skyhi

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Anyone ever used one on a stripped out glow plug hole?
If so, how did it work out?

Tall Paul

It's "Heli-coil". A skilled machinist can install one.

Gdolboy3

well being a machinist myself, there isn't a whole lot of skill involved in installing a Heli-Coil, but there are a couple of things you want to remember. When you get the kit, it tells you exactly what size to drill the stripped hole out to. You'll wanna do that in a drill press. A press is square enough. Don't do it by hand. Use a good Cutting Fluid, not oil. CUTTING FLUID to run the Heli-Coil tap. Take your time with it. Turn the tap 3/4 of a turn in, and back out a 1/4 turn. Once it's finished cutting, remove the tap and clean the chips away completety from the head and the tap, and run the tap thru again. Clean once more. Install the insert. Lockite in place and you're ready for a glow-plug. Now if you stripped out the threads in your head, remember it's not a "head-bolt" it's a glow plug. Doesn't take a whole lot of torque to set one of those. When you instal a Heli-Coil, you want to be even more careful not to over torque. You strip that puppy out and you're looking at a new head, or at least a weld repair and then ya need ya a Machinist.

campbec

When tightening the plug just use two fingers of your left hand (right hand if you are left handed) to turn the glow plug spanner and you won't strip the thread. A built in torque wrench???

Cheers,

Colin

Doug D.

Clarence Lee of RCM magazine provides this service for a nominal charge. You can find his ad in the classified section of the magazine.
[&:]

skyhi

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Thank you all for the good tips.

Does anyone have the ph. # , e-mail, or postal address for Lee Mfg . Co.? I don't have access to a rc mag....Thanks

The Ghost

Skyhi,
I have never stripped out a Heli-coil after fitting. You usually end up stripping or breaking the bolts.(Ex Motorbike racer) Still DONT overtighten the plug as CAMPBEC suggests.
The address for Lee Mfg in RCM is C.F. Lee Mfg. Co. 10112 Woodward Ave, Sunland, CA 91040. Ph (818)352-3766

skyhi

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Thanks for the address and advice mr ghost....Jim

bigchap

whilst helicoils are good there is a product that is better,they are called time-serts and they are made by wurth,they are a collar with an internal and external thread,you just drill out old thread,re-tap thread and screw them in,helicoils are best left to someone who is experienced in installing them because there are too many things you can do wrong i.e.you dont cut it down accurately and it hangs out the bottom of the hole and when you try to snap off the driving lug it just twists up and makes things worse,these little babies could be fitted by a 5 year old.

SST

My Feedback: (2)

I find Helicoils to be useful only as a last resort when absolutely nothing else will work. I much prefer to use either an Ezy-Lock steel insert, or make my own by drilling and tapping for a larger size bolt, and then redrilling and tapping the bolt for the necessary thread. There are high temp locktite products that will hold the insert in place.

skyhi

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Thanks BIGCHAP and SST for the good advice.

SST, I see you are in the Chesaning club. I am in the Frankenmuth club. Give me your e mail add. if you dont mind. I'd like to hear more about your way of repairing stripped [email protected]

Was at your swap meet this year for my first time and it was a good one. You all put on a very good meet.

SST

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks, Jim. It was my first year as a member and as chairman as well. Mike Freeman, the previous chairman's help made it possible. E-mail me at: [email protected]. I'm a toolmaker at GM and we do these type thread repairs all the time. Especially in aluminum with small holes, as it has the advantage of not only adding steel threads, but spreading torque and pressure loads over a wider area.