NVR KNO

ok, i have a serious problem and im not sure what it is. i have a 97 Z28 30th Anniversary LT1 with only 75k miles on it. not high mileage at all. it started out to me as what i thought was a ticking noise. but its just air pushing through my spark plugs making a tick noise. for some odd reason my cylinder heads are shooting out my spark plugs. but u see ive tightened them up about 3 or 4 times and as soon as i start it up they start ticking again. my ses light comes on too. now has anyone ever heard of this happening to an engine. ive heard that a steel block and aluminum heads really dont mix, the two metals dont like each other, but ive never heard of this anywhere else and ive asked a ton of guys with z28 in my area, so if anyone can help me i would greatly appreciate it.

Dean-o

I'm no expert, but since I work in Engineering I know that carbon steel and aluminum have a different coeffecient of thermal expansion, therefore aluminum expands more than carbon steel when it gets hot thus creating a potential problem for a blown head gasket. Have you checked your cylinder pressures? Is there any coolant in your oil, etc.? Is any coolant leaking out of your head gasket area? These are signs of a blown head gasket, although that may or may not be your problem.

Muffracing

It sounds like your threads are striped out. Can you take the spark plug out and see good threads? Fords have this problem pretty common. I think it is the #3 cyl.
Just put a heli-coil in there.

Mangled03gmc

iTrader: (95)

Friend of mine had this problem on his mustang.Had a set of alu heads and did it quite a bit.In fact a plug fell out while we were at a red light one day.All we did was put a lil never seze on it and seem to fix the prob.You could have blown header gaskets or a blown head gasket.

FastRedChevy

Ive seen many aluminum heads do this, especially after the spark plugs are changed. The threads will become damaged and the presure will the force them out of the holes. You will need heli coils, may have to remove the heads.