Re: [T3] Spark Plug Hole Repair

["matthew jones" <m@t3fj.freeserve.co.uk>]

<x-charset iso-8859-1>From: "Jim Adney" <jadney@vwtype3.org>


> On 26 Dec 2001, at 20:12, Fuhriman, Mark wrote:
>
> > My neighbor's VW engine recently blew the #3 spark plug out of the
> > head.  He has no tools, so I told him I may be able to help this
> > weekend.  Is the best repair here to remove the head and take it to
> > the shop for a Helicoil insert?  Any good quick 'n dirty solutions?
>
> The best thing to do is to remove the engine and then the head and
> have a helicoil installed. I know mechanics who can do this with
> the engine in the car, but it's tough, and I'd hate to have to try it.

A really late response, but I'm slowly grinding through 2500 unread messages
:-)

A trick I got of a m/c list for doing this with the head on the engine:
- ensure piston is not at TDC. Best is BDC just before compression stroke.
NB. must be compression stroke so both valves are shut ...
- fill piston with grease through the sparkplug hole.
- do the work. any swarf lost into the piston will stick in the grease.
- VERY slowly crank the engine with a spanner on the crank pulley to expell
the grease, along with swarf.

never done it myself ....

A tool I _have_ used to clean the thread is an old plug with a taper filed
on the thread so that it sits well into the thread before engaging it. I did
this when I cross threaded a plug. It ensures the "tool" is not cross
threaded, then you wind it in to clean up the mess. Its only a bodge though
:-)

Matt.

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