Help Me! My Engine Spat A Spark Plug!

[Mike1024]

I live in mission viejo. my 02 svs shot a spark plug out of my rear cylinder head (the head DIRECTLY under the tank). The spark plug unthreaded where the spark plug goes in. WTF, I know. these look like the OEM spark plugs. Bike was running great up until it blew and I was running on 1 cylinder.

My uncle is a skilled machinist, and the bike is in his garage in THOUSAND OAKS. We were thinking of a few things.

would it be OK to helo-coil the head?
if so, would it be better to have a dealer do it? Is $160 fair?
What are the risks of doing it at home (we have proper tools and experience)

If I do helocoil it, would it affect performance to any feel-able level?

We have 2 new plugs, and properly installed the front cylinder head plug NO PROBLEMS. WIth antilock, as well. The rear one will not tighten at all.

DOES/CAN ANYONE HELP ME OUT?!?
I DO NOT WANT TO GET RID OF MY BABY!

THANK YOU

MIKE S
(949) 331-8346

[Kurt'sSV]

This has happened to both spark plugs several times on my bike. It hasn't happened for about a year and a half ever since Zoran, and then later Andy when he changed my plugs, screwed the plug in there good and tight. I've never had the head heli-coiled, but I know this happened to another board member years ago and he had his heli'ed.

Can you tell that the threads are totally stripped? If not, try screwing it back in there and see if it'll stay.

[Mike1024]

threads are THRASHED, and it wont screw in or seat at all my friend. I suspect a helocoil may be coming....

[racinteach]

pull the head off and do it right...I am not sure of the helicoil...though..I would get a second opinion from zoran...but if the dealer will do it sure, place liability on them ..if it happens again..they are responsible to a point..

[Mike1024]

dealer said they wont warranty it...

it'll cost near $500.00 to have it done with the head off... shit

[racinteach]

call up zoran...see what he'll do it for...otherwise pull the head and go for it..

[SilverRider]

Damn $500.00. You can get a new used engine for almost that much. It might even come with free spark plugs. In my past experience, I have learned that when I have to start taking my engine apart it is usuallt cheaper and easier to just replace the whole thing with a used one in good shape. Check the junk yards for a used head and pop that on there maybe.

[Darth Lefty]

I wouldn't trust a helicoil for this.

[pAint]

how the hell does this happen?

[ADRATH]

Originally posted by Mike1024
dealer said they wont warranty it...

it'll cost near $500.00 to have it done with the head off... shit

They want that much cash with no guarantee that it will even work.. I'd have told them to go fuck themselves.

[SVOC]

How about you buy a used head on eBay? There's one for sale right now that should work on your bike. Also, when you said in your first post that you used anti-seize when you reinstalled the plug on the good head what did that mean? Did you use threadlock or a compound that prevents the threads from corroding and getting stuck?

eBay link: SV 650 Head (http://cgi.ebay.com/SUZUKI-SV650-SV-650-COMPLETE-REAR-HEAD-LOW-MILES_W0QQitemZ160041077306QQihZ006QQcategoryZ1053 4QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem)

[curley]

keensert it ( key locking insert)

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/N2DRVSH?SISECT=0002000324&SIS0NO=00000504490

don't know what size the plug is, but they most likely make a Keensert to fit...used them on 2 strokes for years - theory goes that the stainless steel of a helicoil insulates the plug from the head and causes the plug to run hot (so - run colder plugs! - but on a 2 stroke - the cold plug will foul out easier) ...the keenserts I used in the past were aluminum with steel locks and allowed the heat path from plug to head to remain "stock" - check your local NAPA store - they may have what you need- good luck

[Darth Lefty]

Huh. Keenserts are usually for holes that have a bottom, aren't they?

[curley]

here's a link to some ideas on how to fix your problem - some good some bad and some foolish..

http://www.outboardrepairs.com/topics/001309.html

[fast4d]

this reminds me of the ford modular engines (4.6/5.4). the heads have only a few threads for the plugs and they've been know to blow off.

heli coil should hold fine but there's the issue of heat transfer but you should be able to work around it.

the head didn't strip by itself so whoever install the spark plug did it wrong.

[DasTeufel]

Timeserts! We use these at work for damaged threads, and they are the best so far. Helicoils tend to pull out when you don't want them too. Timesert kits are not cheap however, but are a worthwhile repair.
http://www.timesert.com/html/sparkplug.html

You can do all the work while the head is still on the bike, just make sure you pack the tap and drill with bearing grease to catch the metal bits.

[newbe]

Hi mike1024. At our work we used the heli coil and they would work find on the car but you still want some threads to hold it. On a bike with much higher RPM its not the best repair. Like Fast4b said Ford engines have some major problems. We repaired the threads on the ford using the TIMESERT kit for that engine and it works great. I would go this route but if you ever find a head in good shape nothing beats that, no IF or BUTS. Now look in the threads if you see that the bottom threads are o.k but the top threads are gone that means your plug was loose and worked its self out. When few threads were left it just shot out taken the last few threads with it. DO NOT USE THE ANTILOCK on the plugs. It works like oil so the plugs are realy not as tight as you might think they are. So you might end up putting way too much pressure and cause the damege to the threads. Or more likely they were loose to start with. If you used it before you might have done it yours self. Mind you you can never damege the threads taking the bolts\plugs out. You cause the damege putting it in. Good luck with what ever you dicide to do. As for me TIMESERT is the best way for the cheap and easy repair. Replacing the head is the first choice.

Alex

[Mike1024]

thank you guys soooo freakin much... i realy am frustrated...

[stingray]

+1 timesert

better than helicoil but you need to do it right

[Tom]

Find a bike that will swallow and not spit so much. :D

[morbidelli17]

In this case, spitting beats swallowing, hands-down ...

[Mike1024]

im take it to Simi Valley Suzuki and Yamaha.. do it for 80 to 120 with the head on. They have done quite a few they say... with a timesert not a helocoil...

[pAint]

So how does this happen and what can one do to avoid this?

[DasTeufel]

Torquing the spark plug beyond it's threshold is one reason, another is getting the threads crossed when installing the spark plug.

[Mike1024]

check your plugs and change them properly at proper intervals

[CBRMANIMAL]

Originally posted by pAint
So how does this happen and what can one do to avoid this?
Not fuck with things you don't know about =D

I worked at a ford dealer for a few years and we use to use the threaded inserts on the notorious spark plugs that would blow out due to engineering flaws. We never had any come back after the repairs and it saved customers thousands.

[newbe]

puting any kind of compound on the threads of the plugs can cause the plug to come loose. When its loose enough and starts to vibrate it would ruin the threads. I seen it happen a few times when a customer dicided he can make a better job and talk to his friends to get there opinion. Dont forget cause the bike runs at much higher RPM it can happen faster and much worse. Same problem happens on a VW air cooled engine they like to spit the plugs out on cly #3 :D could make lots of money fixing them. Another thing is you would notice that it would spit the plug under load and at higher RPM. But then what do i know :o

Alex

[Mike1024]

im going as soon as i can. $80 to 160 to put a timesert in with the head on @ Simi Yamaha. I think ill do that.