Miata Mailing List: October 1993, Message #212
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   From: Andy Poling 
Subject: Re: Head R&R
   Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1993 19:18:03 -0400

On Thu, 21 Oct 1993, David Kay wrote:
> I've done a very stupid thing.
> 
> Somewhere along the line, I overtorqued my spark plugs, stripping the  
> threads, and now I need to fix the head:  #4 plug is banging up and  
> down, and #1 will go soon.  

I've been scared of this ever since aluminum heads became so popular.  I'm
waiting for the day when I do it too...


> There's a process the name of which I've  
> forgotten that a machine shop can do (the next generation Helicoil,  
> as I understand) to fix it.
> 
> Now the problem is, this isn't a good thing to do with the head on  
> the car -- something about metal filings dropping in the cylinder --  

Well... you could always use a magnetic drill bit to drill out the hole. 
I've done it, but it was on a 1972 Honda 600 Sedan - that engine was so
noisy I probably wouldn't have noticed a dropped valve.

-Andy

Andy Poling                              Internet: andy@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
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