Well, saved the customer money, and fixed what should not have been broken in the first place. But you taught all of us how to use those inserts properly, and also tricks on how to use them as well.
If that head was not repairable, I would have pulled the other and done a valve job, unless the thing had tons of miles on it. Then it would be finding a set at a wrecker yard. Yikes@@whiskeyfamily6717
"First, do no harm!" I have a short handle Snap-On ratchet I have had in my tool box for years. It is great for installing spark plugs and not over torquing them. I am amazed at the 80 foot pounds people put on a spark plug.
@@jthonn same with 10mm valve cover bolts. No wonder the valve covers leak. Of course the modern cars with plastic crap everywhere make over torqued bolts a real issue.
I've also got a ling spark plug boot, from some long ago tune up, that I use to start plugs in the threads. ( a piece of heater hose will also work.) Gap them, the a little anti-seize on the upper threads (so it doesn't get in the cylinder and ruin an O2 sensor), then start them with something that helps keep them straight and won't let you cross thread them.
Years ago, I had an Escort that had to have the spark plug threads repaired. My local machine shop put an insert in from the valve side stopping right at the taper surface so that the original type plug would still seal. He somehow locked in the insert to where it would resist coming loose while installing the plug, but the taper seat would not let it come out while removing the plug. The repair gave no problems for as long as I knew the car's history. Thanks Kenny, for showing DYIers how to avoid making common mistakes.
I learnt very early on, hand fit everything threaded before using a wrench or gun, especially spark plugs etc. If you have to use a socket to run it in, still do it by hand, saves a lot of time because you don’t go wrong.
Leaned that early on too .. early teens. Was told to always use your hands when putting a plug in. that was After i fucked the head on the mower. a good life lesson. cheers.
I’m about to embark on a journey that I should have taken decades ago, I’m going to train to become a certified master mechanic/ technician. Since watching your videos, I will have a wide open calm mindset to help me deal with difficult situations.
Wear a chemical respirator, paint spray mask, VOC filter when dealing with gas, carb cleaner, solvents…I worked in a machine shop that did all the work for the city bus system. Everyone else’s hands shook constantly from the solvents. I’m 6 months away from my 70th birthday, and mine don’t shake. Same with dust, cars get nasty dust all over everything. Better to learn about electric cars, not even close in the amount of poisonous substances used to work on them, or manufacture them either. Use your head, save your lungs and brain for family and friends. The full on respirator with the chemical canister filters, nothing less my friend. To hell with those that laugh at you, all those guys at the shop are dead now….
@@5400bowen > Better to learn about electric cars, not even close in the amount of poisonous substances used to work on them, or manufacture them either. Only chemicals not present in an electric car but present in a gas car are engine oil and fuel. Still have coolant, gear oils, refrigerants, brake fluid, brake dust, and road grime, and it's all basically the same formulas. Oh and arc flash hazard as a bonus, so get your arc flash PPE too.
@@treelineresearch3387 I worked in a machine shop…gasoline and motor oil are used in massive quantities daily. Those other fluids are maintenance items that use about 1/10,000 as much volume, and are not nearly as bad as gasoline. How much brake fluid, coolant, transmission fluid and AC coolant do you think the world goes through in a year? And how much gas and oil in that same year? Gasoline cars catch on fire all the time, electric cars (a brand new technology competing with century old one) don’t catch fire any more than gas cars, and gasoline fires are just as bad. Rolling Molotov cocktails is what they are. Then there is the exhaust…Elecyric cars use less than half as much gear oil because their transmissions are 1/20 as complicated and large as a ICE car. The entire engine/transmission/ final drive of an electric vehicle is about the size of the entire engine in an ICE. And no noise, or exhaust….
I don't know how often you replace the spare plugs on a 3 valve V8 Ford, but this works for me. Get all your tools handy and at the ready. Warm up the engine. QUICKLY remove the coils. Spray you best rust penetrant down on top of the plugs. At least 1-2 inches of fluid. Crack the plugs loose 1/8-1/4 of a turn. Let the engine cool down for 1-2 hours. 2 is better. Work the plugs back and forth with the engine cool. A breaker bar works best. Then slowly remove the spark plugs. You should get them all out without breaking anything. Just remember to blow out the penetrant with the plugs removed. Don't want to hydro lock the engine, or fill the shop up with smoke.)
I am super impressed especially as an old timer that has used Heli-Coils. There's no room to fix threads in van and I would have thought head was junk. ALL of Kenny's thoughts and procedures I know are correct right down to Red Threadlocker. Excellent save and I learned a bunch from Kenny. Been following this true mechanic and now a faithful subscriber.
That's why I carry multiple spark plug or regular deep sockets of the same size. Some are deeper than others or a little shorter to clear something or have a thinner wall to fit where they have to. Great video, very informative and detailed.
I’ve learned so much from your videos, I and everyone that watches your videos appreciate you for teaching us the correct way to do the work we thought we knew we could do. .👍yes 👍👍👍👍keep up the great work and the videos . Yes yes job well done.
As a former tech, I am amazed at some of the "butchers". You almost have to work at it to cross thread a plug. We had a saying back in the day when encountering priorly cross threaded items accomplished by hacks, their motto must be "cross threaded is better than no threaded!"😅😉
I understand your frustration. I used to come home from working on machine tools. And sound like you talking to my wife. I was told by her " shut up, thats how you make a living. Fixing break down weather it's neglecte or stupidity."
It sounds like the previous mechanic didn't peen out the knurled end enough once he was at the correct depth. Then when he turned the new plug into place, the whole insert spun itself deeper into the cylinder. With a plug design that is smaller than the big threaded hole for the insert, there was no increase in torque telling the mechanic he was done. This was by far your best video for me, I had no idea there are special plugs for this exact situation. If I ever find a plug like this in a car, it will be a clue that tells a longer story. And you gave me something more to worry about, if a valve is open when doing this. It means an extra step of finding TDC compression, and then moving 1/3 turn more to get almost to BDC on the compression stroke.
@@jthonn That's a good point, I wondered about that. So, we're relying on the locktite and the extra effort to peen the insert so that the new slim plug doesn't spin the insert when it is torqued down.... That might even happen at the next plug change.
I live in a town at the end of the world…and there’s less than 10 auto repair shops. 2 name brand auto shops to choose from, the rest are local shops. So, a simple tuneup was done @ this name brand auto shop on a Ford suv, I noticed a performance issue. Which led to a different problem, but the spark plugs were supposedly replaced? I pulled one spark plug to check the gap…and it was never replaced! But thank you for ur channel, I recommend u to everyone I know. And I’m a back-yard mechanic 😊
Modern engines the cylinder head ( If not the whole engine ) is alloy, it is softer than say cast iron, cross thread a spark plug and you are in TROUBLE!! Which is why my my garage will be changing mine, to Avoid a HUGE bill!!
@WrenchingWithKenny Just a helpful note for your viewers. Best practice is to use time-sert Kit 4412E-187 or similar from other manufactures specifically for tapered seats (gasket plug is a different insert part number) good mention about thread locker high temp Permatex, Loctite or Time-Sert p/n 6020 Locker & Sealer specifically high temp for spark plugs inserts as you show. Most techs will use regular thread locker, and this will burn out. This time-sert kit does not have the extra thick wall insert the Chinese kits do and will leave a thick aluminum cover over the insert inside the combustion chamber. On LS heads A lot of techs do not understand you should not go double oversize (Chinese inserts) on a LS cylinder head. The aluminum around the insert gets to thin and will not dissipate heat from the fast enough correctly. When this happens, the aluminum will literally melt away at the insert because the insert retains to much heat. Great video. I usually do not have may positive things to say about repair videos, but you nailed this one.
I wish the tool manufacturer put the part number for the two types of spark plugs you used. I just repaired my ford escape, the plugs are 7 inches down the hole with the twin over-head cam engine. And of course it was one of the back against the firewall plugs that blew out. Great video, wish I had seen it before my repair.
I paid 100$ for an install kit that has 1 of each length, the installer, and the peener. It works generally flawlessly. Being a Ford owner with a gen1 5.4 2 valve i have used my kit on my truck as well as customers 4.6 trucks. Having to do that on a Chevy is a rare occurrence.
Kenny. If you ever see the cheap tool kits that come with motorcycles, they’ll be a cheesy spark plug tool formed out of thin wall tubing that will fit down even the narrowest plug well. Providing you find the right size, it would be worth having them for this instance. They’re about a buck at a swap meet.
As always Kenny very professional job there the shade tree mechanic that did the previous work should have all his tools confiscated and never given back to him or her ! Great job Kenny ! Stay Safe! 👍👍
As a retired carpenter ...every guy is a virtue signaling liar that can pick apart the last guy's shady work and cover it up with even shadier work. Send one on a call-back and it gets crazy. Can't say the last guy was an idiot because it is him.
I agree, if I understand you correctly. When things are totally wrong and every job is botched, like this one, turn in your wrenches. Can't even install plugs without stripping them out, or splicing wires like a third grader. No offence to the third grader, because when I was a third grader, I guaranty I would have done better than that.@@mikeries8549
I've had problems with the Helicoil insert with the knurl. Came back out next time I removed the plug. Much prefer Time-serts they have a positive stop and won't thread further into the hole.
Another commonsense repair, thank you. I also saw that the back cylinder has a common LS problem also, broken exhaust manifold hold down bolt, I assume you fixed that also.
A great way to demonstrate the installation of the insert. You can easily see what could go wrong inside the engine. The only thing I will add is make sure you have the correct tap. I am a pipefitter, pipe taps are tapered (NPT = National Pipe Taper) and going backwards like Kenny did here would wreck the threads. So like Kenny did, make sure you have the right tap and things will go smoothly.
Just an FYI for when you order more scotchbtite pads, the 7448 (lt grey) is a bit less aggressive than the 7447 (maroon), or the 7447 pro pads your using. I couldn't tell if you were showing the pro pad or the regular 7447. The 7448 are about equivalent to the green sponge pads sold in grocery stores. And the 7440 ones work great for cleaning up the bead areas on cast rims when installing tires.
😅 . I'm sorry man. It just caught me. Not saying I've not done some stuff back in the day. But some of these are mind blowing. Doing a great job. Thanks for the vids.
Hi Kenny! Good work! There are threaded sleeves with a lip/flange at the top to stop the insert in the right place. Any views on this type? Many thanks!
Great spark plug fix video. The only thing I would recommend is considering “Joe X, the Rag Man” mechanic did this type of damage with these spark plugs, I would have the head X-Rayed for cracks in the combustion area of the head. Personal experience I had a crack when I did the exact repair you did.
I have been fixing cars etc for 37 years and have repaired plenty of plug threads with heli coils I have never had a issue ...just be careful the tang don't drop down cylinder when you break it off
I remember an apprentice using this tool on a Camero, insert went in and locked in fine. When he gave me the tool back I noticed a big chunk of the tap was missing. As you said about the 11:30 mark , valve was open , tap hit the valve breaking it and the valve. Had to take the head off
Looks like you're working on a GM minivan. Go through the wheel wells to gain access to the plugs. Especially the ones near the firewall. # 5 and 6. Drivers side,you gotta fumble with steering gear and brake lines. Passenger side,not to bad. You do gotta pull the wheels.
From experience, if a HELICOIL backs out, it is due to improper installation. The ends must be a minimum of one full thread deep for full contact so the end will dig into the thread when turning. Loctite is never used on a HELICOIL. I have seen quite a few that were installed with the bottom tang not broken off which is supposed to lock the thread when installing the bolt or spark plug. Also, on blind holes, if the insert is too long, it will begin to become a smaller thread at the bottom because the tap has a taper and when a long bolt is installed, it can cause the insert to back out when removing that bolt and it will lock into that taper portion giving incorrect torque. My old boss used to say to me that only 2 threads of an insert are needed to fully torque a bolt. That would be for me a do or die situation as I would want the proper length per bolt for security. I have always used HELICOIL. They were designed for aluminum threads I believe during WWII but I may be off about the exact time. I have never heard of an airframe failing due to one being installed. In my old guard unit, we had a massive genuine HELICOIL installation kit and it included go/no go gauges. You don't see that anymore. This may probably the reason they were allowed. Funny, I have never seen the actual instruction book that came with that kit but it covered just about any thread used in America. Only Uncle Sam could have afforded it.
Standard Helicoils aren’t pressure tight. Locktite is a thread sealant (but water glass (sodium silicate) or RTV would be better for high temperatures).
Bravo, I love watching a master mechanic fix stuff right. What does a repair like that cost labor not including parts? Approximately? You do fine work.
If I ask the same question at ANY shop the tech shrugs his shoulders. That's the signal for the secretary to check my credit score. Anything below 800 and they keep up the "stupidity act" hoping you'll just leave.
Do I seem angry about car repairs? If you'd went thru what I went thru to get a rear end swap. It was easier to just do it myself. Kenny? How much to swap a rear end on a dodge 4x4? GUESS.. Just take a wild guess
Interesting to see the insert being peined with a hammer the head sitting metal on metal on the work bench. The head made quite the sound when being dragged across the bench. A towel between each next time perhaps?.
Damn, this is painful to watch. I've actually installed one insert before, as correctly as I knew of at the time, and I never had any problems with it. I was *not* aware that you should use different flat bottom spark plugs with a gasket along with that sort of fix though, but it makes sense. Still, I had absolutely no problems with my repair. It probably helps a lot that I took machine shop in high school though, but yeah I wasn't aware of the different spark plugs that should be used with that fix. Thank you for sharing, today I learned a thing. 👍
@@oldschooldude8370 Oh? Okey dokey, gotcha. At least I didn't have any issues with my fix, my insert seated fine using the regular spark plug, and of course loctite and the flare punch tool.
This is the repair for it. You can use those inserts without pulling the head. Some folks blob grease on the end of the tap to catch shavings, it may not get them all, but it does work.
@@jthonn Thanks, one of the reasons why I'm "dreading" this job it's because of how tight it is to work on that particular cylinder. Working on your own cars is a blessing and a curse, lol!
You can do it, take your time, do it a step at a time. The feeling of success when you get done is awesome. Those engines for some reason are known for that. Make sure your timing is good and throw a new PVC in it. Good Luck!@@armandorojo4113
Thanks for the video. Question: If people put these inserts in with the head on, how do you keep or get all the shavings from the tap out of the cylinder? I would think you would always need to pull the head for this procedure?
Am thinking the problem with a Helicoil not sealing is that there is a coil above the coil below when the tab is broken off. The spark plug shown uses a tapered seat to seal. Can’t make contact all the way around. A bit concerned about same with the steel collar thread repair shown. But less concerned. The setting tool may form the top to create a sufficient flared seat.
Hi Kenny you should have pointed out that you did clean up the ragged edges of the tapped hole in the combustion chamber if you had left it ragged could it have possibly caused detonation?
For the original mechanic on this disaster: ACHTUNG!!! Das machine is nicht fur gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und corkenpoppen mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fur gewerken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepen hands in das pockets. Relaxen und vatch das blinkenlights!!! Keep the good stuff coming Kenny.
Was the special plug with the non-tapered seat just used as an installation tool? Can the regular factory plugs still be used in the repaired cylinder or must the special plug be used?
have used the same method to repair oil pan that lube shop stripped threads out of oil pan. and there is a drain plug that size of the spark plug threads
I'm surprised that the customer approved for Kenny to fix it... Trust in that shop now that he's showing the failure of the previous tech that touched it 😢
This shop Kenny is working with will now be the go-to shop in the area for trustworthy repairs 😮 Other shops that's up and coming should follow this if they want to get some word of mouth type of deal instead of advertising I know a few shops who never have to advertise and they're always busy
I was an automotive machinist for several years and this stuff didn't ever happen with cast iron. I have a 97 ford 150 with the 4.6 motor. it needs a tune-up but I'm afraid of what I might find if I changed the plugs. I do know that those inserts work in the 4.6 head about half of the time. they have a very thin wall and even ford has admitted that some of the problem is a hot spot that ended up because of the spark angle. any advice would be considered....
Nice job. If you got time to do a follow up on that Launch scanner with the wireless connector, I’d be interested in your opinion of that one vs the corded one in your list in the description.
I own a launch scanner with a wireless connection. There is also a longer extension for the wireless connection. I like my wireless scanner. You can sit in the shade and or be in the passenger side and watch the data.
@@2nickles647do you know where I can get a new cord for my launch scanner. I can't get any response from the manufacturer.i tried a couple of dealers but nothing from them. launch must be a Walmart product, use it and throw it away.
Thank you for sharing and I know you nee to justify the effort, but Oh the drama to justify pulling the head because the socket got jammed in the hole. A little scope inspection would have shown all the issues. Maybe difficult to pull that one insert out, but pulling the head without scoping? Turned a 2-3 hour job of backing out and replacing the insert into a full 1 day or maybe 2 day job with new head gasket and possibly new head bolts. Do you have a scope with side and rear camera? May be a good investment.
Once again always hand thread a spark plug at first to make sure it's threading right. You can tell if it's cross threaded. If it is stop and take it out and try again. Turn it counter clockwise until is drops down to the threads and you should be able to tighten it correctly and not cross thread.
You seriously have to watch some of these shops. I had a transmission that was starting to slip. So I changed it out for another one from the wrecking yard. The core I was offered at the wrecking yard was a joke. So I took my transmission to a rebuild shop. The service writer (Mike) refused to give me a quote. Saying that I need to leave the whole truck with him. As HE has to be the one to remove the transmission, rebuild it, and reinstall it. Only after I pressed him. He explained that the manufacturer may have put "the wrong transmission" in my truck to begin with (a truck that ran perfectly for 26 years). As well. I may have "improperly installed the wrong transmission from the wrecking yard," and he doesn't want to take "responsibility for any mistakes I may have made." The same (2nd) transmission that I was going to also have this fool rebuild. When all was said and done. I ended up rebuilding both transmissions myself. Watch yourselves out there, guys. There are a lot of slippery shops!
In residential house construction we call this job the high cost of cheap construction. The customer tried to hire a cheap mechanic will end up paying four times the cost in the long run. Ouch 😮
Well, saved the customer money, and fixed what should not have been broken in the first place. But you taught all of us how to use those inserts properly, and also tricks on how to use them as well.
U will be surprised how some places charge for something like this might be over the price of a new head
If that head was not repairable, I would have pulled the other and done a valve job, unless the thing had tons of miles on it. Then it would be finding a set at a wrecker yard. Yikes@@whiskeyfamily6717
That is why you use anti seize on plug threads
It amazes me when people botch things up, you know when a spark plug is on the wrong thread still creates work for someone. Another great video Kenny.
Your a good man SIR! I'm glad to see you could help them instead of sell them another cyl head.. or send off to a machine shop...
Kenny a proper old school mechanic , but also knows his way around electrics and computer diagnostics
Thank you for your kind words & for watching the channel. Keep wrenching 🔧
"First, do no harm!" I have a short handle Snap-On ratchet I have had in my tool box for years. It is great for installing spark plugs and not over torquing them. I am amazed at the 80 foot pounds people put on a spark plug.
Yeah, they superman tighten them, so when you go to pull one out, it's a nightmare.
@@jthonn same with 10mm valve cover bolts. No wonder the valve covers leak. Of course the modern cars with plastic crap everywhere make over torqued bolts a real issue.
I've also got a ling spark plug boot, from some long ago tune up, that I use to start plugs in the threads. ( a piece of heater hose will also work.)
Gap them, the a little anti-seize on the upper threads (so it doesn't get in the cylinder and ruin an O2 sensor), then start them with something that helps keep them straight and won't let you cross thread them.
Years ago, I had an Escort that had to have the spark plug threads repaired. My local machine shop put an insert in from the valve side stopping right at the taper surface so that the original type plug would still seal. He somehow locked in the insert to where it would resist coming loose while installing the plug, but the taper seat would not let it come out while removing the plug. The repair gave no problems for as long as I knew the car's history. Thanks Kenny, for showing DYIers how to avoid making common mistakes.
After the repair Kenny made, I am almost positive original type plugs will work fine. He fixed it right.
Great job Kenny, I love these kind of repairs it's the oldschool mechanic magic
BS!
Glad you showed the red scotch bright. I bought the green. Didn't know there was a red very fine. Thanks Kenny!
I learnt very early on, hand fit everything threaded before using a wrench or gun, especially spark plugs etc. If you have to use a socket to run it in, still do it by hand, saves a lot of time because you don’t go wrong.
And old airplane mechanic told me you can't cross thread anything by hand. If it doesn't turn in by hand fix what's wrong.
That makes good sense.
Leaned that early on too .. early teens. Was told to always use your hands when putting a plug in. that was After i fucked the head on the mower. a good life lesson. cheers.
Dude, this is great! I have always let the machinist handle this type of situation but I love seeing how it is done.
I’m about to embark on a journey that I should have taken decades ago, I’m going to train to become a certified master mechanic/ technician. Since watching your videos, I will have a wide open calm mindset to help me deal with difficult situations.
Good luck I hope it goes well for you
God speed on your adventure mate.
Wear a chemical respirator, paint spray mask, VOC filter when dealing with gas, carb cleaner, solvents…I worked in a machine shop that did all the work for the city bus system. Everyone else’s hands shook constantly from the solvents. I’m 6 months away from my 70th birthday, and mine don’t shake. Same with dust, cars get nasty dust all over everything. Better to learn about electric cars, not even close in the amount of poisonous substances used to work on them, or manufacture them either. Use your head, save your lungs and brain for family and friends. The full on respirator with the chemical canister filters, nothing less my friend. To hell with those that laugh at you, all those guys at the shop are dead now….
@@5400bowen > Better to learn about electric cars, not even close in the amount of poisonous substances used to work on them, or manufacture them either.
Only chemicals not present in an electric car but present in a gas car are engine oil and fuel. Still have coolant, gear oils, refrigerants, brake fluid, brake dust, and road grime, and it's all basically the same formulas. Oh and arc flash hazard as a bonus, so get your arc flash PPE too.
@@treelineresearch3387 I worked in a machine shop…gasoline and motor oil are used in massive quantities daily. Those other fluids are maintenance items that use about 1/10,000 as much volume, and are not nearly as bad as gasoline. How much brake fluid, coolant, transmission fluid and AC coolant do you think the world goes through in a year? And how much gas and oil in that same year? Gasoline cars catch on fire all the time, electric cars (a brand new technology competing with century old one) don’t catch fire any more than gas cars, and gasoline fires are just as bad. Rolling Molotov cocktails is what they are. Then there is the exhaust…Elecyric cars use less than half as much gear oil because their transmissions are 1/20 as complicated and large as a ICE car. The entire engine/transmission/ final drive of an electric vehicle is about the size of the entire engine in an ICE. And no noise, or exhaust….
What a great and informative video, thank you for taking the time to record and explain what you're doing!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching🔧
I don't know how often you replace the spare plugs on a 3 valve V8 Ford, but this works for me.
Get all your tools handy and at the ready. Warm up the engine. QUICKLY remove the coils. Spray you best rust penetrant down on top of the plugs. At least 1-2 inches of fluid. Crack the plugs loose 1/8-1/4 of a turn. Let the engine cool down for 1-2 hours. 2 is better.
Work the plugs back and forth with the engine cool. A breaker bar works best. Then slowly remove the spark plugs.
You should get them all out without breaking anything. Just remember to blow out the penetrant with the plugs removed. Don't want to hydro lock the engine, or fill the shop up with smoke.)
Hey there brother Kenny, this was a great video. You did an incredible job for your customer!
I am super impressed especially as an old timer that has used Heli-Coils. There's no room to fix threads in van and I would have thought head was junk. ALL of Kenny's thoughts and procedures I know are correct right down to Red Threadlocker. Excellent save and I learned a bunch from Kenny. Been following this true mechanic and now a faithful subscriber.
I agree@@jefffrayer8238
A true engineer! not a mechanic or fitter. Great work
I can’t get enough of your videos. Love the content. Thanks
Appreciate it! Thanks for watching
Another great job and saved your customer! Thanks Kenny
That's why I carry multiple spark plug or regular deep sockets of the same size. Some are deeper than others or a little shorter to clear something or have a thinner wall to fit where they have to. Great video, very informative and detailed.
I’ve learned so much from your videos, I and everyone that watches your videos appreciate you for teaching us the correct way to do the work we thought we knew we could do. .👍yes 👍👍👍👍keep up the great work and the videos . Yes yes job well done.
Glad to hear it! I really enjoy sharing what I know. Thanks for watching and keep wrenchin 🔧🔧
As a former tech, I am amazed at some of the "butchers". You almost have to work at it to cross thread a plug. We had a saying back in the day when encountering priorly cross threaded items accomplished by hacks, their motto must be "cross threaded is better than no threaded!"😅😉
The correct term is crossthreded is better than lock tight
Impact wrench hacks best friend. I'm sick of fools on TH-cam using power tools on aluminum and plastic.
I understand your frustration. I used to come home from working on machine tools. And sound like you talking to my wife. I was told by her " shut up, thats how you make a living. Fixing break down weather it's neglecte or stupidity."
It sounds like the previous mechanic didn't peen out the knurled end enough once he was at the correct depth. Then when he turned the new plug into place, the whole insert spun itself deeper into the cylinder. With a plug design that is smaller than the big threaded hole for the insert, there was no increase in torque telling the mechanic he was done. This was by far your best video for me, I had no idea there are special plugs for this exact situation. If I ever find a plug like this in a car, it will be a clue that tells a longer story. And you gave me something more to worry about, if a valve is open when doing this. It means an extra step of finding TDC compression, and then moving 1/3 turn more to get almost to BDC on the compression stroke.
Not a mechanic. 😅
Those plugs he used to install were different that the new plugs he put in. Once he fixed that mess, he could put the factory like plugs back in.
@@jthonn That's a good point, I wondered about that. So, we're relying on the locktite and the extra effort to peen the insert so that the new slim plug doesn't spin the insert when it is torqued down.... That might even happen at the next plug change.
I hate to say it, but that thing I don't think will last to the next plug change.@@spelunkerd
Others chiming in for a different repair kit, Time serts?
Lock n stitch are by far the best thread repair kits available
Great video. Never seen a good spark plug video before.
Thanks!
Nothing is more fun than fixing threads that are messed up!
Nice work Kenny saving that head. A shame it had to go that far, but at least it's fixed.
I live in a town at the end of the world…and there’s less than 10 auto repair shops. 2 name brand auto shops to choose from, the rest are local shops. So, a simple tuneup was done @ this name brand auto shop on a Ford suv, I noticed a performance issue. Which led to a different problem, but the spark plugs were supposedly replaced? I pulled one spark plug to check the gap…and it was never replaced! But thank you for ur channel, I recommend u to everyone I know. And I’m a back-yard mechanic 😊
Modern engines the cylinder head ( If not the whole engine ) is alloy, it is softer than say cast iron, cross thread a spark plug and you are in TROUBLE!! Which is why my my garage will be changing mine, to Avoid a HUGE bill!!
Awesome work, thank you for showing the fixes. I use red scotch bright with some wd-40 for cleaning up aluminum heads.
A fine job ,especially the shop made tools.
Good save right there, glad you shared it very interesting 👍
Time-Sert makes a very nice kit to repair these permanently. I have used the kit extensively on Triton engines that blow the plug out.
Great video Kenny. Thanks for sharing. I always learn something new from your videos. Cheers.
Great job patience and enguinuity
@WrenchingWithKenny Just a helpful note for your viewers. Best practice is to use time-sert Kit 4412E-187 or similar from other manufactures specifically for tapered seats (gasket plug is a different insert part number) good mention about thread locker high temp Permatex, Loctite or Time-Sert p/n 6020 Locker & Sealer specifically high temp for spark plugs inserts as you show. Most techs will use regular thread locker, and this will burn out. This time-sert kit does not have the extra thick wall insert the Chinese kits do and will leave a thick aluminum cover over the insert inside the combustion chamber. On LS heads A lot of techs do not understand you should not go double oversize (Chinese inserts) on a LS cylinder head. The aluminum around the insert gets to thin and will not dissipate heat from the fast enough correctly. When this happens, the aluminum will literally melt away at the insert because the insert retains to much heat. Great video. I usually do not have may positive things to say about repair videos, but you nailed this one.
I wish the tool manufacturer put the part number for the two types of spark plugs you used. I just repaired my ford escape, the plugs are 7 inches down the hole with the twin over-head cam engine. And of course it was one of the back against the firewall plugs that blew out. Great video, wish I had seen it before my repair.
I paid 100$ for an install kit that has 1 of each length, the installer, and the peener. It works generally flawlessly. Being a Ford owner with a gen1 5.4 2 valve i have used my kit on my truck as well as customers 4.6 trucks. Having to do that on a Chevy is a rare occurrence.
Looks like you got it figured out. Great work.
Excellent video! I hope I never need any of these thread inserts, but it's nice to know they exist.
BTW i have the same Snapon flex head (metal handle) and love it. At this point it is over 30 years old and is still my GOTO
Very good video, thanks Kenny for all the knowledge you give out, blessings for a good week.😎☮️✌️✅
Kenny. If you ever see the cheap tool kits that come with motorcycles, they’ll be a cheesy spark plug tool formed out of thin wall tubing that will fit down even the narrowest plug well. Providing you find the right size, it would be worth having them for this instance. They’re about a buck at a swap meet.
Nice to see someone still fix something now days. doesn't happen near as much as it used to.
As always Kenny very professional job there the shade tree mechanic that did the previous work should have all his tools confiscated and never given back to him or her ! Great job Kenny ! Stay Safe! 👍👍
Well, I wouldn't use the term shade tree, I would simply say idiot.
@@jthonn Well I was being nice but yea that sums the person up very well
Yeah that was kind of ugly, sorry@@victorjeffers1993
As a retired carpenter ...every guy is a virtue signaling liar that can pick apart the last guy's shady work and cover it up with even shadier work.
Send one on a call-back and it gets crazy. Can't say the last guy was an idiot because it is him.
I agree, if I understand you correctly. When things are totally wrong and every job is botched, like this one, turn in your wrenches. Can't even install plugs without stripping them out, or splicing wires like a third grader. No offence to the third grader, because when I was a third grader, I guaranty I would have done better than that.@@mikeries8549
70k Kenny! Good channel! Always quality content!
Nice job on the insert. Ran a machine shop for many years and i always used red Loctite on them,none ever came back.
I've had problems with the Helicoil insert with the knurl. Came back out next time I removed the plug. Much prefer Time-serts they have a positive stop and won't thread further into the hole.
Still HIGHLY recommend using time-sert as they have a "thread roller for straightening out slightly damaged threads
Yes. The timeserts are quite good. The steel inserts like in the video are junk.
Good job Kenny! You're the man!
Another commonsense repair, thank you. I also saw that the back cylinder has a common LS problem also, broken exhaust manifold hold down bolt, I assume you fixed that also.
A great way to demonstrate the installation of the insert. You can easily see what could go wrong inside the engine.
The only thing I will add is make sure you have the correct tap. I am a pipefitter, pipe taps are tapered (NPT = National Pipe Taper) and going backwards like Kenny did here would wreck the threads. So like Kenny did, make sure you have the right tap and things will go smoothly.
Just an FYI for when you order more scotchbtite pads, the 7448 (lt grey) is a bit less aggressive than the 7447 (maroon), or the 7447 pro pads your using. I couldn't tell if you were showing the pro pad or the regular 7447. The 7448 are about equivalent to the green sponge pads sold in grocery stores. And the 7440 ones work great for cleaning up the bead areas on cast rims when installing tires.
😅 . I'm sorry man. It just caught me.
Not saying I've not done some stuff back in the day. But some of these are mind blowing.
Doing a great job. Thanks for the vids.
I like this kind of vid. Thx Kenny.
Hi Kenny! Good work!
There are threaded sleeves with a lip/flange at the top to stop the insert in the right place. Any views on this type? Many thanks!
Great spark plug fix video. The only thing I would recommend is considering “Joe X, the Rag Man” mechanic did this type of damage with these spark plugs, I would have the head X-Rayed for cracks in the combustion area of the head. Personal experience I had a crack when I did the exact repair you did.
Not sure that old van was worth all of that, if it was you could just replace the heads.
I have been fixing cars etc for 37 years and have repaired plenty of plug threads with heli coils I have never had a issue ...just be careful the tang don't drop down cylinder when you break it off
I remember an apprentice using this tool on a Camero, insert went in and locked in fine. When he gave me the tool back I noticed a big chunk of the tap was missing. As you said about the 11:30 mark , valve was open , tap hit the valve breaking it and the valve. Had to take the head off
DRAG, aww man
Great job, i do the same way, but i use bearing mount.(should never come back out😅)
There is NO SUCH THING as COMMON SENSE. If Sense was Common, everyone would have it!!!😉
Good point
Looks like you're working on a GM minivan. Go through the wheel wells to gain access to the plugs. Especially the ones near the firewall. # 5 and 6. Drivers side,you gotta fumble with steering gear and brake lines. Passenger side,not to bad. You do gotta pull the wheels.
From experience, if a HELICOIL backs out, it is due to improper installation. The ends must be a minimum of one full thread deep for full contact so the end will dig into the thread when turning. Loctite is never used on a HELICOIL. I have seen quite a few that were installed with the bottom tang not broken off which is supposed to lock the thread when installing the bolt or spark plug. Also, on blind holes, if the insert is too long, it will begin to become a smaller thread at the bottom because the tap has a taper and when a long bolt is installed, it can cause the insert to back out when removing that bolt and it will lock into that taper portion giving incorrect torque. My old boss used to say to me that only 2 threads of an insert are needed to fully torque a bolt. That would be for me a do or die situation as I would want the proper length per bolt for security. I have always used HELICOIL. They were designed for aluminum threads I believe during WWII but I may be off about the exact time. I have never heard of an airframe failing due to one being installed. In my old guard unit, we had a massive genuine HELICOIL installation kit and it included go/no go gauges. You don't see that anymore. This may probably the reason they were allowed. Funny, I have never seen the actual instruction book that came with that kit but it covered just about any thread used in America. Only Uncle Sam could have afforded it.
Standard Helicoils aren’t pressure tight. Locktite is a thread sealant (but water glass (sodium silicate) or RTV would be better for high temperatures).
Amazing work
Epic save!
Thank you, very informative information
and interesting content. Thanks again
Bravo, I love watching a master mechanic fix stuff right. What does a repair like that cost labor not including parts? Approximately? You do fine work.
If I ask the same question at ANY shop the tech shrugs his shoulders. That's the signal for the secretary to check my credit score. Anything below 800 and they keep up the "stupidity act" hoping you'll just leave.
Do I seem angry about car repairs?
If you'd went thru what I went thru to get a rear end swap. It was easier to just do it myself.
Kenny? How much to swap a rear end on a dodge 4x4?
GUESS.. Just take a wild guess
Do you use solvent like Berrymans B12 with the scotch brite pad to clean the gasket surfaces?
Thanks for the video!
Would you try to clean up the carboned up exhaust valve before reassembly?
Interesting to see the insert being peined with a hammer the head sitting metal on metal on the work bench. The head made quite the sound when being dragged across the bench. A towel between each next time perhaps?.
My grandpa had motor mounts done on his Astro. The "mechanic" welded them to the frame instead of taking the time to install the 3 bolts.
What a mess, you did good on the repair, if I were the owner, I would have replaced the heads. Be done with it. Good video
I agree, but the van may not have been worth all that.
Damn, this is painful to watch. I've actually installed one insert before, as correctly as I knew of at the time, and I never had any problems with it. I was *not* aware that you should use different flat bottom spark plugs with a gasket along with that sort of fix though, but it makes sense.
Still, I had absolutely no problems with my repair. It probably helps a lot that I took machine shop in high school though, but yeah I wasn't aware of the different spark plugs that should be used with that fix.
Thank you for sharing, today I learned a thing. 👍
He only needed the different plug to seat the sleeve.
@@oldschooldude8370 Oh? Okey dokey, gotcha. At least I didn't have any issues with my fix, my insert seated fine using the regular spark plug, and of course loctite and the flare punch tool.
I'm dealing with something similar, 4.6L Ford, number 4 cylinder (of course the hardest one), it blew out the plug, ugh!
This is the repair for it. You can use those inserts without pulling the head. Some folks blob grease on the end of the tap to catch shavings, it may not get them all, but it does work.
@@jthonn Thanks, one of the reasons why I'm "dreading" this job it's because of how tight it is to work on that particular cylinder. Working on your own cars is a blessing and a curse, lol!
You can do it, take your time, do it a step at a time. The feeling of success when you get done is awesome. Those engines for some reason are known for that. Make sure your timing is good and throw a new PVC in it. Good Luck!@@armandorojo4113
Thanks for the video. Question: If people put these inserts in with the head on, how do you keep or get all the shavings from the tap out of the cylinder? I would think you would always need to pull the head for this procedure?
They'll get blown out through the exhaust valve in the first couple of seconds after starting the engine.
You are 100%right👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Am thinking the problem with a Helicoil not sealing is that there is a coil above the coil below when the tab is broken off. The spark plug shown uses a tapered seat to seal. Can’t make contact all the way around. A bit concerned about same with the steel collar thread repair shown. But less concerned. The setting tool may form the top to create a sufficient flared seat.
I would be concerned that the rough edge where that sleeve was in the spark plug hole would create a hotspot and cause predetonation. Just a thought.
possibly, but I think he is alright, I would have just smoothed it out a bit, not that it really matters
Time sert have inserts for taperseat plugs excellent repair system
Nice video, I can see why you get 10,000 views a day.
Hi Kenny you should have pointed out that you did clean up the ragged edges of the tapped hole in the combustion chamber if you had left it ragged could it have possibly caused detonation?
Great job
I have a 98 f150 with the 4.6. What tool would you suggest to remove a broken seized plug?
Kenny; 4:49, If I'm not mistaken, that's an intake valve.
anybody else yelling at the screen "Lube it!!" ??? LOL
For the original mechanic on this disaster:
ACHTUNG!!!
Das machine is nicht fur gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und corkenpoppen mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fur gewerken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepen hands in das pockets. Relaxen und vatch das blinkenlights!!!
Keep the good stuff coming Kenny.
The translation to English still didn't work 😢
this is not a translation, it's a joke.
@@johnnylightning1491 still didn't make sense when it was being translated to English
Was the special plug with the non-tapered seat just used as an installation tool? Can the regular factory plugs still be used in the repaired cylinder or must the special plug be used?
Good question, I thought he went back with the factory like plugs after the repair, maybe I'm wrong.
Yes, the OEM tapered plug can be used after the repair.
As shown, he used the flat edge of the " install plug " to properly seat the helicoils
Those usually come with a install tool. What reason would you not use that id there is one?
have used the same method to repair oil pan that lube shop stripped threads out of oil pan. and there is a drain plug that size of the spark plug threads
You can do that, but many times you can rethread up to the next size bolt. Although, if it's spark plug size, that is huge, so maybe not.
So soothing
It still amazes me how many people are still out there that have no idea on how to work on vehicles
That is fine, as long as they don't work on them.
Holy crap! How many shops would have pulled that turd out of the garage asap and told the customer good luck.
I'm surprised that the customer approved for Kenny to fix it... Trust in that shop now that he's showing the failure of the previous tech that touched it 😢
This shop Kenny is working with will now be the go-to shop in the area for trustworthy repairs 😮
Other shops that's up and coming should follow this if they want to get some word of mouth type of deal instead of advertising
I know a few shops who never have to advertise and they're always busy
I was an automotive machinist for several years and this stuff didn't ever happen with cast iron. I have a 97 ford 150 with the 4.6 motor. it needs a tune-up but I'm afraid of what I might find if I changed the plugs. I do know that those inserts work in the 4.6 head about half of the time. they have a very thin wall and even ford has admitted that some of the problem is a hot spot that ended up because of the spark angle. any advice would be considered....
Nice job. If you got time to do a follow up on that Launch scanner with the wireless connector, I’d be interested in your opinion of that one vs the corded one in your list in the description.
I own a launch scanner with a wireless connection. There is also a longer extension for the wireless connection.
I like my wireless scanner. You can sit in the shade and or be in the passenger side and watch the data.
@@2nickles647 Which model do you have, if you don’t mind my asking.
@@2nickles647do you know where I can get a new cord for my launch scanner. I can't get any response from the manufacturer.i tried a couple of dealers but nothing from them. launch must be a Walmart product, use it and throw it away.
I always used fuel hose to screw the plug in by hand than tighten it
That s a great idea
Thank you for sharing and I know you nee to justify the effort, but Oh the drama to justify pulling the head because the socket got jammed in the hole. A little scope inspection would have shown all the issues. Maybe difficult to pull that one insert out, but pulling the head without scoping? Turned a 2-3 hour job of backing out and replacing the insert into a full 1 day or maybe 2 day job with new head gasket and possibly new head bolts. Do you have a scope with side and rear camera? May be a good investment.
There was a spark plug stuck in the hole...
What a mess. Head is off, replace the head and move on with life. That was a nice repair though.
Once again always hand thread a spark plug at first to make sure it's threading right. You can tell if it's cross threaded. If it is stop and take it out and try again. Turn it counter clockwise until is drops down to the threads and you should be able to tighten it correctly and not cross thread.
You seriously have to watch some of these shops. I had a transmission that was starting to slip. So I changed it out for another one from the wrecking yard. The core I was offered at the wrecking yard was a joke. So I took my transmission to a rebuild shop. The service writer (Mike) refused to give me a quote. Saying that I need to leave the whole truck with him. As HE has to be the one to remove the transmission, rebuild it, and reinstall it. Only after I pressed him. He explained that the manufacturer may have put "the wrong transmission" in my truck to begin with (a truck that ran perfectly for 26 years). As well. I may have "improperly installed the wrong transmission from the wrecking yard," and he doesn't want to take "responsibility for any mistakes I may have made." The same (2nd) transmission that I was going to also have this fool rebuild. When all was said and done. I ended up rebuilding both transmissions myself. Watch yourselves out there, guys. There are a lot of slippery shops!
In residential house construction we call this job the high cost of cheap construction. The customer tried to hire a cheap mechanic will end up paying four times the cost in the long run. Ouch 😮