P-Funk

Monday evening when getting in my car to go home from work, I put the key in, turn the iginition and it starts to crank, then as it's starting I hear a loud BOOM! The engine is then running really loud and sounds really bad so I shut it off. Being in a dark parking garage with no flashlight or anything, I do my best to see what the issue is but can't find anything.

Call a towtruck and have it towed to my friends shop to get looked at. They look it over and he pulls up the spark plug and says "here's the issue" (notice that he didn't have to unscrew it or pull it out of the head). So he looks the spark plug over and no issue can be found with it so we think that we can just plug it back in and everything would be good (yay, an easy and free fix). He starts trying to screw it in and keeps screwing it and it never stops. So he pulls the plug back out and takes a look at the head and it is completely stripped (booo, no longer easy and free). No spark plug screwing into that head as-is. Now I'm without my daily driver until I get it fixed.

Has anyone ever had this happen to them before (or even heard of it before)?

Only good thing to come from this is I used it to convice the wife that I have to get new heads and may as well put in a cam while I'm at it.

white2001formula

iTrader: (5)

I saw it one time years ago on a Pontiac Sunfire. The spark plugs were vertical on the top of the engine. Oil got around it...heated it up I guess. Blew it out just like you described.

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

I have, but not on an LSx. Sounds like someone over torqued the plugs last time they went in and started to strip the threads then. That would be my guess anyway.

I blew spark plugs out an aluminum head on an alcohol pulling tractor. Complete different animal, as we were running 65-80 psi of boost.

voodoochikin04

iTrader: (3)

the ford v-10's were known to blow plugs out of the heads.. there are several fix kits for that problem. TimeSert makes a real nice kit for that. Do a little research, there are permanent fixes around without needing a new head.

heres timeserts link. http://www.timesert.com/html/sparkplug.html

punishmentcycle

iTrader: (6)

its a very common issue on any engine that has the plugs under/over torqed. it could also be cause by pre ignition in rare cases. i see it alot on street bike and most notable the yamaha r6.

you can try a plug thread chaser as a first try but sounds like the threads are completely gone. next step is a heli-coil, which if installed correctly will outlast all other plugs threads. best way to install one is to pull the head though.

69stangscj

iTrader: (3)

I just sold my Lightning for a CTS-V, the lightnings had only three threads in their cylinder heads and was common to blow a spark plug out. The fix of choice was a timesert with grease on the tap it to keep any aluminum from entering the motor. Even when rebuilding the heads they would drill them out to add timeserts.

54inches

iTrader: (4)

I had the issue with my L98 heads on my 92 Camaro.

Heli-Coil and I was back in business.

$4 fix back in the day.

P-Funk

Thanks for the info guys.

voodoochikin04

iTrader: (3)

From my experience it seems that more people than not, have had issues with heli-coils coming out over time.. I've seen the best of luck with the timesert set. Timeserts are also what all the shops in my area use... personally we had several heli-coil fixes pop on the ford v-10 in one of our trucks.. after 3 times it went in with timesert never happened again.. But this is personal observation take it for whatever its worth. Hope you get it fixed asap.

KamaSutra

Had this happen to a buddies Mustang GT, those 4.6L motors are infamous for blowing out the plugs since the heads have a short thread design. They revised it later on but the best thing you could try is a Timesert.

RADEoN

iTrader: (12)

http://www.wttool.com/index/page/pro...FUcaOgodL1sABw

relatively easy fix.

timeserts are the best

54inches

iTrader: (4)

Awesome, I love new fixes!