Spark plug change fiasco

[Darklord]

The other day I was doing a little spring tune up on the GN and decided to change the plugs. I noticed the rear plug on the passenger side was tight coming out and was a little concerned. Of course my concern turns into major profanity when I realize the hole is stripped when I try to tighten in the new plug. WTF? Now I have it fitting snug but the car has a little skip at idle that is driving me crazy. Please tell me I'm not going to have to pull the head and take it to a shop to get it fixed. Is there a simple solution that will take care of this? Any possibilty I can run a tap in there and be good as new? I'm running a set of the Champion iron heads. Any input is appreciated.

 

[Black Sabbath]

I am no expert but...

I would be willing to bet that you would have to pull the head to do the repair properly. The chances of metal shavings dropping into the cylinder when tapping make the possibility of doing it in car makes me cringe. Best of luck with it.

Black Sabbath

 

[Nas-T-V6]

Im almost 100% sure you can use a tool called a "Heli-Coil" to fix those stripped spark plug holes. Best of all you dont have to remove the head to do it. Good luck with that.

 

[Buickz]

You can get a heli coil kit to fix it. I have done it on a car with a lot of heavy grease in the hole and on the tap they give you in the Heli coil kit. The grease will make the majority... read majority of metal particles stick to/in it and I just just tap a little bit unscrew and clean everything out good and grease everything again and tap a little more. Though it does scare me it can be done. It depends on how careful you are and how much you really care. heh or.... you can pull the head. good luck.

 

[Darklord]

Thanks for the advice guys. Can I buy the heli coil kit at most any parts store? I really hate to risk losing some metal shavings in my motor but this engine has 183,000 miles on it and the only thing internal that isn't original is the 200 cam so I'm figuring on a rebuild in another year or two anyway just not now.

 

[GN ERGY]

You could always put a piece of small diameter tubing on the end of your air nozzel and blow it out with an air compressor till you don't feel any little chips coming out of the spark plug hole after you have tapped it.
Tarey D.