Sparkplug Sleeve?

[VSack]

I just came in from the garage after pulling the old plugs out of the car and dropping in the NGKs gapped at 35 (coming from what appears to be the stock, original sparkplugs).

The biggest question I have is: what is up with the threading on the second one from the left?

I thought they were in there a bit snug but of the eight this is the only one with a sleeve on it.

I'm running back out to rip off the left coil cover to triple check depth and see if it matches up.

Can anyone throw me a bone on this one and what my overall level of concern needs to be here? Should I be figuring out a way to get this piece off the plug and back into the block?

Thanks in advance!

 

[VSack]

I checked the depth as best as I could and pulled the plug to see if the gap had moved at all and both checked out. I was too tired to make the connection, but I remembered when trying to get it back in that that particular plug was a bitch to get in.

It was in there snug before and looks ok now...

 

[Brutal Metal]

was it from #7 or #8?
It also looks like you have a valve cover gasket leaking with the oil buildup on the top of the threads..

 

[EvilTwins]

Looks like the top portion of a helicoil thread repair came out with the plug when you removed it? Did you have any idea that a thread repair had been done on the head?

 

[stangkid]

helicoil

 

[03cobra#694]

Looks like the top portion of a helicoil thread repair came out with the plug when you removed it? Did you have any idea that a thread repair had been done on the head?

helicoil

Ding,ding,ding.We have some winners.

 

[black 10th vert]

While I agree that it is a Helicoil, I don't get how the hell he could screw in a new plug with it missing!:??:

 

[03cobra#694]

While I agree that it is a Helicoil, I don't get how the hell he could screw in a new plug with it missing!:??:

Very good point Brian.

 

[VSack]

Thanks for the responses folks.

I was not aware of any work done on the head like this. Oasis and Carfax showed no sure labor.

If I got the number down properly, this would be #4? Its the second one from the front on the passenger side.

The spark did go in smoothly and is snug, but it did take a while last night to get it threaded. I didn't see the helicoil until after the car was already put back together. Like you mentioned, I was far more worried about the oil on the sparks from the other side.

When I had the car back together, I did fire it up for a minute to make sure everything as working, and even goosed the engine a little bit. It was 30 mins after that that I found the helicoil, and panicked. I was almost sure that if it was hanging too low, the gap would have been knocked back but it looked fine when I removed it. Before and after removing it a second time, I did as good of a "depth test" as I could between all the sparks on that side, and they were all close enough for government work.

Should I pop the plug and put the helicoil back on, or let it go since the plug fit all right without it? I have a common sense response to that but I'd prefer to hear what you all have to say first

 

[Jomo1994z71]

Subscribing...

 

[VSack]

Common sense won out this morning.

I couldn't get the helicoil off last night, so I doused it with some WD40 and went to bed. Before leaving for work, I decided that if it came off, I'd put it back in.

Sure enough, it came right off, slid onto the NGK, and was back in the engine in no time. The hand threading definitely felt more gruff than the factory threads, but that's to be expected.

In my completely amateur opinion, it was there for a reason. Even if I could use the OEM threads, the port had been recut to compensate for the helicoil and I shouldn't be effing with things I don't know the possible ramifications to.

With it back in, at least I don't have to worry about what might be happening with it NOT being there...if that makes sense.

Thanks for the help folks. If anything changes, I'll post it here. Sometimes it helps a ton just to talk through things to figure out the best way to go.

- V

 

[VSack]

While I agree that it is a Helicoil, I don't get how the hell he could screw in a new plug with it missing!:??:

Your guess is as good as mine. This is why I'm so god damned baffled. If it was needed and the threading had been completely bored, it should have just rattled around in there.

Ok hell, SHOULD I be worried? :cuss:

 

[03cobra#694]

It was there for a reason,so i`d put it back like you already did.Can you look in the plug hole and see if it`s been cut?

 

[lawdog302]

Your guess is as good as mine. This is why I'm so god damned baffled. If it was needed and the threading had been completely bored, it should have just rattled around in there.

Ok hell, SHOULD I be worried? :cuss:

It probably still has some original threads at the bottom of the hole and that is what the plug was grabbing. He is just lucky he didn't over tighten and strip the remaining threads out. :banana:

 

[VSack]

It probably still has some original threads at the bottom of the hole and that is what the plug was grabbing. He is just lucky he didn't over tighten and strip the remaining threads out. :banana:

Exactly. I only hand tightened and even then I was delicate.

I must have eyebanged that hole last night for a good half hour trying to examine it. I honestly couldn't see it.

Its in. Its staying in. I ain't moving that piece anymore. If I have to redo that plug, I'll look at redoing the head then.

 

[VSack]

So its been five days and the car seems fine, but I'm still a bit worried based on what I read about Helicoils.

It seems that whoever did the Helicoil install didn't do it properly. At best, it seems like they drilled only a little bit and left the rest of the original thread which is what I caught the sparkplug on before. When I reinstalled the Helicoil, I pretty much replicated the same thing, put it on the spark, then tightened that down like normal.

Am I driving a time bomb? Any recommendations? If this is going to blow the head, should I just drive it until it does, or bench the car until I swap new heads in?

If the helicoil comes out like this, should I/can I do a timesert? Is there anything else you all would recommend?

 

[prostkr]

If it pops out it will not hurt anything, except possibly the coil pack. Id check to see if its still good and snug and ride it out.

 

[VSack]

If it pops out it will not hurt anything, except possibly the coil pack. Id check to see if its still good and snug and ride it out.

Thanks.

I'll definitely keep checking it. I just needed a second opinion.