toyotatom93

So last night I changed my plugs for the first time since owning my truck, and it looks like the PO had screwed up the number 4 plug thread.
When putting in the new plugs I noticed it wasent going in as easy as the others, it just wouldent start threading itself so before I put the new one in I shined a flashlight into it I saw fresh metal. I eventually got the plug back in as best I could but it felt very tight as compared to the others and it felt like it maybe hit something when it was seated all the way. Believe me I tried for over half an hour to get the thing in properly, and it seemed like it was not going to go in the way it was meant to go...this just makes me sick to my stomach.
I'm too scared to take it back out to try again in case it will never go back in.

By the way my truck was studdering at low rpm's before I changed them and now it is running great. Except it did a little rpm spazz during one of it's starts this morning...got me a little worried now.

So what next? What would you guys recomend I do???

BMC

Unfortuantly i am in the same situation as u. The PO cross threaded the number 4 cylinder in mine also. I took an old plug and cut grooves in it across the threads and then put some grease on it and ran it through the hole a few times. As of right now if u dont have any problems i would leave it alone untill u have further problems. Mine is ok for now so im not gonna touch it. Mine was pretty bad so the head might have to come off sometime down the road.

Jay351

Hehe, im in the same situation - number 6 cyl. We are going to do a heli-coil soon.

Green93

It's hopeless....you're going to need to do a 3.4 swap to fix it.

tc

I think the thread is 18mm-1.5.

If you lived in CO, I have one...

longhungsilver

toyotatom93

Yeah, I guess the 3.4 swap is now a more serious consideration. I was planning a rebuild at some point in the future anyway.

I also love that the ad is about thread repair kits (at least it is on my computer), maybe they make what I need. Next stop timesert.com

Sweet looks like it may not be the end of the world for my truck after all.

Green93

If you want to fix it the quick and easy way here is what I would do. Turn the engine till the piston it a TDC for the damaged cylinder. Drill out to the proper size and install a timesert or helicoil. Then use a vacuum and a small flexible magnet. Get it right in the cylinder and get as much of the shavings as possible. Take your time with this. Then when you're satisfied, replace the sparkplug and cross your fingers. Fire it up and hope that if you missed any pieces they get blown right out before causing any damage.

Obviously this isn't the proper way, but if you don't have the money or means to rip the head off and repair it properly, this is an option.

Just realized aluminum doesn't stick to magnets. A shop vac with a small hose taped to the end will be your best bet. Also, I assume no responsibility if this doesn't go as planned.

Jason

CoedNaked

I'd consider what Jason (Green93) said but don't push too hard with the drill when you're doing it.

But otherwise, you're gonna need a 3.4 swap.

TheRival

I am in the same boat except i did it myself on the number 2 plug.

The thread is not 18mm it is 14mm and there is a nifty tool that i have just purchased and will gladely report on when i am done.

KD Tools 3545 Back-Tap 14mm Internal Spark Plug Rethread Tool

http://www.handsontools.com/KD%20Too....shopzilla.com

bought mine on amazon for $50

Marc

Looks interesting. Let us know how it works.

ramtime

You have a couple of options. First you could run a heli coil or a time sert. I've had to do it in my 02 Exucursion because they have a habit of blowing spark plugs out of the cylinder head. There is also the spark plug chase that will clean your existing threads. The problem is if it is truly cross threaded you wont have as much material holding your plugs in and you will probably need to do a heli coil anyways. I would try to run a chase first and then do a heli coil if it doesn't work.

TheRival

I will try the KD tool first as i feel i really have nothing to lose, if all else fails i will just end up putting in a timesert.

I will let you all know how this goes

*Smack himself in the head again*

Lumpy

Very interested in hearing how the Backtap works out! Looks interesting.

I'm not sure I'd be comfortable drilling while the head was on...I don't think that you'd be able to get all the debris out of the cylinder. Maybe going almost all the way up and adding some oil then sucking out the oil, that should carry all the aluminum out. Maybe not just a thought.

DupermanDave

#4 seems pretty common. Mine is a little harder to get in than the others and now I'm worried it's a cross threaded plug hole. This forum worries me every day. Every day there's something new to make me scared for my truck.

snobdds

I had the same problem and I found a good little trick. My threads were gone and I had to retap the threads and put in a timecert. On the thread cutting tool, I put a bunch of diff grease on the cutter and it did a really good job of keeping all the shavings out of the head. Then I took a 12 guage shotgun swab (used for cleaning the barrel) and put an extension on it and very carefully cleaned out the hole. It worked great and the timecert seated nicely. Just remember you can't put enough grease on the tap and take your time. Also remember to try and keep the correct angle of the spark plug hole.

Good Luck

Jay351

I was able to get away with just chasing the threads in my number 6 plug.... The real test is the first time you giv'er balls on the hwy

TheRival

alright guys, i cheated. I picked up a thread chaser from Sears as well as a tub of bearing grease.

I slathered the grease on the tap and made one or two turns

removed tap and cleaned threads completely.

re grease threads and tap another turn or two

remove tap and cleaned threads

etc

presto, problem solved...

scuba

OLD THREAD!!!

DupermanDave

But it still happens. If he created a new thread, he would have gotten the "do a search" routine.