Spark Plug Question...totally bizarre

[Steve]

A tip to remove the coils...

grab them loosely at the TOP of the coils and turn. This will help expand them a bit and loosen their grip on the plug. If you grab near the bottom, it constricts the coils, tightening their grip.

That is why there is a drive tang on a new coil. That way, you are pulling it into the threads, then letting it expand into place. On the bolt (plug, in your case), you want to expand the coils to remove them.


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[Boondocks]

The "B" in NGK B8ES spark plugs denotes a 14mm thread diameter, which will have to be the interior diameter of a replacement threaded insert (Helicoil or other type).

The "E" denotes a 19mm (3/4") thread length.

[Sandy]

If that is the same insert I had on a previous bike there is a way to remove it from the plug. Go to your local automotive supply store and buy a 5/8" fine nut, (I think that was the size, maybe measure yours) You'll have to cut the nut across one of the flats so you can expand it slightly to be able to thread it onto the insert. Clamp the nut in a vise and remove the plug from the insert, then take out of the vise and remove the insert from the nut. Reuse the insert on the new plug and throw the nut in your toolkit for future use. Sounds like a bit of a PITA but it does work and is a lot easier than replacing the head. These inserts are not pinned in place and can come out with the plug. Any attempts to pin it in place will most likely only further damage the head. I imagine once the head has been drilled and tapped for this insert that removes any possibility of properly installing the heli coil kit which probably should have been done in the first place. Hope this helps, good luck.

[Chuckster]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I really appreciate it.

You're not going to believe what happened last night. When I got home yesterday evening, I put the three new plugs in as well as the old plug with the heli-coil on it. I tightened all four down to 14.5 ft pds of torque with my torque wrench. I really just wanted to see if the old one with the coil on it would still tighten down. I didn't think anything else about it. Well, I feel asleep and work up about 11:30pm and remembered that a friend was going to bring in his heli kit to work so I went down to remove the plug to carry in to work. I broke it loose with my ratchet and took it out. I was still half asleep, but it looked like my other plugs. I thought this could not be! Yep, it left the heli-coil in there when I removed the plug! I guess when I got home, I was twisting the heli on the plug with a rag trying to get it off and also wiped out the plug hole. This must have cleaned them up enough combined with the torque when I put it back in to keep it in when I removed it. I couldn't believe it.

I haven't put the new plug in yet. I wanted to know if there is something I can put on the plug threads so I won't "bind" to the heli-coil again? Is there such a thing? I wish I had put a drop or two of red locktite on the heli before I put the plug back in, but I was scared it might seep through and bond my plug in there with it. Hopefully, it will stay in there now.

[Steve]

You could try using a bit of "Never-Seize".

It should be used, anyway, any time you have steel meeting aluminum that you hope to remove some tmie in the future. 8-[


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[chef1366]

Happy endings \\/