[s-cars] Thanksgiving Misadventure

Mon Dec 5 20:07:02 PST 2011

Hi Keith & Brian & Bob & Abe:
I think you're good with 8 threads.  Just a hunch.
Related, I have a theory on AAN plugs.  There's been so much talk about
torquing/re-torquing them, only to result in so many listers having them
come loose...  My own experience is that the plug-well in the head is
tapered at the bottom such that most all sockets will bind against the head
casting itself and return an erroneously high torque value when the plug is
really not very tight at all.
My hand-me-down socket binds, my son's Craftsman socket binds, the hardware
store one binds, the tool truck one binds... it was not until I bought a
Snap-On one from the truck that happened to be at the filling station did I
find a socket that clears reliably.  They have thinner walls and an overall
thinner diameter.
So that's my $.02 -- I think I have perfected plug-dom.  Put it in, tighten
to 20-22, and drive!
Steve, comin' out of hiding and sharing tight commentary in Seattle, Voit
95.5 S6 140k

Message: 2
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2011 18:37:51 -0500
From: Keith Franchetti <skidfranc at gmail.com>
To: s-car list <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Cc: Robert Rossato <rossato.qlist at gmail.com>, Abe Berman
	<yellowcuda at gmail.com>
Subject: [s-cars] Thanksgiving Misadventure
Message-ID:
	<CAGfhCbH-dnhCTEwRavxqKStxyJG7+hX2vpz2x82ZfUMbGNfcGA at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

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

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2011 22:50:34 -0500
From: brian hoeft <qweblog at gmail.com>
To: Keith Franchetti <skidfranc at gmail.com>
Cc: Robert Rossato <rossato.qlist at gmail.com>, Abe Berman
	<yellowcuda at gmail.com>,	s-car list <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Thanksgiving Misadventure
Message-ID:
	<CALc=9XhhLUZBv3rriL7BKkASJo5pEjpoiWNQUoM4aWuBDgM1oA at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

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
> _______________________________________________
> S-CAR-List mailing list
> http://audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
> http://www.audifans.com/kb/List_information
>

-- 
*       -Brian*
      [blinders off&ear <http://208.53.138.125:8068/>plugs out]

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2011 06:43:13 -0500
From: Keith Franchetti <skidfranc at gmail.com>
To: brian hoeft <qweblog at gmail.com>
Cc: Robert Rossato <rossato.qlist at gmail.com>, Abe Berman
	<yellowcuda at gmail.com>,	s-car list <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Thanksgiving Misadventure
Message-ID: <1DD38827-E059-42D3-BD0A-7AC836C54987 at gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=us-ascii

Thanks much, Brian!  Great stuff. I'll keep you posted. 

Keith

On Dec 4, 2011, at 10:50 PM, brian hoeft <qweblog at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
> _______________________________________________
> S-CAR-List mailing list
> http://audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
> http://www.audifans.com/kb/List_information
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
>        -Brian
>       [blinders off&earplugs out]

------------------------------

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