Hi people,

I have a 1999 MK1 1.2 8 valve Punto and yesterday came to change the spark plugs and leads. I set out with the intention of it being a quick half an out job maybe, but it developed into something much longer when the bottom half of the spark plug sheared off. Anyway, we put an easyout (one of those reverse threaded things) down the middle of the holeand after it got a good depth into the hole, something went with like a snapping noise followed by a whole load of water running down the outside of the engine :bang: . This is worrying as we now don't know it we've cracked the waterways in the cylinder head. Has anyone had a similar experience or does anyone have any ideas as to what it could have been?

Anyway, its the plug on the very right looking at the engine from the front and you might have guessed that the remnants of the plug are still in the hole.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me, I will be eternally grateful! :worship:

Doesn't sound too good. You will have to take the head off to be sure of what you are doing.
A head from a scrappy might be a good choice.
BTW those l/h thread easiout things were never any good especially with plugs because they expand the plug and make it tighter.
There may be a core plug close to where you were working which expired at the wrong moment to cause water loss, or you could have cracked the head.
Best of luck.

Cheers mate.

My Dad suspects that a new head might be the way forward! And yeah, I now hate those stupid easiouts. I think that the taper was opening it up a bit too quick.

I think its safe to say that its a garage job as looking around on the net, the bolts that hold the head on are prone to shearing too. Dont fancy screwing things up anymore!

Thanks again