What should I do if my spark plug blew out?
What should I do if my spark plug blew out?
Q: Yesterday I was driving home and a spark plug blew right out of the cylinder head. The car was towed to the shop where I’d had a tuneup the day before — which included changing the spark plugs. The mechanic said he could repair the threads, but my uncle says the cylinder head is ruined and the mechanic should replace it at his expense.
How do you thread a spark plug head?
Warning: Installing a Helicoil or other threaded insert looks simple — but it’s not. Any readers out there who wish to attempt it might want to practice a couple of times on scrap parts. Start by threading the special Helicoil tap into the remaining threads in the head.
Why does spark plug come out of cylinder head?
When a spark plug has had a chance to marry a cylinder head for 100,000 miles, it’s not uncommon for the aluminum threads to come out of the head with the plug. (I pull and inspect plugs every couple of years and reinstall them with a small dab of antiseize compound, but that’s another column.)
More than likely, the plug is still in the wire/coil boot. Ask to see the plug or what’s left of it. You can pay $50 and have it towed to get a second opinio. If a spark plug blew out of a head, it usually means the spark plug threads in the head were ripped out also. And since these are aluminum heads, this is probably what has happened.
Can a blown out plug on a TIME SERT be repaired?
The only damage a blown out plug normally causes is either a Time-sert or Heli coil is installed to repair the threads. I have have found the ear broken off of the coil in engines with “coil-over” plug configuration. But I’ve found these can be fixed if you want to take the time. I suppose there could be other freak damage, but it’s unlikely.
Can a spark plug come out of an engine?
Thank you for your time. A spark plug blowing out of an engine will not destroy it. If the spark plug came apart and a chunk of the plug fell inside the cylinder then yes severe damage can occur.
What happens if spark plug blows out of head?
If a spark plug blew out of a head, it usually means the spark plug threads in the head were ripped out also. And since these are aluminum heads, this is probably what has happened. The question then becomes, is it worth it to remove the heads on a vehicle with a 188,000 miles on it to repair one spark plug hole?
More than likely, the plug is still in the wire/coil boot. Ask to see the plug or what’s left of it. You can pay $50 and have it towed to get a second opinio. If a spark plug blew out of a head, it usually means the spark plug threads in the head were ripped out also. And since these are aluminum heads, this is probably what has happened.
The only damage a blown out plug normally causes is either a Time-sert or Heli coil is installed to repair the threads. I have have found the ear broken off of the coil in engines with “coil-over” plug configuration. But I’ve found these can be fixed if you want to take the time. I suppose there could be other freak damage, but it’s unlikely.
Thank you for your time. A spark plug blowing out of an engine will not destroy it. If the spark plug came apart and a chunk of the plug fell inside the cylinder then yes severe damage can occur.
What causes a spark plug to blow out?
A loose spark plug, especially one that is held in above with an ignition coil can vibrate and damage aluminum threads. It actually would do less damage if it were allowed to back on out without being held by the coil. So a loose spark plug is the most common cause of a spark plug blowout.
Q: Yesterday I was driving home and a spark plug blew right out of the cylinder head. The car was towed to the shop where I’d had a tuneup the day before — which included changing the spark plugs. The mechanic said he could repair the threads, but my uncle says the cylinder head is ruined and the mechanic should replace it at his expense.
When a spark plug has had a chance to marry a cylinder head for 100,000 miles, it’s not uncommon for the aluminum threads to come out of the head with the plug. (I pull and inspect plugs every couple of years and reinstall them with a small dab of antiseize compound, but that’s another column.)
What to do if spark plug threads come out?
There are several types of repair inserts, but we prefer Helicoils. I’d give your mechanic a shot at fixing the threads before I held his feet to the fire. When a spark plug has had a chance to marry a cylinder head for 100,000 miles, it’s not uncommon for the aluminum threads to come out of the head with the plug.
If a spark plug blew out of a head, it usually means the spark plug threads in the head were ripped out also. And since these are aluminum heads, this is probably what has happened. The question then becomes, is it worth it to remove the heads on a vehicle with a 188,000 miles on it to repair one spark plug hole?
What happens when the spark plug ejects in a Ford?
When the spark plug ejects, the cylinder head becomes damaged, necessitating repair of the spark plug port threads, or replacement of the cylinder head and cylinder head gasket. Ford has recommended a method of repair for the cylinder head that prevents the spark plug from ejecting under future use.
There are several types of repair inserts, but we prefer Helicoils. I’d give your mechanic a shot at fixing the threads before I held his feet to the fire. When a spark plug has had a chance to marry a cylinder head for 100,000 miles, it’s not uncommon for the aluminum threads to come out of the head with the plug.
