Jim - Is a thread chaser tool the same thing as a tap?

 

It looks like a tap; it's sort of a lightweight tap. It's not generally good enough to cut new threads into a smooth hole, like you were first making something.

But like a tap, you have to line it up properly. In a way it can be worse than a tap, becuase if the leading thread is mangled, it wants to follow the damaged thread instead of the proper thread.

 

After being insulted by an auto mechanic about "messing up" the spark plug hole I am uncertain as to what to do from here...a helicoil kit looks like the way to go with a good permaflex threadlocker for the helicoil. Nervous about recutting the hole and getting shavings or metal into cylinder head...most sites and videos did not have to remove cylinder head. The mechanic said he could fix it...but was rude about estimate, amount of time and also said..."if you are not sure what you are doing...don't do anything and use a professional"....I do not see the difficulty in this repair...seems common in Fords...pa, poorman, and Jim Blake..you have all been very helpful...but I may be heading to a mechanic. Derek

 

The different types of insert kits out there is amazing...the full torque website was very expensive for the kit...almost $500.00...no way! Will check out Auto parts store...will make sure the insert is solid...not the helicoil type to get a good seal for the compression factor. What do I attach to a shop vac to put into the cylinder head....a straw?...ha!

 

I was thinking some kind of rubber hose a little bigger than a straw, but longer.

 

First, shops should not be rude. I can and will do play both sides of this but at the end of the day "Customer Service" is #1, if you feel they were wrong, don't ever spend money there again..find a new place....ok enough of that.

If you did the "chaser", I'm guessing you could do the insert. As Jim said, hose on the end of a vac will work....add what I sent in the PM.....I'd guess 1/4 fuel line will fit in there, a bit of tape to "fit" it to the vac and you should be good to go.

 

Hello out there...new developments on the 89 Honda Accord. Looks like there is lost compression in the number 4 spark plug. Hired a mechanic to come and put in a "time-sert" for the stripped spark plug.....after successful install...the car started but ran rough....and he said it seems like there is loss of compression....He asked if it ran this way before the spark plug issue and I said no....this happened after I used the thread chaser on the cylinder hole...he asked how far I put in the thread chaser and I said not real far....he went on to explain if the valve could have possible been bent or chipped during this if the valve was (up or down) can't remember which. When inserting the thread chaser is it possible for the thread chaser to bend or chip the valve in the cylinder hole? Next step is to have a compression test on vehicle....not real happy with this...paid him $90 for not good results...any suggestions. He explained if valve is damage or chipped the repair will be quite expensive. Yes or no?

 

If there is valve damage the head will have to come off and be repaired.

I'd double check the wires, they have been on and off quite a bit recently. Also be sure to check the order of them.

 

will check wires....but that is what I paid him for...if not the wires is a compression test the next step...willing to go this route. Is it possible to damage the valve with a thread chaser or could a metal shaving damage a valve? What is the going rate for removing a head to repair the valve? A cross-threaded spark plug has turned into a mess!

 

Yes, compression would be next.

Could have? I thought most of them only had some amount of threads, in order to try to prevent just that. Compare the length of the thread chaser to that of one of the plugs...if you can follow what I'm trying to say.