kilr95ss

To repair the damaged spark plug hole I've decided to pull the head (passenger side), any advice on doing it myself will be greatly appreciated!

Stevo86

It's pretty straightforward really just time consuming because you have to remove all of the engine accessories etc. There are about a half million threads about how to time these engines. So just do a quick search when the times comes.

Other than that if it's your first time get a piece of cardboard to stick the front cover bolts in so you put them back where they go. There are three different kinds.

kilr95ss

Got with a local mustang "guru" and for him to do the work and replace my head with a used but in good shape one, he's charging me $750.

71_340

You took all the fun away from yourself!

kilr95ss

I've had the car for a month and only drove it 6 days, I'll take part of the "fun" after I've had it a while

Shan243

Well, hardest thing is getting the passenger side exhaust unbolted.
I also took my timing chain cover off because you have to reset the tensioner. So you will need a harmonic balancer puller. Rent one from auto zone. And you have to take the a/c compressor and water pump off to get to some of the bolts on the timing chain cover. Then take the cover off and then the head. At least thats the route I took. The passenger side head is a lot easier than the driver. More room.
This is how I have my engine ATM

Shan243

But you actually don't have to pull the head to repair the hole. My spark plug blew out on my drivers side and my mechanic rethreaded it while bit was still on the car. But the hole is now a lot bigger than all the other holes and you can't get a normal spark plug to fit you have to put a thing on the end of the spark plug to make it big enough to fit in there. I'll take pics later if you want to see. I have the head off and you can see the one I had rethreaded and the park plug of you want.

Shan243

$750, damn you're half way to a low milage engine.
You could of saved half of that by buying a new head and putting it in your self. I'm only 17 and I've taken this whole engine apart. Its not hard as long as you keep up with all your bolts. But good luck.

dawson1112

Your mechanic did not do it correctly. It should have been drilled , tapped and had a time Sert installed to match the spark plug. That sert should never come out. by doing it with the head in the car you risk the chance of not getting the drill straight, and you need to hog a lot of material out for the sert to go in correctly.

I never much cared for the drilling and serting a threaded hole in any aluminum head, I think I would opt for a new or low mileage used.

The serts are a bandaid repair and there is a 50/50 chance they will come out with in 6 months.

Shan243

If "he didn't do it right" it ran for many years after he did it. Just as it did before it blew out. So I mean if you don't think he did it right then thats up to you.
Before he opened his own shop he worked on NASCAR's so I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing.