Abstract: A pivoting split nut and spacer assembly used in a method of removing failed glow plugs from diesel engines. Main body halves of the split nut, when assembled together with a pin form the pivoting split nut with opposing front and rear faces, a hexagonal outside periphery and threads on the inside periphery allowing for engagement with the threads of the glow plug. The spacer assembly is fabricated by forming cylindrical spacer bodies, forming lead-in gaps, and tether cables through holes for the tether cables. The tether cables are connected to a cable ring. After removing the sensor wire from the glow plug, a wrenching tool is used to unscrew the glow plug until all threads are exposed. A failure deformation, e.g. swelling on the heating element of the glow plug, is extracted through the narrow combustion chamber passage on a diesel engines' head by installing the pivoting split nut onto the glow plug threads and a spacer between the head and pivoting split nut.