TIME-SERT vs. CalVan vs. ATD???
 

I have been researching plug blow out repair and it appears everyone is very high on the TIME-SERT repair kits. They sound great but $400+ is a tough pill to swallow.

I see that CalVan and ATD make very similar looking kits, at least from a concept standpoint, but they are as little as 1/2 the price.

Is the TIME-SERT kit really that much better than the others that it's worth 2x the price?

Thanks!

I can't speak to the relative quality of the tools themselves HOWEVER the myriad results of long lasting repairs performed with the Time-Sert tools would have me looking no where else. Time after time we can read here how Time-Sert has saved the day; equally read are those posts where cheaper stuff was used only to fail shortly after being installed.

If the cost for what might be a one-time use tool is an issue call around your local for-hire shops and get price quotes for the repair. I've heard average price per hole is about $400, some as low as $285 or so.

CalVan is the one sold by Snap On as far as I can remember.

Ford dealers usually use the Ford-approved Lock n' Stitch.

I keep forgetting about the Lock n Stitch products: Spark Plug Thread Repair Inserts

Another good YouTube video about Time Sert:

ATD is basically a Timesert chinese copy. I've used the timesert to fix numerous helicoil blow outs. I've not used the CalVan, most all the other Calvan stuff I have used has been good quality so I have no opinion there. Timesert HANDS DOWN over ATD. I did research the Calvan before I bought the Timesert. At the time I had to have something fast and Timesert was the quickest route.