stripped spark plug

[53Pan66shovel]

What do I do the old threads that was heli coiled came out can the helicoil be taken out and be replaced I'm sure this has happened before

[CraigArizona85248]

Gonna depend on how much material was lost.  I'd use a timesert rather then a helicoil to repair it.

-Craig

[Pzokes]

I'd pull the head and take it to a quality automotive machine shop. 

[stroker800]

  Diddo on the machine shop,,,I got nailed on the inside of the leg then zapped a few more times for good measure....Once I figured out what went wrong I could see a metal spiral of what was a insert of sorts. Took to motor guy for reweld and new holes..
Dave

[Ultrashovel]

Helicoils are not a very good reapair for a sparkplug thread, especially on an air-cooled engine. I installed Timeserts in my engine and never had a probem with them in 15 years since. If you don't feel like doing it yourself, take both heads in and have them inserted.

[53Pan66shovel]

Can It be done on the bike?

[Ultrashovel]

Can It be done on the bike?

I suppose so but I certainly wouldn't do so. It would be nice to make sure that the Timesert tap goes in straight and that you don't drop filings down into the cylinder. I'd remove the heads to get a perfect job. I paid for two inserts and rented the kit from an Indy dealer and did mine myself.

[53Pan66shovel]

Ok is it expensive?

[Ultrashovel]

No. Timeserts are not expensive by themselves. If you have to buy the whole kit, it would be very expensive. There is a special drill, a special tap and a sizing die that is run into the fitting and then threaded into it to lock it in the head. The Timeserts that I used were bronze and it made a perfect thread. With proper thread lube and gentle torque, they will last forever. Some places will rent you the kit or you could have them installed by a shop.

I also don't wish to start a controversy over whether to use thread lube on a spark plug. Do what you want. I use it and in many years of mechanical tinkering, I have never, ever damaged a spark plug thread. I've sure fixed a lot of them that were damaged by other people, though. LOL.

[Little Al]

I used helicoils, like most of us have, many times over the years. Once I tried Timeserts (recommended by someone here on HTT a few years ago) I was sold. it IS more expensive then helicoils but it's so much more of a permanent repair (at least in my opinion) and the full threads with a solid (not wire) insert just seems better to me.

JMHO