spark plug stripped! wasn't me! please help!

mr2pwner · 10-18-2009, 08:08 PM

had some spark issues at about 3500rpm on my 91 n/a. when the missing got worse this week, i decided it was time to replace the plugs. i've only had this vehicle for about 8 months. got to plug number 4 and realized that it had been "puttied" in with some red silicone or similar substance. plug is completely stripped and just drops all the way in with virtually no threads whatsoever.

has anyone ever had the heli-coil or time-sert treatment done to their ride? it's a process of retapping and inserting a sleeve into the plug shaft. how much does this run to have done by a good mechanic? i am so totally screwed (no pun intended)!!!!

Maruki-kun · 10-18-2009, 09:39 PM

to get it tapped out, you'll need to pull the head and have it heli-coiled

mr.ac · 10-18-2009, 09:55 PM

I'll tell the dealerplace what happen. tell them you viually saw the spark pulg lose. then on closer in spection you noticed how messed up it really was. Maybe the dealler would pay to fix it.

mr2pwner · 10-19-2009, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ku-sama

to get it tapped out, you'll need to pull the head and have it heli-coiled

i've heard the heli-coil is a bad option for spark plugs, it's great for anything else that is stripped. anyone ever used the time-sert kit? it's pretty expensive ($350+), or know a mechanic down here in FL that could fix this for me? how much would it cost?

check this time-sert vid:

YouTube - + TIME-SERT + Spark plug thread repair,...

como · 10-19-2009, 02:18 PM

you'd still have to pull the whole damn thing apart, there is no way you'll tap that without getting a load of shrapnel inside the cylinder...

if it were me, I'd be inclined to square up with the dealer that sold it to you. assuming they inspect the cars they sell at *all*, they should have found that- assuming it came in like that, and they didn't do that themselves.
Granted, I've never purchased a car outside of private sale (and never want to), so I'm not exactly sure how much of an opinion, as a buyer, you have. Did they make you sign a "grab your ankles" document when you purchased the car?

mr2pwner · 10-19-2009, 05:31 PM

i see where i can buy a new head on eBay cheaper than I can rethread the thing. It's around 300 w/shipping. just how difficult of a job will this be to pull and replace the head with a rebuilt one? spoke with the dealer today, he wants the car back which means i have to get into something else and get deeper in debt again. i gotta fix this myself for sure. can anyone direct me to an installation faq for the replacing of the head?

como · 10-19-2009, 06:20 PM

Did it come with any sort of dealer warranty? I think it's pretty ridiculous that they would make you trade it in when they did this to it...
I mean, they'd just putty it up again and sell it to someone else.

Perhaps a counter offer, where you pay for the head and they front for the mechanic to do the work? (If they have an in-house mechanic, I'd avoid having them fix it, for obvious reasons)

Fazed Out · 10-21-2009, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr2pwner

just how difficult of a job will this be to pull and replace the head with a rebuilt one?

that's major engine surgery and its not easy to do it right. Unless you've done it a few times. And unless you're a Toyota mechanic, I'm betting no. It will take a while to do it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr2pwner

spoke with the dealer today, he wants the car back which means i have to get into something else and get deeper in debt again.

how does a mistake on their part constitute you paying more? They should fix it for free. They're passing off obviously shoddy cars. I can't imagine what else is held together with chewing gum and tape you haven't run across yet.

If they won't fix it, you might be better off in the long run getting another car at another dealership; I wouldn't trust these guys.

vr4 · 10-25-2009, 01:09 PM

there are inserts for stripped spark plug holes. we use them on 2V 4.6/5.4/6.8 ford engines all the time. no need to pull the head if youre careful/follow proper procedures.

only problem is all the inserts ive seen are for tapered seat plugs. there may be some out there for gasket seat....but i dont have any since ive never needed them.

a simple helicoil spark plug repair insert is garbage. ive seen those back out and allow the plug to blow out too. the only inserts i trust are machined steel....

standard helicoil on left. insert on right.

garbage helicoil insert.....

the first insert MAY work with a gasketed seat....but i would have to take a closer look at them to know for sure.

Pilot · 10-25-2009, 01:31 PM

My mechanic laughs at me because I use anti-seize on the spark plugs. IMHO, it is cheap insurance against bad things happening.

traintech86 · 10-25-2009, 02:45 PM

this kinda shadey bs is why ill stick to private owners. i'd rather pay less for a car i know will need work, and just do it myself vs paying someone a ton to screw me with intrest on top of my car being constantly fixed and having to pay for it. ill stick to private sellers.

mr2pwner · 10-27-2009, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by traintech86

this kinda shadey bs is why ill stick to private owners. i'd rather pay less for a car i know will need work, and just do it myself vs paying someone a ton to screw me with intrest on top of my car being constantly fixed and having to pay for it. ill stick to private sellers.

nah, he was totally cool about it and traded the car out for a 93 n/a t-top, it's freakin sweet, totally smokes the old one, and now i owe less.. i'll put some pics up soon. thanks a lot for the advice though yall, just thought if you were gonna drop big on some tools, might as well throw down the 3 bills for a new head and do the belt too. don't have time for that... daily driver.

10-18-2009, 08:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
mr2pwner i try hard Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Wesley Chapel, FL Posts: 23 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	spark plug stripped! wasn't me! please help! had some spark issues at about 3500rpm on my 91 n/a. when the missing got worse this week, i decided it was time to replace the plugs. i've only had this vehicle for about 8 months. got to plug number 4 and realized that it had been "puttied" in with some red silicone or similar substance. plug is completely stripped and just drops all the way in with virtually no threads whatsoever. has anyone ever had the heli-coil or time-sert treatment done to their ride? it's a process of retapping and inserting a sleeve into the plug shaft. how much does this run to have done by a good mechanic? i am so totally screwed (no pun intended)!!!! Last edited by mr2pwner; 10-19-2009 at 05:17 PM..

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10-18-2009, 09:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
Maruki-kun Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Millington, MD Posts: 2,487 Thanks: 9 Thanked 74 Times in 67 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (5/100% )	to get it tapped out, you'll need to pull the head and have it heli-coiled

10-18-2009, 09:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
mr.ac Just Say NO to Snorkes Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 388 Thanks: 0 Thanked 19 Times in 18 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	I'll tell the dealerplace what happen. tell them you viually saw the spark pulg lose. then on closer in spection you noticed how messed up it really was. Maybe the dealler would pay to fix it.

10-19-2009, 02:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
como Road Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 652 Thanks: 13 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	you'd still have to pull the whole damn thing apart, there is no way you'll tap that without getting a load of shrapnel inside the cylinder... if it were me, I'd be inclined to square up with the dealer that sold it to you. assuming they inspect the cars they sell at all, they should have found that- assuming it came in like that, and they didn't do that themselves. Granted, I've never purchased a car outside of private sale (and never want to), so I'm not exactly sure how much of an opinion, as a buyer, you have. Did they make you sign a "grab your ankles" document when you purchased the car?

10-19-2009, 05:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
mr2pwner i try hard Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Wesley Chapel, FL Posts: 23 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	i see where i can buy a new head on eBay cheaper than I can rethread the thing. It's around 300 w/shipping. just how difficult of a job will this be to pull and replace the head with a rebuilt one? spoke with the dealer today, he wants the car back which means i have to get into something else and get deeper in debt again. i gotta fix this myself for sure. can anyone direct me to an installation faq for the replacing of the head?

10-19-2009, 06:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
como Road Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 652 Thanks: 13 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	Did it come with any sort of dealer warranty? I think it's pretty ridiculous that they would make you trade it in when they did this to it... I mean, they'd just putty it up again and sell it to someone else. Perhaps a counter offer, where you pay for the head and they front for the mechanic to do the work? (If they have an in-house mechanic, I'd avoid having them fix it, for obvious reasons)

10-25-2009, 01:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
vr4 No Skills Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 115 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	there are inserts for stripped spark plug holes. we use them on 2V 4.6/5.4/6.8 ford engines all the time. no need to pull the head if youre careful/follow proper procedures. only problem is all the inserts ive seen are for tapered seat plugs. there may be some out there for gasket seat....but i dont have any since ive never needed them. a simple helicoil spark plug repair insert is garbage. ive seen those back out and allow the plug to blow out too. the only inserts i trust are machined steel.... standard helicoil on left. insert on right. garbage helicoil insert..... the first insert MAY work with a gasketed seat....but i would have to take a closer look at them to know for sure.

10-25-2009, 01:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
Pilot Master MotorcycleMechanic Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 81 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	My mechanic laughs at me because I use anti-seize on the spark plugs. IMHO, it is cheap insurance against bad things happening.

10-25-2009, 02:45 PM	#11 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,802 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	this kinda shadey bs is why ill stick to private owners. i'd rather pay less for a car i know will need work, and just do it myself vs paying someone a ton to screw me with intrest on top of my car being constantly fixed and having to pay for it. ill stick to private sellers.