rethreading a spark plug valve

My spark plug fell out the other day. When I put it back in, it will
screw in, but it is very loose. I bought a rethreading kit the other
day, but seeing as it is the last valve on a V6, I think I'll have to
take the entire engine out to tap the reathreading tool in correctly.
Even taking off all of my valves and wires, I can't get the correct
angle or enough room to use the hammer. Is there an easier way to do
this without using the rethreading kit (someone mentioned a chaser, but
I don't know what that is)? OR is there an easier way to tap in the
tool?

<bkoryrussell@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1160318551.077010.108170@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> My spark plug fell out the other day. When I put it back in, it will
> screw in, but it is very loose. I bought a rethreading kit the other
> day, but seeing as it is the last valve on a V6, I think I'll have to
> take the entire engine out to tap the reathreading tool in correctly.
> Even taking off all of my valves and wires, I can't get the correct
> angle or enough room to use the hammer. Is there an easier way to do
> this without using the rethreading kit (someone mentioned a chaser, but
> I don't know what that is)? OR is there an easier way to tap in the
> tool?
>[/color]

Hmmm, I've never heard of a spark plug just falling out on its own. Have
you tried a Heli-coil kit?
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

I've seen them BLOW out -- when a sloppy mechanic cross threads them or
doesn't put on anti-seize compound. Same guys who round off the oil change
plug and get oil all over the exhaust and suspension.

"Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
news:56d09$452948b6$180ffe52$26071@msgid.meganewsservers.com...[color=blue]
>
> <bkoryrussell@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1160318551.077010.108170@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
>> My spark plug fell out the other day. When I put it back in, it will
>> screw in, but it is very loose. I bought a rethreading kit the other
>> day, but seeing as it is the last valve on a V6, I think I'll have to
>> take the entire engine out to tap the reathreading tool in correctly.
>> Even taking off all of my valves and wires, I can't get the correct
>> angle or enough room to use the hammer. Is there an easier way to do
>> this without using the rethreading kit (someone mentioned a chaser, but
>> I don't know what that is)? OR is there an easier way to tap in the
>> tool?
>>[/color]
>
> Hmmm, I've never heard of a spark plug just falling out on its own. Have
> you tried a Heli-coil kit?
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)
>[/color]

"Wolfgang" <NOwolfXgang_dieterxSPAM@NOXcox.netNOT> wrote in message
news:WNfWg.8844$Go3.7072@dukeread05...[color=blue]
> I've seen them BLOW out -- when a sloppy mechanic cross threads them or
> doesn't put on anti-seize compound. Same guys who round off the oil
> change plug and get oil all over the exhaust and suspension.[/color]

In the situation described above, the spark plug didn't fall out on its own.
It fell out because it was cross threaded.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)[color=blue]
>
> "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
> news:56d09$452948b6$180ffe52$26071@msgid.meganewsservers.com...[color=green]
>>
>> <bkoryrussell@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:1160318551.077010.108170@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[color=darkred]
>>> My spark plug fell out the other day. When I put it back in, it will
>>> screw in, but it is very loose. I bought a rethreading kit the other
>>> day, but seeing as it is the last valve on a V6, I think I'll have to
>>> take the entire engine out to tap the reathreading tool in correctly.
>>> Even taking off all of my valves and wires, I can't get the correct
>>> angle or enough room to use the hammer. Is there an easier way to do
>>> this without using the rethreading kit (someone mentioned a chaser, but
>>> I don't know what that is)? OR is there an easier way to tap in the
>>> tool?
>>>[/color]
>>
>> Hmmm, I've never heard of a spark plug just falling out on its own. Have
>> you tried a Heli-coil kit?
>> --
>>
>> Ray O
>> (correct punctuation to reply)
>>[/color]
>
>[/color]

[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
> >>
> >> Hmmm, I've never heard of a spark plug just falling out on its own. Have
> >> you tried a Heli-coil kit?
> >> --
> >>
> >> Ray O
> >> (correct punctuation to reply)
> >>[/color]
> >
> >[/color][/color]

I'd be worried about dropping the swarf into the engine - it'd be a
head-off job in my mind.

"Coyoteboy" <coyoteboyuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1160399175.076881.238780@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>> >>
>> >> Hmmm, I've never heard of a spark plug just falling out on its own.
>> >> Have
>> >> you tried a Heli-coil kit?
>> >> --
>> >>
>> >> Ray O
>> >> (correct punctuation to reply)
>> >>
>> >
>> >[/color][/color]
>
> I'd be worried about dropping the swarf into the engine - it'd be a
> head-off job in my mind.
>[/color]

I'd be worried about that too. It is amazing how much noise a little bit of
metal can make in the combustion chamber. A gadget-loving lazy person could
invest in a bore scope to inspect the chamber after tapping is done and try
to use one of those mini-vacuums with a thin hose to suck out the swarf and
debris, and if that fails, then remove the head.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

If this was a Ford, I'd tell you to use a timesert insert to repair the
spark plug threads (see [url]http://www.timesert.com/[/url] ). On the other hand if
this was a Ford, Ford would tell you to replace the head (inserts can affect
the heat range of the plug and have other side effects). I am not sure of
Toyota's position on repairing spark plug threads. However, if you have a
loose plug, you need to do something. I personally prefer the Timesert style
inserts over the helicoils and recommend that you at least evaluate their
kit for your size spark plug (
[url]http://www.timesert.com/html/sparkplug.html[/url] ).

Ed

<bkoryrussell@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1160318551.077010.108170@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> My spark plug fell out the other day. When I put it back in, it will
> screw in, but it is very loose. I bought a rethreading kit the other
> day, but seeing as it is the last valve on a V6, I think I'll have to
> take the entire engine out to tap the reathreading tool in correctly.
> Even taking off all of my valves and wires, I can't get the correct
> angle or enough room to use the hammer. Is there an easier way to do
> this without using the rethreading kit (someone mentioned a chaser, but
> I don't know what that is)? OR is there an easier way to tap in the
> tool?
>[/color]

Ray O wrote:[color=blue]
>A gadget-loving lazy person could
> invest in a bore scope to inspect the chamber after tapping is done and try[/color]

Ive been bordering on buying one for the past 12 months, purely for
curiosity lol.

"Coyoteboy" <coyoteboyuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1160483225.449694.193170@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>
> Ray O wrote:[color=green]
>>A gadget-loving lazy person could
>> invest in a bore scope to inspect the chamber after tapping is done and
>> try[/color]
>
> Ive been bordering on buying one for the past 12 months, purely for
> curiosity lol.
>[/color]

We had one at the office where I worked, and when Tercels had problems with
valve deposits, they were a required dealer SST. At that time, the cost was
in the thousands of dollars, but they have come down to the hundreds. It
would be a fun toy!
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O wrote:
[color=blue]
> We had one at the office where I worked, and when Tercels had problems with
> valve deposits, they were a required dealer SST. At that time, the cost was
> in the thousands of dollars, but they have come down to the hundreds. It
> would be a fun toy!
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)[/color]

Seen them on ebay (non-camera ones, just an eyepiece and light source)
for <£100. :D gadgets, i love gadgets lol

"Coyoteboy" <coyoteboyuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1160495637.571609.156320@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...

Ray O wrote:
[color=blue]
> We had one at the office where I worked, and when Tercels had problems
> with
> valve deposits, they were a required dealer SST. At that time, the cost
> was
> in the thousands of dollars, but they have come down to the hundreds. It
> would be a fun toy!
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)[/color]

Seen them on ebay (non-camera ones, just an eyepiece and light source)
for <£100. :D gadgets, i love gadgets lol

*************
LOL We would get along well!
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

On Sun, 8 Oct 2006 13:39:29 -0500, "Ray O"
<rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote:
[color=blue]
>
><bkoryrussell@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:1160318551.077010.108170@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
>> My spark plug fell out the other day. When I put it back in, it will
>> screw in, but it is very loose. I bought a rethreading kit the other
>> day, but seeing as it is the last valve on a V6, I think I'll have to
>> take the entire engine out to tap the reathreading tool in correctly.
>> Even taking off all of my valves and wires, I can't get the correct
>> angle or enough room to use the hammer. Is there an easier way to do
>> this without using the rethreading kit (someone mentioned a chaser, but
>> I don't know what that is)? OR is there an easier way to tap in the
>> tool?
>>[/color]
>
>Hmmm, I've never heard of a spark plug just falling out on its own. Have
>you tried a Heli-coil kit?[/color]

Happened to my wife's '97 Corolla while she was up in Mass.

Seems the local Florida dealer cross threaded the plug and it came
out.

A dealer in Mass fixed it (I'm not sure what they did) and the dealer
in Florida gladly paid the bill.


--

Scott in Florida

"Scott in Florida" <askifyouwant@mindspring.net> wrote in message
news:dcsti2li6272asvujhh3ob0o0iuiel7onf@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Sun, 8 Oct 2006 13:39:29 -0500, "Ray O"
> <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>
>><bkoryrussell@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>news:1160318551.077010.108170@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[color=darkred]
>>> My spark plug fell out the other day. When I put it back in, it will
>>> screw in, but it is very loose. I bought a rethreading kit the other
>>> day, but seeing as it is the last valve on a V6, I think I'll have to
>>> take the entire engine out to tap the reathreading tool in correctly.
>>> Even taking off all of my valves and wires, I can't get the correct
>>> angle or enough room to use the hammer. Is there an easier way to do
>>> this without using the rethreading kit (someone mentioned a chaser, but
>>> I don't know what that is)? OR is there an easier way to tap in the
>>> tool?
>>>[/color]
>>
>>Hmmm, I've never heard of a spark plug just falling out on its own. Have
>>you tried a Heli-coil kit?[/color]
>
> Happened to my wife's '97 Corolla while she was up in Mass.
>
> Seems the local Florida dealer cross threaded the plug and it came
> out.
>[/color]

Aaah! The plug did not fall out on its own. It fell out because someone
cross-threaded it. I have seen plugs fall out because they were cross
threaded, but I've never seen them fall out on its own ;-)

Unfortunately, it is not difficult to cross-thread spark plugs in an
aluminum head, especially because the steel threads on the plugs are much
harder than the aluminum threads in the head and it is difficult to reach
the rear bank in a transverse-mounted V-6 engine or to reach down into the
tubes on some 4 cylinder engines. The trick to avoiding cross-threading
spark plugs is to apply a very thin coating of high-temp anti-seize on the
threads and to use a 12" length of rubber vacuum hose jammed over the top of
the spark plug to start the spark plug. The vacuum hose fits tightly enough
over the top of the plug to hold it, but if you twist the hose to start
threading and it is cross-threaded, the hose will either slip on the tip or
the hose itself will twist up. The hose also serves as an extension for
fitting into awkward places.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O wrote:[color=blue]
>The trick to avoiding cross-threading
> spark plugs is to apply a very thin coating of high-temp anti-seize on the
> threads and to use a 12" length of rubber vacuum hose jammed over the top of
> the spark plug to start the spark plug. The vacuum hose fits tightly enough
> over the top of the plug to hold it, but if you twist the hose to start
> threading and it is cross-threaded, the hose will either slip on the tip or
> the hose itself will twist up. The hose also serves as an extension for
> fitting into awkward places.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)[/color]

Also good practice is to back-turn the plug a few turns which helps to
let it seat properly and squarely in the thread, i find, before
commencing the clockwise turning.

Im amazed the dealer would pay for something like a cross-threaded plug
because theres no saying that the owner didnt take them out to check
them and put them back wrong. Inless it was a matter of days i suppose.

On Thu, 12 Oct 2006 23:30:09 -0500, "Ray O"
<rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>"Scott in Florida" <askifyouwant@mindspring.net> wrote in message
>news:dcsti2li6272asvujhh3ob0o0iuiel7onf@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> On Sun, 8 Oct 2006 13:39:29 -0500, "Ray O"
>> <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>
>>><bkoryrussell@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>>news:1160318551.077010.108170@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>>>> My spark plug fell out the other day. When I put it back in, it will
>>>> screw in, but it is very loose. I bought a rethreading kit the other
>>>> day, but seeing as it is the last valve on a V6, I think I'll have to
>>>> take the entire engine out to tap the reathreading tool in correctly.
>>>> Even taking off all of my valves and wires, I can't get the correct
>>>> angle or enough room to use the hammer. Is there an easier way to do
>>>> this without using the rethreading kit (someone mentioned a chaser, but
>>>> I don't know what that is)? OR is there an easier way to tap in the
>>>> tool?
>>>>
>>>
>>>Hmmm, I've never heard of a spark plug just falling out on its own. Have
>>>you tried a Heli-coil kit?[/color]
>>
>> Happened to my wife's '97 Corolla while she was up in Mass.
>>
>> Seems the local Florida dealer cross threaded the plug and it came
>> out.
>>[/color]
>
>Aaah! The plug did not fall out on its own. It fell out because someone
>cross-threaded it. I have seen plugs fall out because they were cross
>threaded, but I've never seen them fall out on its own ;-)
>
>Unfortunately, it is not difficult to cross-thread spark plugs in an
>aluminum head, especially because the steel threads on the plugs are much
>harder than the aluminum threads in the head and it is difficult to reach
>the rear bank in a transverse-mounted V-6 engine or to reach down into the
>tubes on some 4 cylinder engines. The trick to avoiding cross-threading
>spark plugs is to apply a very thin coating of high-temp anti-seize on the
>threads and to use a 12" length of rubber vacuum hose jammed over the top of
>the spark plug to start the spark plug. The vacuum hose fits tightly enough
>over the top of the plug to hold it, but if you twist the hose to start
>threading and it is cross-threaded, the hose will either slip on the tip or
>the hose itself will twist up. The hose also serves as an extension for
>fitting into awkward places.[/color]

That gives new meaning to the phrase 'getting hosed'....


--

Scott in Florida