oil while hot so the oil penetrates wicks into the threads deeper rather than it being an actual quenching action, even though it would act as a quench as well.
Gotta love youutube comments... one guy says do this other guy says no way dont work like that.. all the time lol I know if you heat up a stuck bolt to cherry hot & hit it with water till it dont sizzle it will come out almost the first time, everytime
Been in the dealership as a duramax tech for a while and that's exactly how I remove them when they break off .. a good welder and a box of nuts. Sometimes it helps to weld a washer first then weld the nut to the washer . Buy anyway another great video wes!
That washer trick is actually often a lifesaver, its much easier to get a strong weld to the washer, than when youre welding inside a nut, where the welding material has nowhere to go, and you often wont get enough heat into the weld.
To get the weld really strong, you can even weld a bolt to the washer instead of a nut, so you can lay down a stronger weld from the outside, instead of inside a nut.
Finally someone that actually uses a torque wrench instead of joking "torque to spec" as they crank down with a ratchet. Good job with the troubleshooting and the removal.
Cheers Wes for a gripping video...I bet I wasn't the only one who shouted 'oh yes' when it started to move! Looked like Mrs Wes was going to have a very different kind of day! Thanks from the UK.
Your an incredible mechanic. I love these kind of videos because it keeps me going in situations that start to seem hopeless. I changed manifolds once on a 5.4L 2v superduty and the broken studs were seized into the heads. I used a welding tip on my acetylene torch to get in there precisely. Once the glowed red they came out like butter. I feel like this would work good here, and wouldn't even bother with the engine being hot. But man again keep filming the screw ups and mistakes, and how you get yourself out of them.
To improve your chances of a successful weld either use plain steel nut or eliminate the plating prior to welding. Just heat up the plated nuts with the torch until they're red hot and quench it in water. Otherwise the gases produced when it burns off during the weld contaminate the weld and make it brittle and porous. Counter boring the threads of the nut two thirds of the way down also helps give a little more room to get some weld in there. Others have also recommended welding a flat washer on first and then the nut to the washer. That is also a good strategy.
You need doors on both ends of your shop, if there’s room. Great vid. I’m not a mechanic but I appreciate watching a skilled tradesman at work. Keep on keeping on.
Perfect example of why I like to watch you tackle a full job over just a task. All the problems that you can run in to especially in the rust belt. I've never seen that air hammer socket adapter before, I'll be running out to get one in the morning, I'm sure it will solve a basket full of problems I run in to. Thanks Wes!
20:03 good Lord that was horrifyingly bad! Great persistence. I had two foibles yesterday at work. One got me REALLY mad and I showed it, but two hours later I dug dug dug in and found the obscure root cause (outside house calibration service changed a heretofore unknown program and configuration), and POOF! I was back on the air. Then a software problem at 3:30 and by 5:30 I dug dug dug in and it worked. There, there was no tantrum. Just grim persistence and a LOT of poking around. A great way to end the week. And good work Wes!!!
I have found it is a much better repair if you have one bad glow plug to change them all or you will keep replacing bad ones ever so often!!! I kept changing two or three with in two or three months so after my third one I just bought 8 new ones and replaced all them and kept a couple that were still with in specks!!! After changing all 8 glow plugs I have not had another bad ones ever since!!! I found out this on my own truck and did that back in 2012 and I’m still running the same 8 that I replaced the first time!!! I definitely recommend any time you have to replace glow plugs to change them all!!! That is what I do for my customers and I usually never see them back in for the same issue!!! Awesome job and I’d say that you got pretty lucky!!!! I definitely never get that lucky!!!
Well sir I had a similar experience but different circumstances. I have a 1972 Chevrolet truck and with the hood hinges as with all GM products of the era the pivots (pins) in the hinges are swaged and over a period of time the pivots (pins) rust up (if they are not oiled frequently) and the hinge swivels on the pivot and of course will eventually fail. Well the first time I worked on this hinge I removed it and cleaned all of the grime off of it and fixed me up a clamping jig and wire welded it to the hinge. Now the pin and hinge swivel as designed, but the weld failed because I did not have enough penetration. So the next time I fixed it I built up a weld on the anchor pin (pivot) and when I welded it to the hinge I had good penetration. So far so good. My observation is that most people when welding a nut onto a broken stud put the nut over the broken stud and try to weld through a little hole and they do not get enough penetration and all they do is weld up a hole. From my experience with the hinge on my truck I believe I would first attempt to build up some weld material on to the broken stud (glow plug) and then have an extension of material to weld the nut to. Granted there may need to be some grinding to get the nut to fit over the weld material or use a bigger nut (if there is room). I have also found that using a light impact to provide the shock and twist to the nut works better (if the space provides the room). At least you tried the simple fix before having to resort to drilling out that glow plug. In addition to my comment have you ever noticed on these "will it start" videos that people never spray any PB Blaster or penetrating lubricant on the hood hinges of these vehicles once they succeed in opening the hood?.
Wes, I’ve been watching most of your videos and many times wished I could be there to help you. This one had me really rooting for you. It rough enough that a part would be bad but even worse when we are the ones that broke it. At least more frustrating because we can only cus at ourselves - haha! Glad you finally got it out!
My heart just sank when I saw the broken-off piece of spent glow plug in the beginning of the video. I paused it, and had to come back to it..it takes a bit of mental preparation to watch this video if you've been here before. Amazing that you were able to shake-n-bake it out so easily. I really thought you were going to have to go drilling. PS - 100k by Christmas Wes!!! C'mon!!
I was just getting ready to say try welding on the end of the broken bolt/etc to get a good build up and penetration on the broken item before adding the nut as the nut fills with weld before you get good penetration. Good job! From you local Illinois machinist neighbor
Weld a blob onto the end of that thing. Shoot the PB Blaster behind it-thermal shock the threads to loosen it. No nut needed-a big and solid enough blob, and you can grind flats on it to use a wrench on. BTDT.
Few joys match that of finally getting that (whatever it is....bolt, seized engine, etc) to finally break loose so you can continue the job. It's amazing the relief I felt when that glow plug came out for you.....and I'm sitting here in my recliner drinking a beer. lol. Always a good time, Wes.
Patience and being gentle is the key removing glow plugs from an Ali cylinder head! I did a glow plug replacement on my 243K miles 2003 Volvo D5 just yesterday, Poxy 8mm heads, These are a recipe to snap off! 3, 4 and 5 cylinders came out a treat, 1and 2 were nasty! Serious binding and an awful squeaking noise when unscrewing which was down to diesel carbon on the base of the glow plug, Lots of gentle winding in and out with large doses of penetration spray and i finally got them out with the help of pliers! New glow plugs fitted with a dose of Molyslip Alumslip. Go in full bore with a 3/8 drive or an air ratchet and they will just shear off!
Buddy I was cringing for you when you stuck the EZ out in there... I have extremely limited success with those in perfect conditions let alone in tight spaces like that... as for your air drill I have these little brass flow regulators I put right after the coupler that you can quickly adjust to regulate speed a bit, it’s not great but it helps a lot when you don’t need all 20,000 rip-ems....
That is a nightmare scenario. Got to give you credit for your perseverance and creativity. Adding weld was a great idea. I'll steal that if I ever need to.
That sweet "dead horse" you're working on is my dad's tractor. He just text me to tell me his old girl is famous 🤣🤣🤣 I think he's jealous he didn't make it on RUclips 🤣🤣
Well you made the mistake of talking to your wife, near the Duramax, about how you didn't have enough content for this week's video because changing out a glow plug control module would not make for a 30 minute video. The truck simply thought, "hold my beer" I can help Wes with that problem..... And the fun ensued.
@@WatchWesWork this is something i've always wondered, ¿where does the "book time" come from?, i've seen it mentioned all across automotive channels but i can't understand what "book" they're talking about, is it the official dealer time for the job?, or is there a website that tells you that for every brand? what is it?
@@gglovato "what "book" they're talking about, is it the official dealer time for the job?" Yes, mechanics are usually paid on piece work according to book time, rather than hourly. If you're quick, have done it before, have all the special tools, you can beat the time and "make money"; If it takes longer you get paid the same... there is usually a broken bolt clause that puts them on hourly after that.
this definitely reminded me of... of... of whatever you call it. the agony of it breaking, the struggle(s), then... finally, then the victory, the getting 'back to your life' part. i feel like I've just watched a very good action movie! great job wes. i enjoyed it, learned from it, and I admire the job you do, your stick-to-a-ness, your skill and knowledge. this was great. i feel like... well, I'm a happy camper. thank you!
New viewer from Dirt Perfect. I just did this with the driverside glow plugs on my 07 Duramax. Even being in the salt belt of Vermont, I got lucky and didn't break any of them off! Got lucky there. The one behind the steering shaft (#2) is miserable and #8 is as well. I broke the terminal off #2 as well. I found that the reason they twist after bottoming out is the electrode is just pressed in like a drive rivet and sometimes the splines aren't nearly deep enough to hold so the whole thing spins after getting it tight. Thanks for the video!!
I saw another DuraMax glow plug video (purely academic for me - I own a Dodge Sprinter V6 which has different problems) and the guy soaked all 8 glow plugs in Blaster twice a day for 5 days. He had a double tool like a socket but with a hex on the outside; the rear shaft fits a small "hand drill" rattle-gun -- set the impact setting to minimum, pull the trigger and ease gently on the wrench on the hex. "Guaranteed to not break off glow plugs". He didn't warm the engine up and tried all eight. Three broke off, of course, one was #8. He spent two days welding things on the broken barrels and mostly succeeded in breaking off pieces from the top end of the broken plugs. He did a lot of idling the engine to warm it up (new plugs in the "good five") and lots of MAP-gas around the broken ones. No good. After two days of work, he dribbled a mix of acetone and ATF on the threads and went home. He came back the next day (he had left three long bolts welded to the broken plug barrels), put a plain socket and ratchet on #8 and eased a little force on it -- the plug barrel gave a little tug and then smoothly spun out. The other two exactly the same, no "cracking" sounds, no tight spots, no binding, no problems, just an easy twist out. I wondered if maybe all the aborted tries had loosened them but he's convinced that they were as stuck at the end of the second day as they'd been at the first. No matter, proof in the pudding, the only apparent change was the ATF/acetone mixture as penetrant. I have no idea if it really works all the time, but it sure looked good in that video.
Thanks Mr Wes for hours and hours of entertainment for an weekend mechanic. What talent you have been blessed with. I'm constantly learning from and enjoy your sense of humor so chat all you want. Your one unique dude to take on that ole rusted crap. You would have all my business if I lived in Ill. Thanks!
I just changed out my number 7 Glow plug 2013 Duramax. It took me longer to take out the wheel well Then to change out the glow plug. 10 minutes to take out the wheel well , 1 min To change the glow plug. If it starts getting hard to back them out tighten them back in.Repeat the process.
Oh the suspense! This little video was basically a mechanics drama lol. I literally stopped my phone and paced around in suspense when you broke the easy off, and threw a fist in the air when the little impact got it. Best content on YT!
good day boss,,,am one of your subscribers...well its good for you,that you share a lot and also i learn a lot..not just anybody that do particular content or they just focus in one thing,but you always share what entered in your shop...its great,,thanks..
Super tough to get a good weld started at the bottom of a nut, the wire tends to fill up the void before you get good penetration even if you have good access and position. Starting with building up the offending part then adding the nut is the way to go, glad to see you won!
BRAVO!!!. Well done. I have had similar type problems with getting bolts etc removed. When something shears off, the feeling you get is devastating leaving me in a state of shock and despair and your brain goes into hyperdrive trying to devise the best way to tackle the problem. After several attempts, if you succeed, is one of the greatest feeling of relief you can ever have in my opinion. By the way, one way to have loosened it would have been to fully warm the engine by running it then spraying the plug with FREEZER SPRAY. This will maximise the size differential of the the hole and the plug and MUST make it looser. Cheers again...
What a fantastic video. I’m an exCar Mechanic and I have to do this job on my old range Rover to replace all six glow plugs. You’ve got me really looking forward to it now. PS love the interview with the wife and hound.
I was eating a sandwich while I was watching this and when that thing finally came loose I nearly choked! It was so involving watching you struggle with it, I'm sure it wasn't just me who let out a resounding "YES!" I love the way you take us on these journeys. Just thinking, I need to get more of a life 😄 Cheers
Wes I am old enough (1966) to have grown up learning to use motor oil on my spark plug threads per the Chilton's manuals. So last month when I went to change the plugs on my 2008 Wrangler JK I was really surprised to encounter videos using anti-seize to do the same. It seems like some mechanics use anti-seize all the time, and others that will only use it on a specific spark plug coating. It looked like you used a high temp kind, but not copper. I decided to use motor oil since I have never had problems with it. But my experience is limited to passenger cars (two 4 bangers and two V6s). I also live in the snow belt, and except for my first car (which went to the junkyard for a rusted out shock tower) all my cars got 200K miles. But back they didn't make platinum plugs, so prior to Y2K, I found I had to replace plugs every 30k, and the plug wire sets every 60k to keep the engine from knocking. So maybe that's why I never had a problem pulling a plug coated with motor oil. It would be nice if you did an episode dedicated to that topic.
There is no better feeling then finally getting that stuck piece out. Thanks for another great video. I too work on cars in northwestern illinois and they get rusted so bad you'd think they came that way
Everything about that glowplug said Nooooooooo. You were a man on a mission, with the Patience of saints. I felt your pain and frustration. You, are definitely the main man, the goto guy, the cats whiskers. And no cheese eating furry rodents were harmed in the process. Loving your videos mate, respect to you from across the pond 👍
Good job. In diesel country you can buy sets of special drills to pull broken glow plugs. Other option is to just drill beyond the thread (without touching the head) and then let the engine run until the rest comes flying.
Morning coffee watching Wes work while Mrs. Wes goes out to spend his money! I don't know it seems like they keep trying to cram more into a smaller space my old 64 F-100 I could almost crawl under the hood and stand next to the motor and work on it, but then again I was a whole lot younger and more flexible back then
@29:00 you explaining volts resistance and ohms reminds me when I was going through the Aviation Maintenance program at Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL the instructor taught in a way that no other person could for the class. Granted this was over 30 years ago but I remember it like yesterday and learning how to divide complex circuits it was a very fun class
I had the problem with my 2014 Spark of Too High volts on lower O2 sensor. You indicated may b e short problem. I put 8 vDC on the senser cell wires then found each pin on the computer. Replaced both wires in their own guide. It worked. . Tedious work only a retired guy can do. But does work. like you said. Thanks. Sold that car today.
On the edge of my seat until the glow plug let loose. Nicely done!
Thanks 👍
I was clutching my cereal bowl with a full on lean into the screen. 👍
Fantastic job, most mechanics would have crashed and burned. You have restored my faith in mechanics. Wish we had more mechanics like you in our area.
Probably one the most engrossing I’ve ever seen on RUclips. I was right there hoping to get it out with you. Great video thanks
Thanks 👍
Ya bud good on you. I been there but just with bolts. Glow plug totally different ballgame you took it to another level yo
I’ve always found welding a washer to the broken bolt and then a nut to the washer works really well and gets more weld surface to the broken bolt
I wish I found this comment about 8 months ago but now I know thank you.
Nice advice, must remember this!
Tried this with TIG welding but I'm still a noob. With TIG it's more challenging to melt the bolt into the relatively thin washer. That said some of the aluminum spindle housings I was trying to remove bolts from actually broke apart once I was finally able to get one out.
Aluminum + steel sucks, galvanic corrosion and all that. I recently installed a TTY bolt on my jetta using marine grade anti sieze(no metal particles) after having to grind the ear off the old one using a carbide burr and die grinder. Was then able to get the bolt out of the subframe no problemo with some very small crescent pliers. (They dig in really well.)
Basically torqued it dry, removed it, lubricated it, reinstalled to the torque point that I marked with a paint pen, then yielded it. FWIW I read about 90% of the original torque to the same point, not exactly what I read(some claim 75% when lubricated) but was at the low side of the range for my wrench.
That’s a good trick, I’m looking forward (except for the fact I’ll have a broken bolt) to trying it
Yeah..It just depends on the size of your bolt really. If it's too small, it's hard to get a good weld on it, no matter what you do; but the washer does make since, because you can get a much better welding angle, not having to stab it in there virtually straight up and down.
Man that glow plug was beyond return
You can tell a real mechanic by his trouble shooting, a fake mechanic is a parts changer. Good stuff Wes!
I think the best way to sum up the difference is that a real mechanic knows to do other things than sort wrenches in a tool box. They also generally have a very specific path towards a solution. Most of the classic, garage wrench mechanics i associate with are very "cut the bullshit" path oriented guys.
On the other hand, you can spot the ones you want to avoid by a mile, when they start putting sugar in discussions, telling you someone did this or that, looking at your pocket before looking at your problem type of person.
I dunno. I tried changing parts. But it didn't go well.
@@WatchWesWork I left the last one I snapped in place. I figured that 3 out of 4 a direct injection engine would be good enough. It's pretty rare that we see anything worse than -5c in England.
@@WatchWesWork You're a true mechanic! Others I've seen just order parts and replace anything without proper troubleshooting. As a Army diesel mechanic my Master Sergeant would always stress trouble shooting first before ordering.
No kidding after almost 30years in shops no ticket I'm proud to call myself a mechanic not a tech far as I'm concerned most of those guys are "bolter on of parts" amazing how many times their 25k code reader can't tell them what my 10 buck vacum gauge tells me. But wow what a good reader can tell you amazing.
This was the most entertaining mechanical video I've ever seen! The tension was palpable, the suspense had me on the edge of my seat. From someone who has had 10 minute jobs spin out into a weekend affair, I fully appreciated this! And a happy ending what more could you want?
The gasp of relief. I mean, everyone's been there. (Bad words were said.)
This is why I watch Wes work. Patience of a saint (at least on camera🤪) and knowledge to pass on.👍
Thanks 👍
Behind the scenes cursing and throwing wrenches. I know I do.
In this business the mechanic is governed by the flat rate manual (for a good reason it keeps the shysters from gouging the customer in unfounded over charging) but it is a bane for the mechanic because every repair is not perfect and the conditions vary contributing to the difficulty and increased time to do the repair (of which the system short changes the mechanic). We have the same system here in transportation as the loads are paid on a flat rate mileage system that prevents the customer from being overcharge by shysters who are padding the miles. Unfortunately those who do shoddy repairs to beat or meet the flat rate manual cause a lot of problems for a repair shop. Friend of mine hired a guy in his shop and the fellow was experienced in his work. He was fast (we called him R2D2) and he made good money, but after he left his comebacks started coming back and of course R2D2 flew the coop and my buddy's shop was still there and guess who the customer was looking at wanting warranty work, Seems as though R2D2 left out about half the fasteners on a job and half of those were loose. It is ok for mechanics to meet or beat the flat rate and many have legitimate time saving procedures to do so, but when you sacrifice quality of work just to get paid what the job pays then we have problems with the reputation of auto and truck mechanics. I like Watching Wes Work is although he knows he is going to lose his ass on the labor time, he still takes the time to fix the problem properly. As you can see in his videos he gets a lot of repeat business from his customers and takes care of them. A shop like that is one that people can trust. It was a sad situation for R2D2 as he was a good knowledgeable mechanic but he got contaminated by the system.
How many of y'all cheered when that plug came out? This is better than most tv shows for dral life drama. Keep em coming sir!
I almost started blowing on the flame after he finished welding 😂
Good job. With my welding skills I'd had it welded to the head and the john deere parked in front of it
Heh. That happens!
Heh, yes, me too. My welding usually involves things being welded to everything EXCEPT the thing I'm actually trying to weld to. Lol.
it's near impossible to accidentally weld steel wire to aluminum, let alone a giant chunk ( like the head) it may spark and sputter little holes in it though LOL
Wow! What an interesting video! First we get a lesson in perseverance, ingenuity, and stubbornness. And then it morphed into an electrical engineering video! What a wonderful way to start a Saturday morning!
Great job, Wes. Truly appreciate you bringing us along. The starts and stops you encountered make the video all that much more interesting; especially for someone like me who is all thumbs. Only thing missing was hearing the bad words - would like to make sure I'm using the right ones.
I hope this guy paid you for all your effort. You definitely earned it.
It really didn't take that long. About an hour to get it out including disassembly.
It's not the time, but the hassle imo that is the most frustrating
You are truly the thinking man’s mechanic, and what makes your videos so interesting and compelling is that you not only take us along for the ride, but also serve as our tour guide, keeping us posted every step of the way with explanations that don’t go over the heads of us mechanically illiterate viewers and camera shots that give us a close up look at what you’re doing. And if all else fails, bring in the drop dead gorgeous Mrs. Wes. That is sure to shake us up and refocus our attention. All in all, a successful and proven formula.
20:00 That mechanic's magic moment! Well done for sheer "Had to do it" perseverance!
Thanks for not editing out the little oops moments like the battery not connected. Helpful and makes us all feel a bit better when we do it too!! Thanks Wes!
Ah yes, this type of five minutes jobs are the most relaxing and enjoyable.
I am sure you are as thrilled as I am 👍🏻👍🏻
People have no idea of the frustration level of a stuck fastener especially an internal one. Your only thought is “what am I gonna do”? Equally and probably more so is the feeling of finally be able to break one loose. You are definitely persistent and more so clever. Keep up the awesome vids.
i was literally holding my breath the whole time you were working on that glow plug. good welding skills. i'm happy that all of my diesels have the glow plugs and injectors on top of the engine.
You know Wes, I cut my teeth working on 7.3 powerstrokes and whined that the glow plugs were under the valve cover. You have completely changed my attitude now. Great due diligence on this. Technicians worst nightmare for sure.
Those are easy unless it's a van. The 6.0 are not bad either, just plan on destroying the harness.
Hey Wes, just another tip for welding on a nut, let the nut cool naturally after welding, if you quench it, especially if you quench it with oil, you harden the metal and make it brittle, then the weld breaks easier.
mild steel doesnt harden, and it doesnt absorb carbon either so oil or water makes no difference, it may cool it quick enough to introduce unwanted tensions but its not going to make it any harder or brittle than just letting it air cool
your philosophy will apply just not with mild steel like er70s wire tends to be
Mild steel does harden, the grain can crystalise under fast quenching and it does uptake carbon.
I was about to say that too then saw your comment. Was thinking to myself, "why he isn't letting it cool all the way is beyond me."
If I recall from other videos, he sometimes uses the penetrating oil while hot so the oil penetrates wicks into the threads deeper rather than it being an actual quenching action, even though it would act as a quench as well.
Gotta love youutube comments... one guy says do this other guy says no way dont work like that.. all the time lol
I know if you heat up a stuck bolt to cherry hot & hit it with water till it dont sizzle it will come out almost the first time, everytime
Been in the dealership as a duramax tech for a while and that's exactly how I remove them when they break off .. a good welder and a box of nuts. Sometimes it helps to weld a washer first then weld the nut to the washer . Buy anyway another great video wes!
Good to know I'm on the right track!
That washer trick is actually often a lifesaver, its much easier to get a strong weld to the washer, than when youre welding inside a nut, where the welding material has nowhere to go, and you often wont get enough heat into the weld.
To get the weld really strong, you can even weld a bolt to the washer instead of a nut, so you can lay down a stronger weld from the outside, instead of inside a nut.
Jesper Schmidt thanks, great advice !!!
Can you use a torch to heat up the surrounding aluminum/plug then quench the plug to thermally shock it?
Well, I was on the edge of my seat for most of that. Certainly more suspense than anything Warner Brothers can knock out.
Finally someone that actually uses a torque wrench instead of joking "torque to spec" as they crank down with a ratchet.
Good job with the troubleshooting and the removal.
I threw my arms up and cheered when you got it out. People around me thought I was watching sports. great job man very informative too!
Cheers Wes for a gripping video...I bet I wasn't the only one who shouted 'oh yes' when it started to move! Looked like Mrs Wes was going to have a very different kind of day! Thanks from the UK.
Your an incredible mechanic. I love these kind of videos because it keeps me going in situations that start to seem hopeless. I changed manifolds once on a 5.4L 2v superduty and the broken studs were seized into the heads. I used a welding tip on my acetylene torch to get in there precisely. Once the glowed red they came out like butter. I feel like this would work good here, and wouldn't even bother with the engine being hot. But man again keep filming the screw ups and mistakes, and how you get yourself out of them.
Some of your videos make me envious of all the cool stuff you get to tinker with, but others make me happy about having a boring desk job.
I hear that!
Well done Wes, I cheered for you when that plug came out, that could of been a whole lot of hurt had it not budged .
This is the reason I admired the old 7.3 for having them under the valve covers bathed in oil
To improve your chances of a successful weld either use plain steel nut or eliminate the plating prior to welding. Just heat up the plated nuts with the torch until they're red hot and quench it in water. Otherwise the gases produced when it burns off during the weld contaminate the weld and make it brittle and porous.
Counter boring the threads of the nut two thirds of the way down also helps give a little more room to get some weld in there. Others have also recommended welding a flat washer on first and then the nut to the washer. That is also a good strategy.
You need doors on both ends of your shop, if there’s room. Great vid. I’m not a mechanic but I appreciate watching a skilled tradesman at work. Keep on keeping on.
That would be nice.
You cannot image the groaning and anguish on this end when the easy-out snapped ,man I've been there before !
Perfect example of why I like to watch you tackle a full job over just a task. All the problems that you can run in to especially in the rust belt. I've never seen that air hammer socket adapter before, I'll be running out to get one in the morning, I'm sure it will solve a basket full of problems I run in to. Thanks Wes!
Made by Mayhew.
Well done Wes. I was actually cheering when that glow plug started to turn.
20:03 good Lord that was horrifyingly bad! Great persistence. I had two foibles yesterday at work. One got me REALLY mad and I showed it, but two hours later I dug dug dug in and found the obscure root cause (outside house calibration service changed a heretofore unknown program and configuration), and POOF! I was back on the air. Then a software problem at 3:30 and by 5:30 I dug dug dug in and it worked. There, there was no tantrum. Just grim persistence and a LOT of poking around. A great way to end the week. And good work Wes!!!
I feel your pain brother. Nothing like Midwest rust and corrosion. I anti seize every nut and bolt I remove for future rework.
I truly must commend you for sticking to it. Most folks would have given up and sent it back to the owner to deal with.
Never been so happy for a guy with such problems. I'm glad you got it out. Your like me. Keep going until the job is done. God Bless
I have found it is a much better repair if you have one bad glow plug to change them all or you will keep replacing bad ones ever so often!!! I kept changing two or three with in two or three months so after my third one I just bought 8 new ones and replaced all them and kept a couple that were still with in specks!!! After changing all 8 glow plugs I have not had another bad ones ever since!!! I found out this on my own truck and did that back in 2012 and I’m still running the same 8 that I replaced the first time!!! I definitely recommend any time you have to replace glow plugs to change them all!!! That is what I do for my customers and I usually never see them back in for the same issue!!! Awesome job and I’d say that you got pretty lucky!!!! I definitely never get that lucky!!!
Dude, your wife says the exact shit my wife does. “That YOU broke”. Great! Thanks honey!
I speak the truth
Lol...
Why she did not try it ?
Well sir I had a similar experience but different circumstances. I have a 1972 Chevrolet truck and with the hood hinges as with all GM products of the era the pivots (pins) in the hinges are swaged and over a period of time the pivots (pins) rust up (if they are not oiled frequently) and the hinge swivels on the pivot and of course will eventually fail. Well the first time I worked on this hinge I removed it and cleaned all of the grime off of it and fixed me up a clamping jig and wire welded it to the hinge. Now the pin and hinge swivel as designed, but the weld failed because I did not have enough penetration. So the next time I fixed it I built up a weld on the anchor pin (pivot) and when I welded it to the hinge I had good penetration. So far so good. My observation is that most people when welding a nut onto a broken stud put the nut over the broken stud and try to weld through a little hole and they do not get enough penetration and all they do is weld up a hole. From my experience with the hinge on my truck I believe I would first attempt to build up some weld material on to the broken stud (glow plug) and then have an extension of material to weld the nut to. Granted there may need to be some grinding to get the nut to fit over the weld material or use a bigger nut (if there is room). I have also found that using a light impact to provide the shock and twist to the nut works better (if the space provides the room). At least you tried the simple fix before having to resort to drilling out that glow plug. In addition to my comment have you ever noticed on these "will it start" videos that people never spray any PB Blaster or penetrating lubricant on the hood hinges of these vehicles once they succeed in opening the hood?.
Wes, I’ve been watching most of your videos and many times wished I could be there to help you.
This one had me really rooting for you. It rough enough that a part would be bad but even worse when we are the ones that broke it. At least more frustrating because we can only cus at ourselves - haha! Glad you finally got it out!
My heart just sank when I saw the broken-off piece of spent glow plug in the beginning of the video. I paused it, and had to come back to it..it takes a bit of mental preparation to watch this video if you've been here before. Amazing that you were able to shake-n-bake it out so easily. I really thought you were going to have to go drilling. PS - 100k by Christmas Wes!!! C'mon!!
At our current pace we would hit it by Thanksgiving. We'll see if I make it...
I was just getting ready to say try welding on the end of the broken bolt/etc to get a good build up and penetration on the broken item before adding the nut as the nut fills with weld before you get good penetration. Good job! From you local Illinois machinist neighbor
Weld a blob onto the end of that thing. Shoot the PB Blaster behind it-thermal shock the threads to loosen it. No nut needed-a big and solid enough blob, and you can grind flats on it to use a wrench on. BTDT.
Few joys match that of finally getting that (whatever it is....bolt, seized engine, etc) to finally break loose so you can continue the job. It's amazing the relief I felt when that glow plug came out for you.....and I'm sitting here in my recliner drinking a beer. lol. Always a good time, Wes.
That was absolutely amazing! I felt such an overwhelming relief when you finally got it to turn out! Great job!
Patience and being gentle is the key removing glow plugs from an Ali cylinder head! I did a glow plug replacement on my 243K miles 2003 Volvo D5 just yesterday, Poxy 8mm heads, These are a recipe to snap off! 3, 4 and 5 cylinders came out a treat, 1and 2 were nasty! Serious binding and an awful squeaking noise when unscrewing which was down to diesel carbon on the base of the glow plug, Lots of gentle winding in and out with large doses of penetration spray and i finally got them out with the help of pliers! New glow plugs fitted with a dose of Molyslip Alumslip. Go in full bore with a 3/8 drive or an air ratchet and they will just shear off!
I love the smell of burning PB Blaster in the morning!
Made me laugh
I’ve never been so happy to see a wrench turn. Nice work.
I felt that one brother!!..as always Im impressed by your 'I think I can I know I can' kinda attitude.Proper old skool respect from good old Blighty.
"We make them. We don't make them to allow techs to easily service them." Wes, you're a talented young fellow. It's always cool watching your videos.
Buddy I was cringing for you when you stuck the EZ out in there... I have extremely limited success with those in perfect conditions let alone in tight spaces like that... as for your air drill I have these little brass flow regulators I put right after the coupler that you can quickly adjust to regulate speed a bit, it’s not great but it helps a lot when you don’t need all 20,000 rip-ems....
Hmm. I need to get something. Why would they make an air drill without a variable trigger?
Man I was cringing when he was doing the "easy" out too. Get some left handed drill bits. I've found a lot of times a lefty bit backs it out
@@WatchWesWork I’ve got no answer for that but I know mine doesn’t have one either but I think it has 2-3 speeds you can select like an impact
We call them "easy off" because they break off easy ....
@@WatchWesWork www.google.com/shopping/product/4695524771539635225?q=brass+air+line+flow+valve&tbs=vw:l,ss:44&prmd=sivn&prds=eto:1059968121598116711_0,cdl:1,prmr:1,cs:1
I was glued to my seat! I started clapping when the glow plug started coming out! Great job!! 👍👍
Professor Wes shows how never giving up makes a difference. I would have pushed that pile of rubbish outside and set it on fire.
That is a nightmare scenario. Got to give you credit for your perseverance and creativity. Adding weld was a great idea. I'll steal that if I ever need to.
That sweet "dead horse" you're working on is my dad's tractor. He just text me to tell me his old girl is famous 🤣🤣🤣
I think he's jealous he didn't make it on RUclips 🤣🤣
I was so engrossed I nearly jumped out of my skin when that easy-out snapped. Great video!
Well you made the mistake of talking to your wife, near the Duramax, about how you didn't have enough content for this week's video because changing out a glow plug control module would not make for a 30 minute video. The truck simply thought, "hold my beer" I can help Wes with that problem..... And the fun ensued.
The Florida pool pump motor repair guy approved ! that was good info
I like to use non plated nuts to avoid weld contamination from the zinc/galvanizing and weaker weld.
Interesting point. I suppose that if you drill out the threads in the nut then you get to unplated steel?
I was getting bored while watching every tactic fail but I am a mechanic so I must stay and watch you succeed
"Yup, now were in trouble." Family channel nice way of saying "AW &%$#!!!!!" lol
You have the patience of a saint. I would’ve given up long before you. I know my limits and I’m happy to pay you to have it done right.
"whaddya mean 400 dollars to change the glow plugs , its a 30 minute job !!?!?!? "
Book time is 1 hour for the whole left side!
@@WatchWesWork this is something i've always wondered, ¿where does the "book time" come from?, i've seen it mentioned all across automotive channels but i can't understand what "book" they're talking about, is it the official dealer time for the job?, or is there a website that tells you that for every brand? what is it?
@@gglovato "what "book" they're talking about, is it the official dealer time for the job?"
Yes, mechanics are usually paid on piece work according to book time, rather than hourly.
If you're quick, have done it before, have all the special tools, you can beat the time and "make money"; If it takes longer you get paid the same... there is usually a broken bolt clause that puts them on hourly after that.
@@gglovato I presume they mean on a perfectly clean, never driven vehicle. Even that's iffy.
@@gglovato "Book time" is established by the manufacturer, however all such times are usually established on VERY low mileage vehicles.
this definitely reminded me of... of... of whatever you call it. the agony of it breaking, the struggle(s), then... finally, then the victory, the getting 'back to your life' part. i feel like I've just watched a very good action movie! great job wes. i enjoyed it, learned from it, and I admire the job you do, your stick-to-a-ness, your skill and knowledge. this was great. i feel like... well, I'm a happy camper. thank you!
"You're a better man than me Gunga Din." Good job, me, a gallon of gas and a match would have fixed it. Lol.
Felt your pain,when extractor broke,I flew instantly to profanity lol.Love the tutorials and indepth analysis to get to your goal.GBYA.From the UK.
Had to cheer when that plug started turning.
New viewer from Dirt Perfect. I just did this with the driverside glow plugs on my 07 Duramax. Even being in the salt belt of Vermont, I got lucky and didn't break any of them off! Got lucky there. The one behind the steering shaft (#2) is miserable and #8 is as well. I broke the terminal off #2 as well. I found that the reason they twist after bottoming out is the electrode is just pressed in like a drive rivet and sometimes the splines aren't nearly deep enough to hold so the whole thing spins after getting it tight. Thanks for the video!!
I would have gotten it out...but then there would be a 3/4" hole where it used to be. hahahahahaha Time for new heads. hahahahahah
I saw another DuraMax glow plug video (purely academic for me - I own a Dodge Sprinter V6 which has different problems) and the guy soaked all 8 glow plugs in Blaster twice a day for 5 days. He had a double tool like a socket but with a hex on the outside; the rear shaft fits a small "hand drill" rattle-gun -- set the impact setting to minimum, pull the trigger and ease gently on the wrench on the hex. "Guaranteed to not break off glow plugs". He didn't warm the engine up and tried all eight. Three broke off, of course, one was #8.
He spent two days welding things on the broken barrels and mostly succeeded in breaking off pieces from the top end of the broken plugs. He did a lot of idling the engine to warm it up (new plugs in the "good five") and lots of MAP-gas around the broken ones. No good. After two days of work, he dribbled a mix of acetone and ATF on the threads and went home. He came back the next day (he had left three long bolts welded to the broken plug barrels), put a plain socket and ratchet on #8 and eased a little force on it -- the plug barrel gave a little tug and then smoothly spun out. The other two exactly the same, no "cracking" sounds, no tight spots, no binding, no problems, just an easy twist out.
I wondered if maybe all the aborted tries had loosened them but he's convinced that they were as stuck at the end of the second day as they'd been at the first. No matter, proof in the pudding, the only apparent change was the ATF/acetone mixture as penetrant. I have no idea if it really works all the time, but it sure looked good in that video.
You earned yourself some boo bees! Cheers
👍👍👍
Thanks Mr Wes for hours and hours of entertainment for an weekend mechanic. What talent you have been blessed with. I'm constantly learning from and enjoy your sense of humor so chat all you want. Your one unique dude to take on that ole rusted crap. You would have all my business if I lived in Ill. Thanks!
Next time first weld a washer to it and the nut on the washer :)
I've tried that before. It's works well for things that are broken flush. But it doesn't seem to help when they are sticking out.
I just changed out my number 7 Glow plug 2013 Duramax. It took me longer to take out the wheel well Then to change out the glow plug. 10 minutes to take out the wheel well , 1 min To change the glow plug. If it starts getting hard to back them out tighten them back in.Repeat the process.
I keep yelling “stop breaking your weld with air hammer”
Oh the suspense! This little video was basically a mechanics drama lol. I literally stopped my phone and paced around in suspense when you broke the easy off, and threw a fist in the air when the little impact got it. Best content on YT!
Cute wife
good day boss,,,am one of your subscribers...well its good for you,that you share a lot and also i learn a lot..not just anybody that do particular content or they just focus in one thing,but you always share what entered in your shop...its great,,thanks..
That glow plug looked like it was cracked before you got your hands on it.
Thanks for sharing 👍
I think it was.
You have the patience of a saint and nerves of steel. Well done nice work.
Super tough to get a good weld started at the bottom of a nut, the wire tends to fill up the void before you get good penetration even if you have good access and position. Starting with building up the offending part then adding the nut is the way to go, glad to see you won!
That plug put a good fight! Good you taped the job so the customer know how many hours and swearing took to do it
BRAVO!!!. Well done. I have had similar type problems with getting bolts etc removed. When something shears off, the feeling you get is devastating leaving me in a state of shock and despair and your brain goes into hyperdrive trying to devise the best way to tackle the problem. After several attempts, if you succeed, is one of the greatest feeling of relief you can ever have in my opinion. By the way, one way to have loosened it would have been to fully warm the engine by running it then spraying the plug with FREEZER SPRAY. This will maximise the size differential of the the hole and the plug and MUST make it looser. Cheers again...
What a fantastic video. I’m an exCar Mechanic and I have to do this job on my old range Rover to replace all six glow plugs. You’ve got me really looking forward to it now. PS love the interview with the wife and hound.
Man, I felt that one. I’m all stressed out and I’m not even there.
I like the trick on the Easy-out removal. Pretty cool.
I'd pay Wes double than what I pay my mechanic just because he's just that good and honest.
You are such a resourceful mechanic. What a lesson in tenacity.
I was eating a sandwich while I was watching this and when that thing finally came loose I nearly choked! It was so involving watching you struggle with it, I'm sure it wasn't just me who let out a resounding "YES!" I love the way you take us on these journeys. Just thinking, I need to get more of a life 😄 Cheers
Wes I am old enough (1966) to have grown up learning to use motor oil on my spark plug threads per the Chilton's manuals. So last month when I went to change the plugs on my 2008 Wrangler JK I was really surprised to encounter videos using anti-seize to do the same. It seems like some mechanics use anti-seize all the time, and others that will only use it on a specific spark plug coating. It looked like you used a high temp kind, but not copper. I decided to use motor oil since I have never had problems with it. But my experience is limited to passenger cars (two 4 bangers and two V6s). I also live in the snow belt, and except for my first car (which went to the junkyard for a rusted out shock tower) all my cars got 200K miles. But back they didn't make platinum plugs, so prior to Y2K, I found I had to replace plugs every 30k, and the plug wire sets every 60k to keep the engine from knocking. So maybe that's why I never had a problem pulling a plug coated with motor oil. It would be nice if you did an episode dedicated to that topic.
I've not found any lube to be much help on spark plugs. They seal above the threads, so it burns away.
There is no better feeling then finally getting that stuck piece out. Thanks for another great video. I too work on cars in northwestern illinois and they get rusted so bad you'd think they came that way
Everything about that glowplug said Nooooooooo. You were a man on a mission, with the Patience of saints.
I felt your pain and frustration.
You, are definitely the main man, the goto guy, the cats whiskers.
And no cheese eating furry rodents were harmed in the process.
Loving your videos mate, respect to you from across the pond 👍
Good job. In diesel country you can buy sets of special drills to pull broken glow plugs. Other option is to just drill beyond the thread (without touching the head) and then let the engine run until the rest comes flying.
That was the best retrieval of a glow plug I've ever seen man congratulations
Wow, thanks!
Morning coffee watching Wes work while Mrs. Wes goes out to spend his money!
I don't know it seems like they keep trying to cram more into a smaller space my old 64 F-100 I could almost crawl under the hood and stand next to the motor and work on it, but then again I was a whole lot younger and more flexible back then
Those are nice. Sit on the fender with your feet on the frame and fix anything!
@@WatchWesWork Dad's 74 International was the best you could almost climb in and pull down the hood over you to keep the weather out
Thank you Wes I’m a duramax guy. First I heard that glow plugs are a bear. I have not stumbled across the tool.
Your technique works.
@29:00 you explaining volts resistance and ohms reminds me when I was going through the Aviation Maintenance program at Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL the instructor taught in a way that no other person could for the class. Granted this was over 30 years ago but I remember it like yesterday and learning how to divide complex circuits it was a very fun class
I had the problem with my 2014 Spark of Too High volts on lower O2 sensor. You indicated may b e short problem. I put 8 vDC on the senser cell wires then found each pin on the computer. Replaced both wires in their own guide. It worked. . Tedious work only a retired guy can do. But does work. like you said. Thanks. Sold that car today.
What a nightmare. I was so stressed watching this video. You could hear the relief in your voice when it loosened!
Wow what a battle! Great job keeping your cool...I would have been exhausting my vocabulary over that project. Great video, thumbs up.
Machinist for 35 years here...heat and paraffin wax works better on removing broken bolts in dissimilar metals. Good video!