HeliCoil Spark Plug Inserts?

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Oldseadog

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Tynemouth
A friend with a V8 Disco has somehow managed to strip a spark plug thread. :eek:

Has anyone carried out a successful, long-term repair using HeliCoils?

Should I be asking this in the Disco section?:rolleyes:
 
Done that once successfully, but it was a Vauxhall Viva rather than a Rover engine. Not too hard to do - if you can tap a thread you can Helicoil. It was still going 5 years later when my friend sold it. I found it easier to work from the combustion chamber side as there was more room.
 
The only snag on the Rover V8 head is getting the drill at the correct angle (you have to drill out to a size for the Helicoil Tap) and then getting the tap started and running true.

Other than that it's a fairly easy job.

Most engine reconditioners will do it if you have problems, but don't go an mess it up to start with. If you think it's going to be a problem, get someone else to do it, saves scrapping the head.

Are you sure it is stripped rather than cross-threaded?

Peter
 
Yes, if the thread is not too badly butchered, you might not need to fully helicoil it. I expect you've come across the trick of cutting some grooves in the threaded section of a spare spark plug and using it as an improvised tap to help clean up a damaged thread. It's worked quite well for me in the past.
 
He got to it before I did, so I didn't have anything to do!

The Helicoil tap, according to the instructions, didn't need per-drilling, so he tapped the hole, inserted the coil, lost the tang, stuck the plug in and apparently it now runs perfectly :eek:

For how long, I don't know!

Probably until I get a panic phone call :D:D
 
He got to it before I did, so I didn't have anything to do!

The Helicoil tap, according to the instructions, didn't need per-drilling, so he tapped the hole, inserted the coil, lost the tang, stuck the plug in and apparently it now runs perfectly :eek:

For how long, I don't know!

Probably until I get a panic phone call :D:D

Well, spark plugs are usually a fairly fine thread so it may not need much meat removing. I don't remember pre-drilling, but it is a long time since I've done one.
 
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