cross-threaded my spark plug hole

since I colortuned my bike without riding it, I wanted to do it again when it was Good and Hot. I have no idea how, but these threads are Really Really soft, I crossthreaded the #1 hole.

before I go and put a heli-coil or spark plug re-thread kit that someone is probably going to put a link to, I want to ask about the basics first.

ok, get a shop-vac and vacume out the shavings from whats happend already. I want to get a Tap and chase the threads but really my biggest question is about the shavings, how the hell do I stop them from falling in??? please o please o pretty pretty please dont tell me I have to take the head off again.

if I'm way off, yes please just link me to the kit for idiots such as myself. Thanks

 

I have chased the threads on a few spark plug holes and never worried about it just taped a small hose to shop vac, but this sounds like more fun. A leaf blower, duct tape,to exhaust pipe and open exhaust valve on the cylinder your working on.

 

Pack the TAP's Flute areas with Heavy Wheel bearing Grease.

Begin Tapping the Hole.
Every 3 Full Turns ... Back-out the Tap.
CLEAN the Tap off of the Grease and Swarf collected in the greased Flutes.
Thoroughly clean the Tap.
RE-GREASE
Insert Tap back into work and Cut an additional 3 complete turns,
Exercise the TAP back and forth as it is withdrawn for cleaning.
CLEAN
RE-GREASE
Continue Thread Tapping the work.

Done right and carefully, the Tap will collect all the Swarf from the Thread Cutting and no leaf blower will be required.

 

But ya gotta admit the leaf blower sounds like fun

 

no waldo, crashing a tap into a valve face that is open does not sound like fun.

I've had an idea for months now to make a helicoil tap with a thru hole and an air fitting on the back so you blow air into where ever you're tapping and the chips get blown out the flutes. I'm not sure why they aren't commonly available as spiral flute with bottoming geometry. To wind the chips out the hole that it's going in. You can order those taps from a tooling supplier but it ain't at all cheap for personal use.

Like rick said, grease grease and more grease. cut a little, back out and clean and new grease.

Try the chaser first. If later you end up with a helicoil I recommend the full insert "spark hole repair" style with the piloted tap. The pilot is the same as the old threads, pretty hard to go wrong.

Oh and make sure the motor is rolled around so both valves are closed

 

Other Options;

1.) Time sert:

http://www.timesert.com/html/sparkplug.html

2.) Fix-a-Thread (M14)

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp ... GRP2016___

3.) Perma-Plug Kit

http://www.amazon.com/Perma-Plug-1-25-S ... B0025PMJHA

 

Thanks Rick, Looks like Autozone in my area has one of the kits above. should be done in time to get a good ride in tonight. By the way, holes 3 and 4 were Lean, guess it's Very Important to colortune a Hot engine. Can't wait to feel the difference!

 

well, one of the guys at work is going to bring in his 14mm tap (for spark plug holes) tomorrow, so I'm going to hold off and see if that works before putting an insert...

 

wow look at this! read the full description. Wish it was bad weather so I could wait

 

Make sure that the valve is closed. Pull the valve cover just to make sure, While you are in there check the valve clearances. Just make sure that the cam's are not pushing down on the valves. I did this and it screwed up the valve years ago... Good news was that I found an fj 600 head at a junkyard and that bolted on.

Sean

 

sorry, here's the missing link from my previous post above: http://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-640811 ... 454&sr=1-1

well I went to Autozone to get a new plug and they ahd the 14mm chaser, nice and long, for 8 bucks, and I bought the heli-coil kit just in case things got bad. Peice of cake, after the chase the plug went in like butter. packed the chases' flutes and a glob at the tip, cleaned it 5 or 6 times as Rick mentioned, perfecto. THANK YOU GUYS