Stripped spark plug hole!!!
08-21-2004, 09:36 AM
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Stripped spark plug hole!!! Well, on Thursday when I was driving home back from work, I heard a loud pop then followed by a huge exhaust leak. During further inspection, I find that one of my spark plugs shot out. It was the number 5 cylinder spark plug(3rd one up from the driver's side) I had to get my car towed since I didn't have any tools or couldn't purchase any spark plugs locally in the area I was in.
This morning, I purchased a replacement spark plug, thinking the spark plug just shot out and nothing was damaged. But, when I tried to thread in the spark plug, I find that the freakin' hole is stripped.
Now, is there any possible way I can install a spark plug in a stripped hole? Or, I'm I screwed royally??????
This morning, I purchased a replacement spark plug, thinking the spark plug just shot out and nothing was damaged. But, when I tried to thread in the spark plug, I find that the freakin' hole is stripped.
Now, is there any possible way I can install a spark plug in a stripped hole? Or, I'm I screwed royally??????
08-21-2004, 10:26 AM
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Originally Posted by NateLS1
You can get a helicoil kit that is made to fix stripped spark plug holes.
any idea why it blew out on you?
any idea why it blew out on you?
Also, are helicoil kits sold in regular auto parts stores?
08-21-2004, 10:51 AM
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You can get them at Autozone, etc. I found Car Quest had a great selection of different size helicoils. Don't know where u live or what is around you though.
08-21-2004, 11:29 AM
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I just went to Discount Auto Parts, and I did see the helicoil kits. But, I was bit intimidated by the process because apparently you have to drill through the existing hole to smooth out the hole before you put in the new thread. But, that got me thinking that if I drill through the spark plug hole, wouldn't that cause all that debris to fall inside the engine?
08-21-2004, 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Dmoney
You have to take the head off.
you prolly should have also replaced the spark plug since the last time, four years is a while. even if you haven't hit the recommended mileage point for replacement.....thats metal on metal, heat cycles, theres only so much it can take. they aren't like heads or something that are torqued way on there and have a gasket and aren't coming off. although you ARE the first guy i've ever heard of having a spark plug shoot out of his block before. LOL. good luck man.
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08-21-2004, 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by cyphur_traq
you prolly should have also replaced the spark plug since the last time, four years is a while. even if you haven't hit the recommended mileage point for replacement.....thats metal on metal, heat cycles, theres only so much it can take. they aren't like heads or something that are torqued way on there and have a gasket and aren't coming off. although you ARE the first guy i've ever heard of having a spark plug shoot out of his block before. LOL. good luck man.
08-21-2004, 02:42 PM
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The head HAS to come off.
Do yourself a favor if you don't feel comfortable with this and take it to a machine shop.
Don't worry about the strength of the hole when the fix is complete. If the thread insert is done properly it will be stronger than when it was new.
good luck
Do yourself a favor if you don't feel comfortable with this and take it to a machine shop.
Don't worry about the strength of the hole when the fix is complete. If the thread insert is done properly it will be stronger than when it was new.
good luck
08-21-2004, 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Cheatin' Chad
The head HAS to come off.
Do yourself a favor if you don't feel comfortable with this and take it to a machine shop.
Don't worry about the strength of the hole when the fix is complete. If the thread insert is done properly it will be stronger than when it was new.
good luck
Do yourself a favor if you don't feel comfortable with this and take it to a machine shop.
Don't worry about the strength of the hole when the fix is complete. If the thread insert is done properly it will be stronger than when it was new.
good luck
Yeah, I'm definately taking my car to auto shop to get this done. I've never taken the heads of a car before, I'm in no mood to try this. If this car wasn't my daily driver, I might have given it a shot.
Anyways, thanks for the help guys.
One more thing, anybody know what this little project will run roughly?
08-21-2004, 03:37 PM
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eh, to be honest i'd take the head off myself and carry it to the shop for them to do the work. will save you most of the labor $$$. taking the head off takes what, an hour? thats taking your time, for a first timer, not having taken off coil packs, seeing as how your coil packs come off one at a time. if you take them your head, and they just helicoil it, it will be much cheaper. otherwise, i'd say roughly 150-200 total? w/o helicoil kit, i dunno what they run.
08-21-2004, 06:11 PM
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I noticed you have a 98. Does you car fall into the lot that had recalls?
http://web.archive.org/web/200110160...egg/98022.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200110160...egg/98022.html
08-21-2004, 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by felton316
I noticed you have a 98. Does you car fall into the lot that had recalls?
http://web.archive.org/web/200110160...egg/98022.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200110160...egg/98022.html
I'm not sure if my car can fall under this because my build date was either september or october of 1997. That recall only says for like models built in 1998.
08-21-2004, 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted by rally2247
I'm not sure if my car can fall under this because my build date was either september or october of 1997. That recall only says for like models built in 1998.
Damn, it was worth a try.
