K Cylinder Head Helicoil Inserts in Aberdeen?!?

[caleebra]

Hi Folks,

Does anyone know any places in the toon or surrounding area where I could get an insert put into the cylinder head of my woman's MG TF VVC?? Bloody thing spat a plug out last night and returned home on a flatbed. I was due to be adding Parts and Labour cover to our AA policy TODAY

I've read about a bit and it would seem that it is possible (but not highly recommended) to get one put in with the head in-situ if the person knows what they are doing. My mate used David Falconer at Blackburn when his Alfa spat a plug out.

Alternative is to take the head off but that starts to get expensive - are they a bugger to do oneself with moderate mechanical experience and limited tools?

Any advice greatfully recieved. If this is expensive she can forget about the S1

[Rich H]

Dunno about locations but it is certainly possible to do in situ normally: Practical Performance Car did something similar with an Audi Quatto, they filled the bore with canned whipped cream (!) to stop the swarf getting into the bore - But defiantly not good practice!

Problem will be getting a tap and helicoil tool down to the plug threads, its a deep bore. Head off would definatly be easier. But a cunning bit of bodgeing should sort it.

Head off a K is easy enough but head properly on is a little more involved, also access on a TF might be tricky.

I would be more concerned about why it spat the plug out and is it worth fixing, just get another head perhaps? Could be a can-o-worms...

Good luck!

Rich

[steve_weegie]

Hmm not so good... Head off on an elise is more of a slog rather than complicated, but i know that access on the MGF is more difficult and you cant pop the head off with the inlet manifold joined on. That means a good few more bolts to remove, with half of them in a pretty awkward position. Doing the VVC timing is complicated too, as i think you need specialist tools to set it correctly, but you might not have to do this if you leave the back VVC belt on... I've never timed a VVC head myself, so dont take this as gospel though...

Now.... I read an article recently where a guy had to drill out a spark plug without taking the head off, and he actually filled the culinder with skooshy cream before he started the procedure. The cream was used to catch any swarf and then blasted out after the procedure was done! Interesting solution though

Good luck

Steve

[steve_weegie]

LOL! you read that one too then Rich

[Rich H]

Bod Geit and S Carper engineering at its best

Of couse I subscribe!

[Rich H]

VVC timing is ok, just 2 belts to do instead of 1. Also RTFM! the timing marks are not as they appear (Are they Shug )

[Shug]

...oh how I laughed.

[caleebra]

Well Falconers (local head guru) wont do it in-situ, maybe they've had a bad experience as they did my mate's Alfa last year.

So it looks ilke I may have to take the head off (or wait for my mechanic uncle to arrive back from offshore...), bugger!

I'm assuming some eejit cross threaded or over tightened the plug in the car's previous life and it's just gradually worked it's way loose before popping out last night

[Rich H]

...oh how I laughed.

You were doing the "Expectant Father" thing Especially when Hambo took the short belt off and the pulley jumped round 90 degrees...

(For those that don't know we have both had lucky escapes from belt timing "issues")

I would imagine that if its ripped the threads out entirely they will need to ensure they drill it totally square. Normally you can get a thread chaser that will actually drill and cut the spark plug thread in one go, but you need a partially decent thread to do that.

[BiggestNizzy]

A risky option is a fluteless tap, used for soft alloys and plastic it doesn't cut it forms, dunno if you can get them for helicoils though and thr risk is you will break the tap.

[Rich H]

Helicoils need about 1-2mm oversize taps, I don't think you would be able to do that with a flute less tap, it would need drilling to the right size first. Good idea though, would give a stronger thread.

[tuscan_thunder]

I can see why Falconers won't do it in situ.

Agra in Dundee?

[caleebra]

Dundee is a bit far to tow!

So it looks like a heed-aff job Does anyone have a rough idea what I'll need for re-assembly - new HG? Also, does anyone know of a workshop manual for the K lying around on t'interweb???

[Rich H]

Google wil find the manual, or someone will send a link to the Elise one (The engine bit is cut and paste from Rover!)
New HG set will have everything gaskety in it, belts come off so change them, tensionner too, depending on age water pump change that, may as well change the thermostat while you are there as access is impossible otherwise.

Personally I would strip and clean the head, fit new valve stem seals and so on as well.

[caleebra]

Google wil find the manual, or someone will send a link to the Elise one (The engine bit is cut and paste from Rover!)
New HG set will have everything gaskety in it, belts come off so change them, tensionner too, depending on age water pump change that, may as well change the thermostat while you are there as access is impossible otherwise.

Personally I would strip and clean the head, fit new valve stem seals and so on as well.

Now now I know it's April 1st but It's only done 20k miles and the belts were brand new about 6k miles ago