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While in Panama, far away from spare heads and helicoils, my spark
plug came partially unscrewed. I found out when I went to remove it and
encountered enormous resistance. Thankfully it didn't blow all the way out
but id did damage the threads. I could neither screw in or out. Leon
Massa, of Compact Radial Engines, made two valuable suggestions that got me
back in the air and prevented more damage through excessive force.
Removing the plug (or bolt)
If you try to muscle the spark plug out, it will ruin what's left of the
threads and you'll be grounded. The cure is to wiggle the plug clockwise
and counterclockwise several times then go counterclockwise a bit more.
Do this repetitively. It will take many, many repetitions but will
likely leave the threads damaged but useable. Try to lubricate it, if
possible, with WD40 during the process. As leon pointed out, spark plug
wrenches have limited length to help prevent over tightening. As you
pull the plug out, there will tend to be aluminum shavings. Don't let
those fall into the cyllinder. Taking the cylinder head off better
avoids that possibiltiy but Leon didn't feel it was necessary. I plugged
the hole then wetted a finger to press on the area and pick them up.
Hopefully you have a new spark plug. If not, you'll need to clean out
the threads of your existing plug. Tapping
Now you need to have a triangular or rectangular file. You'll be
filing two cuts into the thread edges of the spark plug so that they act
like taps. Look at a tap to see what I mean. Once cut, carefully screw
the spark plug (or bolt) into the damaged threads but only turn. Then
twist it out to remove any aluminum shavings. Do this 4 to 8 times until
the spark plug goes in smoothly. It might be helpful to have some WD40
on the threads. Although it will be tight and might last for quite
some time, the threads are compromised and the bolt or plug may
just pop out. In my case, there was a fair amount of undamaged thread.
The real fix is to install a helicoil or do some other permanent
thread fix. In the case of a cylinder head, it may be valuable to just
replace the head. If you opt for helicoiling a spark plug, make sure
none of the steel helicoil hangs below the head. |
Leon Massa owns Compact Radial Engines (MZ100, MZ34).
Besides being a blast to be around, he's a wealth of engine wisdom.
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