Blew 2 sparkplugs out of my heads last week, and just now got the kit to fix em. 400 Bucks later, I'll be able to enjoy my 98 again.

Sometimes I question my sanity, by owning these cars.



Mike

That sucks!

Ouch!!!

I feel your pain.

Damn...

When this 1st occured, I was gonna pull the heads off, and do (what I thought ) was the right thing, and helicoil them off of the car. I went so far as to order a set of cam holding tools from OTC.

I got online the night after I got the tools ordered, and found this kit. It's gonna allow me to fix all 8 holes PERMENATLY, and not remove the heads. I figure it's gonna save me the cost of the head gaskets, head bolts, and my labor to do it.

so now, I have a brand new set of cam tools sitting in my tool box collecting dust.


Yay

that sucks man.. ive been there.. my blown plug cost me a whole motor..

let us know how the Timesert kit works for you.

You got it.


I'm gona take a few pictures, and do a tech write up for it.

When this 1st occured, I was gonna pull the heads off, and do (what I thought ) was the right thing, and helicoil them off of the car. I went so far as to order a set of cam holding tools from OTC.

I got online the night after I got the tools ordered, and found this kit. It's gonna allow me to fix all 8 holes PERMENATLY, and not remove the heads. I figure it's gonna save me the cost of the head gaskets, head bolts, and my labor to do it.

so now, I have a brand new set of cam tools sitting in my tool box collecting dust.


Yay

Is this a common problem with all marks, or just certain years. This is the first time I have heard of this issue.

It's only common if a previous plug change was done wrong. The threads are REALLY easy to strip out if over torqued. Which is what happend with this. I have NEVER seen them this bad tho.


Mike

It's only common if a previous plug change was done wrong. The threads are REALLY easy to strip out if over torqued. Which is what happend with this. I have NEVER seen them this bad tho.


Mike

I use a small T-Handel plug tool to prevent that sort of thing. Something I learned long ago putting plugs in Hemi's.

so now, I have a brand new set of cam tools sitting in my tool box collecting dust.


Yay
thats how it goes once you buy a special tool you will never need it again i got so mant tools that i bought that ive never used it sux but if its a crappy job and you dont want to ever do it again just buy the speciallty tool and you will never need it

one of my plug sockets looked like it was slightly bent - should I be panicking?

Was it $400 for just what's in the pic? :eek: or for everything you do, and don't need now... :rolleyes: LOL

That sucks, but atleast it looks like you outsmarted the damned 4.6 DOHC...

You know I thought I read something about him in another forum talking about his car and that he had someone buying it.

It's only common if a previous plug change was done wrong. The threads are REALLY easy to strip out if over torqued. Which is what happend with this. I have NEVER seen them this bad tho.


MikeAre you trying to tell us you weren't the one who put the plugs in the last time? :eek: :shifty: ;)

You know I thought I read something about him in another forum talking about his car and that he had someone buying it.
I remember seeing that also Rich.

Are you trying to tell us you weren't the one who put the plugs in the last time? :eek: :shifty: ;)


That is correct.


Alot of the problems that he was complaining about with this car were self inflicted. You should have seen the rats nest of a wiring harness I pulled out from under the drivers side of the dash.


I have come to the conclusion......the reason the car was eating coils was because the plugs were so loose in thier bores, it was allowing combustion pressure past it, and cooking the coils.


I'll find out tho. All 8 plugs have been repaired, and should NEVER leak (or pop out) again. I took it out for a spin after work, and fell in love all over again.

Now it's back to work on the 95'


Mike

Was it $400 for just what's in the pic? :eek: or for everything you do, and don't need now... :rolleyes: LOL

That sucks, but atleast it looks like you outsmarted the damned 4.6 DOHC...



Yes...400 for what is in the picture only. The cam holding tools were 225. I figure with my 3 VIIIs and my buddy buying stradogs car, I'll need every specialty tool for the modular engine I can get.


EDIT......

If ANY of you come across the need for any of my tools, I would be more than happy to loan them out...(with a deposit of course). Since I have this tool, all you would have to do is...order the inserts to go with it, and you could be all fixed up for next to nothing.

I'm gonna be buying more modular specific tools soon, and i'll make a list of what I have and post it.


Mike

Mike

That is correct.


Alot of the problems that he was complaining about with this car were self inflicted. You should have seen the rats nest of a wiring harness I pulled out from under the drivers side of the dash.


I have come to the conclusion......the reason the car was eating coils was because the plugs were so loose in thier bores, it was allowing combustion pressure past it, and cooking the coils.


I'll find out tho. All 8 plugs have been repaired, and should NEVER leak (or pop out) again. I took it out for a spin after work, and fell in love all over again.

Now it's back to work on the 95'


Mike
Good to hear that you got it fixed, good job Mike :cool:

Got a few things done actually,


Oil change, ac system repaired, and charged, and the obvious sparkplug holes. I really wish I had more time to do stuff to it, but the 95 is getting everything I have at the momnet. The 98' will have to keep it's day to day role for a while.


Mike


EDIT...PICS

My 93 did the same thing. the crown vics with the police package are really bad about blowing plugs out of the heads. cost me $300 too have mine fixed.

Blew #6 out on the road today. The car is sitting in a Blockbuster parking lot am I have 2 more sales calls today so it'll be there till later tonight till I can go get it with our trailer. I may need to borrow those tools if you were serious.

Not a problem on that man.



When your ready for it, PM me your adress, and I'll ship it out. All I ask is that you pay the shipping there, and back.


I have 7 extra inserts sitting in the case, so you don't have to worry about buying those.


Let me know when you need it.


Mike

Thats really cool man, I don't exactly have to tackle it right away as I just switched back to driving the LSE daily no big deal. But I don't exactly like it sitting immobile in the garage either. I'll let you know. Anything besides valve cover gaskets I should be doing while in there? Got to think about that. You know when I did the spark plugs back when I bought it, I remember them all being super stupid tight and thinking WTF. Just a matter of time. Trailered it home just a little while ago. First time she left me hanging, damn shame, but such is life.

Isn't this what make LvC a great place...

Mike you are a great asset to the site!!! Thanks for all your help support!!!

Isn't this what make LvC a great place...

Mike you are a great asset to the site!!! Thanks for all your help support!!!

I had to chime in after this one... I can't agree more with mespock; Mike, you are at least 75% of the reason I check this site daily.

Well I took it apart today. Kinda a PITA to get those valve covers off. Over all it didn't take to long. Rob (rocket5979) came up to help, which speed it up, and the extra set of hands to hold crap out of the way and finagal them out was helpful. Going to need those tools now.

PM sent,



BTW, this is something that you do NOT need to pull the cam covers for. The tool is long enough to reach down. Infact, I would put the covers back on to keep filings out of the engine.


Mike

Now ya tell me....JK

The drivers side was leaking into the spark plug wells on 6&7. So I figured I'd do them both. The thought crossed my mind that it could be done with them on, I thought it might be easier with them off. I'll take the advice and button them up before doing it.

PMsent

Well started this process today, not that hard to do but far from fun. First one took a while with a little second guessing myself on how far to ream. Second one went alot faster.

Alot of my other plugs were oddly loose, hmm, all eight are getting done for sure. As I said before when I changed the plugs after getting the car, they were all so frickin tight I knew there would be problems down the road. I could tell the threads were pretty beat, now that I see how few threads there are to start with, well it was just a matter of time. I imagine I had some minor compression loss on a few cylinders for a while now.

You had 6 inserts Mike, I'm going to install them up today and tommorrow. I'll order more Monday, finish up and restock ya.

Thanks Again for the tools.

No prob man,



How's the repair comming?