Stripped sparkplug thread

[CraigD426]

Well, GL but please dont let them BS you into a heli-coil.

Yea, I'm not big on that idea either. If he's gonna put an insert in, then it's gonna be a Time-sert. Or I'll pull the heads myself and take it to a machine shop, or buy the kit if it comes to that. But like I said I just talked to him on the phone for a coiple mins, hopefully he'll see what we're dealin with when I get there.

[Howie]

Heli-Coils were great, then came the better idea, TimeSerts.  Push for the TimeSerts.

[CraigD426]

I dropped it off today, he said he's gonna have to pull the head and most likely put a time-sert in  . Bad news is they may have it awhile cause they're backed up, so no riding in the nice weather we're havin here in Florida  , oh well at least my baby will get better.

[Langanobob]

Craig,

Just wondering if you have an update on how this drama turned out?  Or maybe they still have your bike - hope not.

[corndog67]

I'm a machinist for a Top Fuel drag race team/manufacturing and repair facility.  I probably fix 10 blown out spark plugs a month.  We grind them out, weld up the holes, and re-machine the valve cover side back to original dimensions, and then drill them and tap them back to where they were.  Then re-profile the chambers on a 5-axis mill.  As for chasing the threads, well, if that plug just got loose and backed out, that would be fine.  If it was blown out, there probably isn't much in the way of threads left.   And crossthreaded, that is probably the case of someone in training forcing it in, when it should go in with fingers.   That requires a repair.  As for heli-coils, vs. time serts or keen-serts, I've done it all different ways.  I think the time-serts would be the way to go.  It's a piece of cake with the cylinder head off.   And langano, they can screw it up, I've seen it first hand.

Robert



Here is some info on the time-sert.
http://www.timesert.com/html/sparkplug.html

[Langanobob]

I'm a machinist for a Top Fuel drag race team/manufacturing and repair facility.

Excellent.  Sounds like a dream job.  I've got an old Bridgeport, an old Monarch lathe and an old surface grinder but I'm about as low on the learning curve as you can get.  I only do my own projects since I don't have the skill or confidence yet to work on anyone else's stuff.

And langano, they can screw it up, I've seen it first hand.

Don't recall exactly what I said, but if it sounded like I was saying that Heli-coils are perfect I didn't intend that.  I think I was just trying to say that they usually work OK if installed correctly.  I've had them back out myself.

[CraigD426]

Nothing new yet Langano, they still have the bike. They're backed up with a couple other projects, but I am gettin a Time-sert put in, after he pulls the head off, so at least I have that to be happy for. It just really blows cause the weather has been so nice, days are in the low 80's, and if you're from Florida you know this doesn't last but a month or two before you can literally melt lead on the asphalt.

Hey Corndog, were you at Gatornationals?

What really blows is that I just got a box of goodies from Monsterparts and I'm so itchin to get em installed 

[corndog67]

I wasn't there, but our driver won Top Fuel.  I usually only go to Pomona.   I'm a shop guy, not a crew guy.

[CraigD426]

That's cool man, I wanted to go but had to work. Some girls from class went and they said it was a blast.