What's up all. I have an 02 gt manual. Yesterday my gf picked me up from work in it, and when we pulled out on the road there was a loud pop then a flapping sound. she pulled over and shut it off. i looked under the hood and told her to crank it and felt air rushing out from under the coil pack on driver's side, 2nd cylinder back (don't know #).

well a buddy of mine lived about 100 feet up the road so we pushed it to his driveway. i ran back to work to get some tools, pissed off thinking i had thrown a plug like i've read on here so many have. when i put an extension and plug socket on the plug (it was still seated) i could loosen it by hand.i pulled the plug out and the threads were very slightly warped at the electrode end. the gap was also closed so it barely was missing the electrode, almost as if something had hit it. we think that maybe the plug had been shaking around for a while and maybe the gap closed. i looked with a light and did not see anything in the cylinder.

i didn't have a new plug with me so i pulled another one to see if it would thread in to the head. we could only get it to catch then about 1/4 turn before it got really tight. i didn't want to force it and possibly screw up the head.

so now i have to figure out what to do. a guy at work told me of a thread chaser that accepts a type of grease so that you can clean the threads with the heads on and catch the shavings. i know it's risky but i think that's my best bet right now. i know that the only other options are a heli-coil or new head (no thanks im broke). the car is right by work so i can probably push it there and i would have access to air compressors to vaccum/blow out the cylinders, and could also get a borescope to look inside the cylinder.

option 2 is a heli-coil. i am really trying to avoid pulling the head, but im afraid i'll have to to avoid getting shavings in the cylinder with this method.

i basically figure that my best option is to try the thread cleaner first. i realize that if shavings fall into the cylinder that i'll have to pull the head, then i might as well heli-coil it while it is out. again i'm trying to avoid that if possible.

anyone have experience or offer some suggestions?

thanks for any help.

p.s. last time i changed plugs was over a year ago and i double torque checked all the cylinders.

 

Actually, you wouldnt.

Use a small rubber hose on the end of a shop vac, and a small light you can point down into the chamber and you can get all your shavings w/o having to take anything off.

It sounds like the thread cleaner probaby won't be doing much for you, but no harm in trying. Good luck with the helicoild/threaded insert if it comes to that.

 

+1 on the MacGuyver method. I would try to find a tap @ a machine shop and try retapping it.

 

update:
thread cleaner didn't work. looks like i'm gonna have to helicoil.

i founda kitonline for about $200. is that about right? we have a lot of helicoil kits at work but i couldn't find one for the 14mm size i need for the plug. can i just order the tap and coils and use the tool from another kit or do i have to order a whole kit? sorry it's been about 2 years since i've helicoiled and that was just a practice on at school.

thanks

 

call the Ford Dealership, im sure they have plenty of them for a reasonable cost.

This is very common on the 4.6, happened to the Crown Vic - 2002 4.6 Mustang PI Engine.

 

It's actually common on all SOHC V8 engines from Ford.

 

200 dollars for a kit to helicoild a thread?

What the hell does it include? A new head?

You can get a timesert or something similar for something like 40-50 dollars.

Ford told me that they do helicoils but obviously dont guarantee them.
The douche told me labor was anywhere from 200-700 dollars. WTF?

 

^ its ford...they are cheap when it comes to our money but when it comes to theres...

 

The Ford recommended repair is Lock-N-Stitch. I think Timesert is supposed to work good too, since GM uses it.