blew a spark plug
09-12-2006, 02:39 PM
#31
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: kentucky
Posts: 140
RE: blew a spark plug
yeah one of my buddies messed up the spark plug hole on his motorcycle...well a magnet won't do you any good..it is aluminum!!!!!!!!!!!!!come one guys... any ways they do have a tap that has an umbrella... just for taping spark plug holes then put heili coil in there.....tool cost 25 bucks any ways hope you get it fixed...
09-15-2006, 01:54 PM
#32
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 61
RE: blew a spark plug
well i think im gonna run up to the parts store, and try the heli coil method myself.....wish me luck......also, i could be wrong, but isnt using the magnet pointless since the head is aluminum?
09-15-2006, 09:12 PM
#34
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location:
Posts: 2,284
RE: blew a spark plug
ORIGINAL: snowborderz
well i think im gonna run up to the parts store, and try the heli coil method myself.....wish me luck......also, i could be wrong, but isnt using the magnet pointless since the head is aluminum?
well i think im gonna run up to the parts store, and try the heli coil method myself.....wish me luck......also, i could be wrong, but isnt using the magnet pointless since the head is aluminum?
12-18-2006, 11:19 PM
#37
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location:
Posts: 12
RE: blew a spark plug
I had the same problem on the number 5 plug (left front?) on my GT.
This fix works with the Cylinder on the car...my sparkplug was in an easy access place, you might have to remove other stuff to get to yours...good luck!
I bought the 14 x 1.25MM Helicoil kit for $78.00. It comes with a tap, 5 Helicoils, and the insertion tube and tool. I had to grind down the edges of the insertion tube so it would fit in the spark plug(cylinder) hole on the 4.6L SOHC Head. The Kit I bought is from Perma-Coil, and is kit part number 1214-414. You can also buy just the inserts if you run out... (I think helicoil is a different brand but these are the same insert type and are high quality.)
Find it here: Perma-Coil Site for this Kit
Once I did that, I didn't have to drill the hole, the tap was the right size, I just tapped the existing hole with the toolkit's provided tap. First of course, I made sure the piston was not at TDC so as to not hit it with the tap. I positioned the piston (kicking the starter with wires to all 8 coils disconnected, to get the piston to about 1/2 way to TDC). That way I could also use another trick...a 3/8" tube taped (duct tape works well...) to my shop vac so I could vacuum the aluminum cuttings out of the cylinder.
Once I tapped the hole, I carefully put the helicoil into the insertion tube, stuck it down the spark plug hole, then screwed it in with the kit's provided tool. I also was careful to not screw the helicoil in too much. I counted the threads it had and made sure I turned the insertion tool that number of full turns to get the helicoil into position so the top thread was just below the start of the hole. This way once you put in the plug, it stops in the same position as before it's just that it now has 10 threads instead of 3 or 4 to hold it in. It is also a good idea to put red locktite on the inside of the new tapped hole before inserting the helicoil so it will lock into place and not come loose later. Most of the time these inserts will reatin their position but locktite is a safety precaution. Some people use epoxy to do the same, JB Weld, slow setup type, is good for this but a bit messy to get into the hole that far down...
I also purchased one of those long handle needle nose pliars tools from Auto Zone (Great Neck brand). I used that to break off the center bar from the helicoil once I had it inserted. If the center piece breaks off and you drop it, don't dismay...the vacuum tube will suck it out. Make sure YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR HAND, DON'T ASSUME IT'S NOT IN THE CYLINDER, OR MAJOR DAMAGE WILL RESULT!
You can also purchase one of those telescoping magnets (small diameter, around 3/8") to fit into the spark plug hole to retrieve any 'steel parts' This works for steel heads, but is a bit risky as small peices will go down between piston edge and cylinder wall. On the Mustang, or other aluminum head cars, this isn't a problem. If any aluminum is left after the vacuum, consider it part of your cylinder repair work...it will get ground up or pressed into the cylinder and cause minimal damage so don't worry about it.
Anyway, This is ONEHELLOFA lot cheaper and easier than letting Ford take all your clothes, leaving you naked in the bank while you sign for the $2500 loan to get one plug hole fixed...Less than $100 bucks and a bit of time, and this isn't that hard if you are half way competent with tools...
Now my Fixed GT, (which has 540 RWHP, by the way) is out on the road kicking @ss and taking names!!!! (No thanks to Ford and their lousy 3 or 4 thread aluminum head design..
Check out this web site, it has tons of really peeved people and lots of horror stories about blown out plugs on Ford's engines...
Ford Engines - Spark Plug Defect Ford REFUSES to ADMIT OR FIX!
This fix works with the Cylinder on the car...my sparkplug was in an easy access place, you might have to remove other stuff to get to yours...good luck!
I bought the 14 x 1.25MM Helicoil kit for $78.00. It comes with a tap, 5 Helicoils, and the insertion tube and tool. I had to grind down the edges of the insertion tube so it would fit in the spark plug(cylinder) hole on the 4.6L SOHC Head. The Kit I bought is from Perma-Coil, and is kit part number 1214-414. You can also buy just the inserts if you run out... (I think helicoil is a different brand but these are the same insert type and are high quality.)
Find it here: Perma-Coil Site for this Kit
Once I did that, I didn't have to drill the hole, the tap was the right size, I just tapped the existing hole with the toolkit's provided tap. First of course, I made sure the piston was not at TDC so as to not hit it with the tap. I positioned the piston (kicking the starter with wires to all 8 coils disconnected, to get the piston to about 1/2 way to TDC). That way I could also use another trick...a 3/8" tube taped (duct tape works well...) to my shop vac so I could vacuum the aluminum cuttings out of the cylinder.
Once I tapped the hole, I carefully put the helicoil into the insertion tube, stuck it down the spark plug hole, then screwed it in with the kit's provided tool. I also was careful to not screw the helicoil in too much. I counted the threads it had and made sure I turned the insertion tool that number of full turns to get the helicoil into position so the top thread was just below the start of the hole. This way once you put in the plug, it stops in the same position as before it's just that it now has 10 threads instead of 3 or 4 to hold it in. It is also a good idea to put red locktite on the inside of the new tapped hole before inserting the helicoil so it will lock into place and not come loose later. Most of the time these inserts will reatin their position but locktite is a safety precaution. Some people use epoxy to do the same, JB Weld, slow setup type, is good for this but a bit messy to get into the hole that far down...
I also purchased one of those long handle needle nose pliars tools from Auto Zone (Great Neck brand). I used that to break off the center bar from the helicoil once I had it inserted. If the center piece breaks off and you drop it, don't dismay...the vacuum tube will suck it out. Make sure YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR HAND, DON'T ASSUME IT'S NOT IN THE CYLINDER, OR MAJOR DAMAGE WILL RESULT!
You can also purchase one of those telescoping magnets (small diameter, around 3/8") to fit into the spark plug hole to retrieve any 'steel parts' This works for steel heads, but is a bit risky as small peices will go down between piston edge and cylinder wall. On the Mustang, or other aluminum head cars, this isn't a problem. If any aluminum is left after the vacuum, consider it part of your cylinder repair work...it will get ground up or pressed into the cylinder and cause minimal damage so don't worry about it.
Anyway, This is ONEHELLOFA lot cheaper and easier than letting Ford take all your clothes, leaving you naked in the bank while you sign for the $2500 loan to get one plug hole fixed...Less than $100 bucks and a bit of time, and this isn't that hard if you are half way competent with tools...
Now my Fixed GT, (which has 540 RWHP, by the way) is out on the road kicking @ss and taking names!!!! (No thanks to Ford and their lousy 3 or 4 thread aluminum head design..
Check out this web site, it has tons of really peeved people and lots of horror stories about blown out plugs on Ford's engines...
Ford Engines - Spark Plug Defect Ford REFUSES to ADMIT OR FIX!
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