gun cleaning brush broke and stuck in glow plug tube

Ennismj

New User
So I was replacing my glow plugs in a Ford 1720 when carbon build up prevented the new ones from going in. I thought using a gun cleaning brush would clean things up then...snap about an inch is stuck inside the bottom of the glow plug housing and I have tried to suck it out with a vacuum, tried to hook dental floss on it to pull it out...the fish hook wouldn't fit down the tube and I have tried working it out with a slim metal dental pick. It is stuck in there good! Open to any an all suggestions. I don't know if I pulled the injector in front of it whether that would provide any better access. Can I operate without it? Ideas???
 
I had a similar thought--if he had a gun brush, he might have other gun cleaning tools. Either a ball puller or a patch puller (both common for muzzleloaders) might work to get it out. I'm wondering how deep it is down in the hole, specifically if it's reachable with a small set of needlenose pliers.
 
UPDATE: So the gent with the idea of a an ez-out prompted me to try a left handed drill bit on the end of a pair of a vice grips. It definitely grabbed a hold of it...a couple of times. The last time it grabbed on I pulled up on it and now the piece that was stuck has disappeared - glow plug problem solved the glow plug hole is clean and open. Now I have to figure out where it went. I am thinking I might be able to pull the injector and using a magnet I might find it at the bottom of the injector hole. Open to any ideas. Thanks many for the ideas already.
 
Or suck it in! What about taking the injector out and putting an air hose in that hole, with the engine rotated so both
valves are shut? At least that would blow out any particles that might come loose in the removal process.
 
Are you sure the brush is steel and magnetic or being a gun brush, is it brass? Either way, if it's now inside the cylinder, and on top of the piston, the best thing to do is to pull the head.

Unless you do that, and insure 110% that there is nothing on top of that piston, you're doing nothing but asking for a problem. I say that because the clearances on top of a diesel piston are so tight, running with a foreign object on top is going to bend a valve, score the piston wall, bend a rod, or cause any number of other catastrophic issues.
 
This might be too crazy an idea, but what about squirting some silicone caulk down there and, before it sets, stick something in that the caulk can grab to for a pull handle?
 
As you've now discovered, it's nearly impossible to reverse the direction of a bore brush while it's in the bore. It wants to keep going in the same direction, which in your case means into the cylinder. You've got little to lose at this point by pulling the injector, as your next step is pulling the head.
 
> Boroscopes that attach to your 'puter are cheap

Yes, a borescope is probably required at this point, even if the injector is pulled. Might be able to make a slipknot loop of thread or monofilament fishing line, tape it to a borescope, and try to snag the brush through either the glow plug or injector hole.
 
UPDATE...I pulled the injector and sitting at the bottom of the hole was the end of the gun cleaning brush. It took a bit of pulling to get it out as it was bent from the glow plug hole. I vacuumed the hole out, cleaned it out and installed the injector and fuel lines. I am thankful I did not have to pull the head. Now, I am back to my original challenge of cleaning the glow plug holes of carbon. Any recommendations on best methods to do this? For those of you who responded with ideas, many thanks.
 

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