Spark plug blew out - helicoil?

[LookAtThatDog]

So yesterday the plug in the middle on the driver side (#4?) blew out. That plug has been in there 2+ years. I put a new one in and it drove fine for day. Today it blew out again and the threads won't catch on a new one. I bought a tap, covered it in grease and ran it through a couple times and it bites the threads but the spark plug still doesn't bite. I think I can feel the spark plug threads drag along the threads in the head so I'm pretty sure I'm ****ed.

Has anyone done a helicoil at home? It doesn't seem to be the most complicated thing in the whole world. I want to give it a shot.

 

[SupaSupra]

Helicoil is pretty simple, I'd be concerned that metal shavings got inside your engine as well.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Not on a 4runner but on a Honda Civic. It held for some time but after 20,000 miles it went. In reflection, my brother and I should have just bought a used head and crossed our fingers. I didn't use high temp rtv, which probably killed it for us:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BTTur7Fk6k

Make sure you have it correctly started each time until you break through and most of the shavings are gone.

 

[Cree]

Timecert. One and done.

 

[psraff]

Timecert. One and done.

X2 on timesert. I had to do it. Bought kit from Amazon. Research I did, it's perfered over helicoil. Just rig up a long tip on an air compressor to blow out the aluminum shavings from the head. I did mine last year. No issues.

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[psraff]

This is the kit I bought. Had very complete instructions as well.

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[pauldub]

Use a Time-sert. Helicoil isn't an appropriate solution for this problem. Do not use an air compressor to clean out the shavings, use a shop vac so you don't blow junk into the cylinder.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

This is the kit I bought. Had very complete instructions as well.

**** me dude, $200? Jesus christ... Worth it I suppose

Make sure you have it correctly started each time until you break through and most of the shavings are gone.

What does this mean?

 

[IBallEngineer]

Yes $200 is too much. I did this on mine a year ago, 20K miles no problems. Air is fine for blowing it out, a shop vac isn't strong enough to get down in there and remove everything. I used WD40 after I was done, and it smoked a while. This is what I used.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/lil-65000?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-lisle&gclid=CMa2z83HwtQCFVCCfgodD18LfQ

 

[JayRolla]

Blow out is a major issue on some vehicles. Its recommended when doing any spark plug job to blow out the spark plug holes before removing any plugs so debris does not blow the plug out. But in your situation it was most likely fatigued aluminum threads from being over tq'ed during replacement of plugs and or not using an anti seize.

Like stated above you can use a heli coil. I always like to try and put that pistion at top dead center so less space for debris to fall and not as tough to blow out.

On a side not I have seen some Mitsubishi heads have heli coils all over. Few in the spark plug holes, few in the valve cover holes and many in the exhaust manifold holes. They are held up pretty good other than the exhaust manifold ones because they were under very high heat with turbos pushing 30+psi and that manifold is heavy as shit with a big turbo hanging off of it.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[RonJR]

Just as a note, Continental aircraft engines in years past came from the factory with helicoils in the spark plug holes. Not particularly high compression ratios or cylinder pressures, either. I think it was just a way to improve reliability in the aluminum heads.

 

[3bears]

agree put piston at top, I used the leslie kit listed above and did this on a bmw 4 cylinder car. I used a shop vac with a small hose on it that fit into the cylinder to suck out the crap

 

[LookAtThatDog]

I ordered the time-cert. I can't find a bad review anywhere and I need to get this turd on the road by Monday morning. Or get my 240sx road-worthy....

 

[nevada]

I ordered the time-cert. I can't find a bad review anywhere and I need to get this turd on the road by Monday morning. Or get my 240sx road-worthy....

take your time, and dip the tap into grease each time. remove and clean the shavings often. that should prevent most of the chips from getting into the cylinder. the tiny ones that do(if any) get it will either be burned up, or ejected out the exhaust.

I did this on my 22RE about 10 years ago. it was my daily driver up until 3 years ago. its been fine ever since.

 

[ajordan1975]

i used this. o'reilly's less than 30 bucks

 

[ajordan1975]

I ordered the time-cert. I can't find a bad review anywhere and I need to get this turd on the road by Monday morning. Or get my 240sx road-worthy....

200 is to much for something you're going to use maybe twice.
go to O'Reilly's and fix it for less than 30. :noidea:

 

[psraff]

Use a Time-sert. Helicoil isn't an appropriate solution for this problem. Do not use an air compressor to clean out the shavings, use a shop vac so you don't blow junk into the cylinder.

Let me clarify. On the face of the head, the grease will hold much of the shavings. With a small tip, you can vacuum that up. But there will be shavings that will drop in the cylinder. I rigged a piece of tubing to my compressor to reach down to my cylinder head and shot air onto it to force all air / debris upward and out the plug hole. I was watching the pieces come out and continued till I was comfortable I couldn't get any more out. I've read multiple sources that the smaller pieces will burn up / ejected almost instantly to have no damage to any internals.

If you're able to get a vacuum down inside your cylinder head to vacuum it out.... more power to you. You have more attachments then I do. LOL

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[psraff]

**** me dude, $200? Jesus christ... Worth it I suppose

It comes in a nice case that I can keep with the rig 100% of the time for many years to come. It's proven and cheaper then many alternatives. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere, $200 is nothing compaired to walking 50 miles.

Also, it was my first time dealing with this kind of repair. So from researching on this forum and several local shops who both explained why to go with Timecert over Helicoil, I listened to those who knew more then I did. I'm glad I did.

I'm comfortable with my repair and it's longevity.



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[AZBub]

Blow out is a major issue on some vehicles. Its recommended when doing any spark plug job to blow out the spark plug holes before removing any plugs so debris does not blow the plug out. But in your situation it was most likely fatigued aluminum threads from being over tq'ed during replacement of plugs and or not using an anti seize.

Just for my understanding. I thought with the plugs like the NGK they have a nickel plating and that you aren't supposed to use anti-seize on them at all. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

UPDATE: https://www.ngksparkplugs.com/about-ngk/spark-plug-101/5-things-you-should-know-about-spark-plugs

 

[JayRolla]

Just for my understanding. I thought with the plugs like the NGK they have a nickel plating and that you aren't supposed to use anti-seize on them at all. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

UPDATE: https://www.ngksparkplugs.com/about-ngk/spark-plug-101/5-things-you-should-know-about-spark-plugs

Yes this is all true. But you tell that to my NGK's that required me to use a half inch rachet with a 4 foot breaker bar that took all my strength the entire time I took the plug out. Entire time they just felt like they were tightening. I also shot them with PB blaster over and over. Tighting and loosening. One plug took me over an hour to remove.

I am super careful when tq'ing spark plugs. I have learned my lesson with aluminum heads a few times.

Use a little anti seize and I have never had that issue before.