[T3] Spark Plug Glitch...

[J. Jonik]

So....with the maybe off-center spark plug back into its hole, best to leave it alone until time for next tune-up?...spark doesn't care...or, get it out and straighten it ASAP?
Thought is...that this car has had HeliCoil work before..but no way to know which plug holes were HeliCoiled.     I have a smattering of spare heads, some unused, but I don't want to do that job...on the street in front of my house.  But, will take the chance of taking the plug out, and re-installing it Straight In.   Usually, with that dab of oil on threads, they go way in finger tight..then the wrench crank for a bit...without overdoing it.

Subject: Re: [T3] Spark Plug Glitch
Message-ID: <57EE7D31.13465.3069DC at jadney.VWType3.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On 29 Sep 2016 at 22:16, J. Jonik wrote:

> T III 73 engine; standard: ?? This never happened before.? Took out and touched up 1, 2, 3 spark plugs...wiped and put touch of oil on the threads.? Back they went, no problem.? 
> Number 4 the same...put it back in...but then the VW spark-plug socket extension would not pull out. ? It wiggled, but it was jammed somehow. ? Had to use a long screwdriver against the insert twisting rod to pry it out...against the tin below.? I could not pull it out by hand.

Sounds quite odd, but my guess is that this plug has been cross 
threaded into the head. That puts it at an angle such that it no 
longer points out the center of the hole in the tin. When that 
happens, the side of the wrench now catches on the tin.

With care, you might be able to get it started straight again, but 
chances are that this head will need some sort of insert in that hole 
to make it right again. There are several options for that, but my 
preference is a HeliCoil. This CAN be done with the engine in the 
car, but the very best way to do it is with the bare head, so you can 
see what you're doing from both sides.

Whatever you do, it's important that the repair be on the correct 
line. You don't want to discover that you've installed the insert at 
an angle. Again, this is easiest with the head off. The best way to 
do this is to have something long screwed into the good SP hole next 
door so you can make sure your insert tap is going in parallel to 
that good hole.

-- 
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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