HELP!! Stripped out center sparkplug threads

[jmtexas]

Had a buddy helping me change the sparkplugs on my 1997 Tiger. Somehow he stripped out the center sparkplug threads. When I went to start it, the plug blew out. Anyone else been through this problem? Sure could use some advice on what my next move should be.

[TigerTrax]

You have a bit of a dilemna....  Especially if they are stripped all the way down!!! But I'll bet not... especially if the plug blew out!



Because it's the center one ..... you may have to pull the head ...

That is a bugger' to get to simply to change plugs.

[NortonCharlie]

If it is really stripped through you should be able  to helicoil it with the head on.  THe trick is keeping the chips from tapping from getting lost in the cylinder.  Some heavy grease on the tap should retain the chips but there is still the risk of loosing a few in the cylinder

[Stretch]

Yeah, it really should be done with the head off the bike.





By the way, I had a heli-coil back out of a head one time (air-cooled VW).  Solid inserts are much better.



And send your buddy out for the beer instead of letting him work on your bike again.   :smt108

[iansoady]

If it is really stripped through you should be able  to helicoil it with the head on.  THe trick is keeping the chips from tapping from getting lost in the cylinder.  Some heavy grease on the tap should retain the chips but there is still the risk of loosing a few in the cylinder

I wouldn't take the risk myself. It wouldn't take much to put a nice groove in the cylinder wall.

[DirtBiker]

Bad luck!

Take the cylinder head off.

At least it happened in fall just in time for winter and not in the spring.

Take your time do it right and you'll have a good time next summer.

Sorry to here about it bro.

[mikeG15]

Tap the hole for a helicoil with grease on the tap or alternatively after tapping insert the largest plastic tube that will fit in the hole with the piston near TDC and tape the tubing to the spout of a vacuum cleaner - that will remove the swarf. Insert helicoil with threadlock. Squirt petrol into cylinder and spin engine over with plug out. Repeat.....that'll clean out the bores, replace plug.

[jmtexas]

Thanks for all the good advice. Was going to attempt it myself as a winter project but decided to take it to a local shop. They do a good job and are reasonable on their labor prices. thanks again.

[DirtBiker]

Thanks for all the good advice. Was going to attempt it myself as a winter project but decided to take it to a local shop. They do a good job and are reasonable on their labor prices. thanks again.

Yeah I would be tempted to do the same thing. Tearing down one of these bikes looks like it might take awhile. I'm dreading just taking the gas tank off!



Good luck hope your back on the road before the rains!

Speaking of rain you didn't get into of the flash floods in Texas did ya?



Toby

[Patrick the Scot]

Tap the hole for a helicoil with grease on the tap or alternatively after tapping insert the largest plastic tube that will fit in the hole with the piston near TDC and tape the tubing to the spout of a vacuum cleaner - that will remove the swarf. Insert helicoil with threadlock. Squirt petrol into cylinder and spin engine over with plug out. Repeat.....that'll clean out the bores, replace plug.

Been there, done that, worked great! (1986 Honda 350X) Only other thing I would suggest is to pull the header and put 150 psi air up the open exhaust valve and then do the above vacuum proceedure.