So my cheap a** was trying to do the 5k service tonight myself instead of bringing it to a shop, which turned out to be a disaster.

While I was trying to torque the spark plugs back in, had it set correctly but it never clicked.

So the first plug broke in the cylinder. Pic is attached. How do I get it out???

Also another not. When doing the oil filter change, when I took the old one off, there was no rubber gasket in it? Do some of the sportsters not have the rubber gasket in them?

I watched the Delboy 5k service video and he had a rubber gasket.

 

Nipple extractor or easy out. I imagine they make a tool for taking that part out. Might put a little penetrating oil on the threads.

 

Easy out gets my vote>carefully, and you say you were trying to torque the spark plug with a tourque wrench.
I have never used a torque wrench in all my years of working on bikes installing spark plugs. you can feel when the washer on the plug has compressed enough.

 

It looks like only the core was remaining on the end of your plug. If the ceramic is still in the base an easy out isnt going to slide in the base until its removed. You dont want any falling in your cylinder.

Im with oldwarior, I've never used a torque wrench on spark plugs on anything... Ever! Hopefully you didnt mix up foot pounds with inch pounds

 

I went by what the service manual said, which had a torque setting for them. I put anti-seize on them, which should make it a little easier to thread out.

I'm just worried about using an easy out and parts falling into the cylinder. Is there a way to check in the cylinder once I get it out to see?

How much do you think a shop would charge to remove the broken plug?

 

JMO, but I would get a new head gasket and take off the head...then thread the broken end through the bottom. Otherwise get a good set of easy-outs and carefully try to extract fm above.

For the oil filter, they should have a rubber gasket seal...don't know why the previous one didn't & surprised it didn't leak.

Other than that, you're doing fine...just take your time and only torque things that are critical (e.g. engine casings and frame connections). Otherwise, it's pretty much tighten to "feel." Good luck!

 

I'm not really sure I should be taking the head off, but I also don't want to damage anything anymore either. I'm freaking out that I screwed it up. This is my first time trying anything like this, so don't really have any experience.

How dangerous is it to use an extractor? I'll try to take a pic off what the broken part in the head looks like soon.

How would I go about making sure anything fell in the cylinder or go about getting it out? Is taking the head off the only option? Some type of magnet? Although it looks like its the ceramic so.

 

 

Like said above, the best thing to do at this point is to remove the head and then extract the broken plug.

As far as the lack of a gasket for the oil filter, it had to have one to not leak. Did you look at the mounting flange on the motor for the gasket? It is likely stuck there. It is not uncommon for that to happen.

 

Well with my lack of experience, don't think I should do that. Anyone have any idea how much it should cost at a shop?

Also I didn't look on the mounting flange, but I did install the new filter and filled the tank with oil, but didn't start the bike since there are no spark plugs.

Can I remove the filter without all of the oil coming out to either check to see if there is a gasket or install one? Also if it isn't leaking after sitting all night, does it mean the gasket was probably on the mounting flange? I put oil around the rim of the filter and it seem to go on ok.