... is helicoil ok to use? i got a stripped sparkplug hole from the previous owner, the only fix i know is to helicoil it. any other suggestions? and should i loctite it? is it too hot for that stuff? should i get some hi-temp stuff? is there hi-temp stuff? thanks in advance.

 

I would not recommend it. However if you are not running turbo or nitrous you should be ok. I've seen them blow out of every forced induction they were used in. That is my only experience. If it is a turbo car, pull the head and have a had service shop come out and tap it for you. It usually costs about $170. Can you pull the head off yourself?

 

hmmm... i can pull the head myself, and having worked in a machine shop i know that being a lil off can mean alot, i think my option is limited to pulling the head and having a machine shop tap it out for me. just like you said. then i thought i could helicoil it. it is a daily driver, nothing special, no turbo, supercharger, nitrous... just pt a to pt b, big trips and occational trick car. stock is best for a guy like me.

also it is a higher milage car at 133k so i don't want to go all out on a fix

 

Find a new head, because even if they will tap it out, you will not be able to put a new plug in, if the thread is really bad. Sorry to hear about this. This is just one of those things that could cost you a lot if attention is not paid. What ever guy before you that did this should be shot, or tickled to death, I do not care.

 

yeah this sucks. in all my years of wrenching (which ain't much) i have not stripped a sparkplug hole. i think i might go for the helicoil idea, if not an even more ghetto idea... jb weld. jb is a conductor right? i sure hope so...

new head hunting could be fun though... but that costs $$$

 

to answer my own ?, there is a kit that is sold in auto parts stores. it has a tap, some helicoil with the lil gripper texture thingy and probably a set of instructions. at a low low price of about 28 bucks... or was it 38 bucks? i think it was 28. anyhows i think i'll be taking the head off and using the kit to re-new life in my baby protege b/f it gets too cold. for those with a well stocked tap kit, yall could spend like a coupla bucks on some high grade helicoil.

 

helicoil should be fine for a ptA2ptB car. I've on;y seen problems on forced induction set ups. Cheers.