Well I'm sick. I read several threads about repairing the stripped plug hole in the head of my 4.6 and settled on the Calvan repair kit. I bought this one:
CalVan Tools Ford Spark Plug Insert Installer CAL 38900

Everything was going fine but while I was running the tap down, it broke the end of it off in the head. This is advertised as a "Quality, fool-proof repair system that is fast, cost effective and simple to use". That's why I bought this instead of another referred kit. I have used taps and dies all my life as a pipe fitter. Has anybody had this happen? Looks like I will be pulling the head.

In the instructional video they say to use a quality air ratchet. OK. Where is the line between quality and non-quality? I understand how to use a tap and I have never run a tap strait into any surface. I was taught to run it in a half turn or so, back it out a little more than that and run it in a half turn farther and repeat. In hind site I am not surprised the tap broke, but why did it break?

Joe

 

To my way of thinking and with a ton of experience also breaking all sorts of taps the biggest lesson learned is trying to hand tap something with a powered tool just doesn't work.

My guess is regardless how quality the tap is/was and the fact it was cutting aluminum it most likely became misaligned along the way and contributed to it breaking.

Also guessing the tap broke in such a way you can't get something like locking needlenose pliers on the stump and twist or rock it out?

Sorry to hear this BTW---that does suck.

 

Go to your dentist and get one of his discarded diamond drill bits and start a pilot hole with it and use what you have to get to where you can use an easy-out extractor. Hope you do not have to pull the head but if you do use the service gasket from dealership to make up for slight imperfections in mating surfaces.

 

You might try a "broken tap extractor".

 

That might work, I would drill a pilot hole and use an extractor to pull it back out.