My friend's V10 blew a plug the other day. He drove it home about 30 miles (estimating from where he told me he was). I was at his house waiting for him and it sounded like a freight train.

Whats the damage? The he pulled the COP off before driving back, it was destroyed, and I found the spark plug in once piece. He was quoted $2000 for the repair. They said they dont have to replace the head, but will have to pull the motor which is where a lot of the cost comes from.

Is it worth fixing? How bad is the repair? Is the cost reasonable?

 

I've never done it but I understand the is a helicoil kit for spark plug. I would imagine if you are careful, bring that cylinder to TDC drill and tap the hole and insert the Helicoil. then vacuum out the cylinder with a shop vac the flush it with parts cleaner. then you should be able to get by without pulling the motor or heads. assuming everything else is ok.

But Like I said I've never done it, and don't know if it would last or not.

 

Ive read on the excursion forum that the motor dont need to be pull. Try doing a search

 

As James said, there is no need to pull the engine or the cylinder head.

The proper repair method uses a Time-sert tool and kit, which is similar to a heli-coil, but designed specifically for this repair.

Look at this thread and the link for

the kit on Amazon

the kit on Amazon

.
Even paying a shop only cost him under $200.

 

Same basic principal. I was just trying to get the point across that pulling the motor was unnecessary. Thx for clearing it up BigPig.

 

Blew one on my former 2000 EX that I had back in 2001 and did drive a few miles with it like that (had no choice as I was getting onto and interstate in Chicago and was between two concrete walls) if I remember correctly the repairs ran me about $500. They coiled it but there was no other engine damage. I probably drove it 10 miles after it blew.

 

the shop wants to pull the motor cuz they are lazy and aint paying for it..

it can certainly be done in the vehicle its just not the friendliest repair, but its certainly possible..

i know there was a mobile guy on here some time ago who would fly out to your place and fix it right in ur driveway..

cant remember his name offhand thou.

(ps obviously you had to pay for his flight)

http://www.blownoutsparkplug.com/

heres the link..

 

Shoot, I'd come do it at your place if you paid my flight and provided the tools.

 

The owner of the truck is not the type to do it himself. Shoot, her barely changes his oil. Usually his son, my best friend, and I end up doing it. And I dont think he was authorize us to do something like this so I am betting it would go to a shop. The plug was the 2nd from the rear on the driver side, FYI.

 

I just blew one on the last longweekend and it cost me 400 to fix and they just put a helicoil in and a new cop had it back same day and runs great. They also retorqued all the other spark plugs just to be safe.

 

$400 is about right. Head and engine stay where the factory put them.

 

JUst got mine back last week, total cost for doing the last one back on the passenger side was $193 for the insert and labor and I got a new Motorcraft coil and 10 new plugs from Rock Auto for something like $80. Search around your area for machine shops, this is such a common problem that someone in your area probably fixes them.

 

Happened to me on a 02 f250. Helicoil kit. A local shop did the work for 1000.00. Worked fine after that.

 

You really don't want to use a helicoil since these are tapered seat plugs. Not to mention the fact there's nothing to keep the helicoil in place the next time you change plugs. I use helicoils at work and they always do a great job, but I wouldn't use on on a tapered seat plug. Besides, guess what happens to the inner tang once you break it off on a sparkplug repair? If you guessed it drops in the cylinder, you are right...

 

2000 F-350, blew one out, 3rd from front on DS, drove it home 20 miles, called a friend with an auto shop (and a Ford-natic thru and thru) he loaned me the repair kit, gave me a 2 minute explanation, came home and did it myself in about 20 minutes, let it set all night, put the new plug in next morning, and 3 1/2 years later it's still going.

You would think an engine with 10 cylinders would run fairly well on 9....... I could kick it up hills faster than it would drive.