spark plug problem

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 13 May 2006, 20:28

I cant for the life of me get this plug back in heres the hole,

does it look helicoiled to you?

Post by **andysimpson** » 13 May 2006, 20:39

yes thats helicoiled

Post by **TechtroT25** » 13 May 2006, 20:55

Yup same thoughts here

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 13 May 2006, 20:57

does that not take a narrower plug? the plugs that came out all seem to be the same though. could this result in the angle of the plug being different?

Post by **andysimpson** » 13 May 2006, 21:08

Hacksawbob wrote:does that not take a narrower plug? the plugs that came out all seem to be the same though. could this result in the angle of the plug being different?

It should be the same as the others, the hole will have been drilled bigger and then the insert put in. The thread of the insert must be damaged if the plug won't go in, try running a tap down it. If the person who put in the insert was pissed the insert will be, otherwise it should be the same as it was before.

Post by **ermie571** » 14 May 2006, 07:54

for the unitiated - what's helicoiled, and how did you know??

thanks

Emma

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 14 May 2006, 08:22

thread in the spark plug has been damaged by the spark plug going in at the wrong angle so the hole has been drilled out and a threaded insert has been put in. This was done by a previous owner so I had no idea, shouldn't make any difference but I cant get the plug in by hand. Are helicoils more difficult to start off by hand?

Post by **Grun** » 14 May 2006, 09:14

Looks to these old eyes as if the top turn of the helicoil has come out of the hole (when the plug was removed perhaps) Could try turning it back in (if you can get at it) or remove and re helicoil I suppose.

Good luck.
Mike

Post by **SYMCRO** » 14 May 2006, 09:26

Helecoil is most likely to be have been mis-placed & damaged during a previous plug change. Best to remove put in a new one if possible.
Alternatively, if you find helecoil is positioned correctly & helecoil/thread only slightly damaged it usually responds to chasing with a tap.
If you have not got a proper spark plug tap try putting a slight chamfer on end of one of your spark plugs (the first couple threads) & (gently) use that as a tap to clean it up.

Regards

Simon

Post by **TSM** » 14 May 2006, 15:23

Are spark plug helicoils better at holding than standard? As ive wound standard ones through when tapping.

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 14 May 2006, 15:53

well spotted, yeah I think the tail got damaged when I tried to put the new plug in, I suspect a bit of dirt got lodged in the threads when I put the plug in and when I wound it in it splayed the tail on the coil. Need the van so brute force and ignorance prevailed in the end and I just went for it cross threaded and all, in nice and tight but not sealed as I can hear hiss when I turn the engine over, Do I run it as normal and risk the plug blowing out with a load of petrol, or do I disconect the injector and or the HT lead, and just run on 3 cylinders til I can get it sorted?

Post by **andysimpson** » 14 May 2006, 16:44

Hacksawbob wrote:well spotted, yeah I think the tail got damaged when I tried to put the new plug in, I suspect a bit of dirt got lodged in the threads when I put the plug in and when I wound it in it splayed the tail on the coil. Need the van so brute force and ignorance prevailed in the end and I just went for it cross threaded and all, in nice and tight but not sealed as I can hear hiss when I turn the engine over, Do I run it as normal and risk the plug blowing out with a load of petrol, or do I disconect the injector and or the HT lead, and just run on 3 cylinders til I can get it sorted?

If you can hear it leaking with engine running its just a question of time until it finds its own way out, if it sounds normal leave it as is.

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 14 May 2006, 17:33

cant hear it with engine running, only when turning over

Post by **andysimpson** » 14 May 2006, 20:20

Hacksawbob wrote:cant hear it with engine running, only when turning over

Leave it then whilst it still runs.

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spark plug problem

spark plug problem

Re: spark plug problem

Helecoil