the spark plug hole closest to the cab on the passenger side is stripped, and i plan to use a helicoil. i really want to put the helicoil in without removing the heads, because i dont have the money for an extra $150 in gaskets and bolts, unless i absolutely need to. i saw a video on youtube of a guy installing a timesert or a helicoil into a triton, and he just blew out the cylinder with a lot of air. i would plan to lube the helicoil tap and keep wiping it off and re-lubing it to hold scraps. is this feasible with the helicoil tap, or will it only be safe with the timesert kit, or do i really just need to open up the engine?

 

All depends on how mechanically inclined you are. I have seen heli-coils come loose when used for spark plug threads. Time sert is the way to go. Be careful not to put it too far into the hole, then you will have a more serious issue when the spark plug protrudes too far into the combustion chamber. Trans fluid is a good lubricant when tapping the hole. You can disable the fuel pump and crank the engine to blow out the shavings.

 

I had the same problem on the same cylinder a month ago.

After I tapped the plug hole I took a mini shop vac and sucked up and slag from the head.

I did this with the head still on the block.

 

thanks for the advice 98ponycar. do mean manually crank or use the starter? and so shavings are bad in the cylinder because they will get in the oil, correct?

brent4, thanks for showing that theres hope lol

 

It might also help to make sure that that cylinder is at its highest point when using the tap, then shoot some compressed air in to blow out the shavings. Will make getting the shavings out a lot easier. If you can get suction with a shopvac, then use that.

 

Use the starter to crank the engine over. A couple of good compression strokes and the shavings will be gone. The shavings won't get into the oil, but you don't want them laying around in the combustion chamber to possibly interfere with the valves seating correctly, or to put very fine scratches on the cylinder wall.

 

Thanks guys. The highest point sounds like a good idea, if i could figure out where the highest point is lol The mechanic at work gave me a nozzle for compressed air with a long skinny bendable tube to send into the cylinder, and a napa kit with solid inserts So i will blow it out with compressed air, then run the engine for a few seconds without the plug in number 3. I was planning on rethreading yesterday, but after school there wasnt enough daylight to do much. I had to make a tool run for a wrench to remove the egr pipe, and then the wrench was long so now im halfway through taking my midpipe off my exhaust to get a decent shot at the lower egr pipe connector. I plan to finish the job tomorrow.