[s-cars] Thanksgiving Misadventure

[brian hoeft]

I am AAA platinum plus and wouldn't have it any other way, great insurance.

Before I forget, regarding your valve cover. I recently replaced a valve
cover gasket set on an AAN and it was quite frustrating. The design of the
gasket doesn't lend itself to a confident seating of the gasket unless
maneuvered into place well. Do yourself a favor and get an OE one from the
dealer. Meisterstatz (was almost plastic) and Victor Reinz (didn't fit, too
big) were terrible for the AAN and the dealer hit was double at 40 or 50
bucks if I remember, but well worth it for fit and texture of the gasket.

Regarding your other question; with 8 full threads I would expect it to
hold, but if it does pop, you're kind of in the same position you were
expecting, so I'd say the risk/reward potential is worth it. I would make
sure it's as clean as possible from the seat, to the threads, to the
cylinder. I would also sacrifice an old spark plug or two to try and test
the seat and threads. Also, i'm hoping all the negative talk on a helicoil
kit is because it's a spark plug application. We heli-coil stripped holes
all the time at the shop with great success.

Also, I've never had it come to this for concern of conductivity and future
removal, but I know of some tech's (Ford in particular, SVT Lightning at
that) that use high temp loc-tite as a preventative measure for particular
models. Personally I love my lubro-moly anti-seize and would hope you can
get your (?21?23? ft.lbs.) torque on and keep it that way.

I've never seen a coil live through something sounding that bad, but if
it's blown the wiring is very simple, especially if you're only doing one.

Good luck Keith


On Sun, Dec 4, 2011 at 6:37 PM, Keith Franchetti <skidfranc at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi All-
>
> Quick update. Car came back home today finally via AAA, without my
> even having to be there for pickup or here for dropoff!!!  Excellent
> service, I have to say. And very good service on the phone too.
>
> I gave a big update last Sunday, which I guess got stuck with the
> moderator since it was too big.  I guess it's still stuck in the
> moderator's filter.
>
> Looks like your were right Bob, in saying the valve cover gasket must
> me shot.  What I thought was fuel all over the place is now looking
> more like oil.  I don't smell any gas in the oil.
>
> Though the threads on the spark plug are badly melted on one side, I
> used the thread chaser in the spark plug hole, and I seem to have a
> good 8 threads holding the plug in.  (Though I'm not completely
> convinced I have a nice surface to seat the plug against).  I checked
> one of the undamaged plugs, and that seems to have about 11 full turns
> holding it in.  Who thinks 8 threads will be enough?  What is the
> downside to trying it with 8.  I was thinking idle it for a while.
> Check torque.  If it has held, drive gently for a few minutes.  Check
> torque again. Drive a little longer and harder, etc. until I feel
> convinced it's going to hold torque.
>
> Plan is to try to change out the valve cover gasket, vacuum out the
> combustion chamber as best I can, put a new boot on (replacing the
> completely destroyed one), but find out if the old cold is working or
> dead.  Change coil too if need be (if I can figure out the wiring).
> See if she fires up.
>
> I might find out the damage to the spark plug hole is significant
> enough that I need to try the time-sert solution, maybe even pulling
> the head along the way.  But does anyone see a huge potential downside
> to trying this first?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Keith
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-- 
*       -Brian*
      [blinders off&ear <http://208.53.138.125:8068/>plugs out]