Stinkin' Dealer Cross Threaded Spark Plug

Helicoil.

Jamie,

if you're anywhere near chatham, i've got the helicoil kit, you're more than welcome to make use of it.

I had the same problem, but it was a recovery service (not mentioning which one but they cant sing) chap that did it.

Si

Before you go the helicoil route I would try putting a thread chaser/ tap down it , I used to have a sykes pickavant one but some scrote nicked it. A really usefull bit of kit and it has got me out of the pooh a few times, remember to spin engine over a few times after without s/plug in to fire out any swarf.

Icky

On the occasion I had to helicoil in situ I brought the piston to just before tdc and pumped grease down the plug hole to fill the combustion chamber. Then I tapped and inserted the helicoil. Turning the engine over slowly expels the plug of grease, followed by a brisk spinning with the starter to eject the rest.

BTW I would leave well enough alone until the plug really needs changing unless you feel it could work loose.

I have a kit you may borrow if near NW Surrey.

AJH

You might be able to use an old spark plug to re tap the thread if you can't lay your hand on a tap and die set, On an old spark plug you simply hacksaw a slot through the thread from the base (or electrode) to make a groove almost the length of the plug thread, then insert the plug back into the head and tighten it in and out a few times, it should cut a clean thread by following the old existing thread but only if it is not too badly damaged.

Steve.

On or around Wed, 23 Aug 2006 17:51:44 +0100, Stephen Hull enlightened us thusly:

it is, of course, critical that it goes in straight... which might be a problem.

I'm not too proud to say I did this myself UNDOING the plugs on my first Rangie V8... Unless you have thin walled spark plug sockets then it's just the way these things can go... It was a steep learning curve but never made the same mistake twice.

The problem with the wider sockets is they brush up against the block/manifolds (I forget) forcing the plug in to a rather nasty angle as it come out and buggering up the thread in the process.

I know I'm not the only one to fall foul of this peril in this group.

Lee D