Just Trashed my XS1100F

[Shawnb]

trashed

I've seen the helicoil work before and ive heard of it working before I was borne in 1968. I've also heard swivel magnets with diffrent magnetic levels which should be able to fish all of those shavings out of your cylinder, without leaving anything or much of anything in the cylinder. I would have to believe that you could fish all the shavings out with a higher power swivel magnet if you don't turn your motor over at all. Use your inguenuity(probably mispelled) and get it done with a magnet. could take some time but keep at it a few days. Or else pop that head and clean all those shavings out and change your oil and ride out on your XS 1100 Shawnb

[skids]

Yeah, I have rethreaded the spark plug hole and installed a threaded insert before. It wasn't a helicoil, it was another brand. You can rig a shop vacuum to blowing and duct tape it to the exhaust pipe. If you rotate the crank by hand, you will find a position where it blows out the plug hole the hardest. If you have dual stock exhaust with a crossover, you will need to plug that other side. When you begin cutting new threads the cuttings will shoot out of the hole, so wear goggles! Hey, if I can do a repair like that you should be able to do it too.

[soccer4m]

Did the same thing

Hey Newb,,,,,,you can definately save the bike, I had the same exact problem,,,,,
1. Suck out as much of the shavings with a straw and vacuum,,,,
2. DO NOT buy the helicoil kit,,,,they just strip out and have to redo it
3. BUY the Perma plug kit, 14mm. MMMMMUCH Better. IT comes with a tap, sleeve, an install driver, and is PERMANENT.
4. The part number is 2200-14
5. Their phone is 213-775-3048
I bought mine at Oriellys Auto parts, but probably Napa or anyone can order it
I have put three different sizes in motorcycle heads without taking it off. I took my time, cleaned the shavings with a vac, used the tap, installed the insert with
good, high temp. threadlock-available at any parts store, and its been years and zero problems. The insert is thicker walled than the helicoil and will not strip out. The helicoils seemed to work until you remove the plug and then they fatigue and fail. SO.....use this kit, around 15 bucks and you can ride on with a smile and no worries if it will fail, and worse, blow out while you are riding....Mike in Sun DIego

[natemoen]

Just noticed I didn't include the link in my previous post.

http://www.amazon.com/Helicoil-5334-.../dp/B0002SRF4O

And the magnet suggestion won't work cause the head is aluminum and aluminum is not magnetic.

[cywelchjr]

Just noticed I didn't include the link in my previous post.

http://www.amazon.com/Helicoil-5334-.../dp/B0002SRF4O

And the magnet suggestion won't work cause the head is aluminum and aluminum is not magnetic.

Not even with a powerful enough magnet?

Actually a powerful enough magnetic field will affect non magnetic materials. There was a special on that on discovery channel some time ago, but that amount of power would cause problems with sleeves and rings.

[crazy steve]

Actually a powerful enough magnetic field will affect non magnetic materials. There was a special on that on discovery channel some time ago, but that amount of power would cause problems with sleeves and rings.

Did they talk about a MRI actually pulling tattoo ink out of the skin if it used metallic pigment? I guess that hurts just a bit...

[paulapalooza]

Have faith in all these wise comments. I have embarrassingly cross threaded the threads in the head of my little 4 cylinder truck in the past and it is not a difficult fix. Definitely not problem worthy enough of getting rid of your bike

[natemoen]

Did they talk about a MRI actually pulling tattoo ink out of the skin if it used metallic pigment? I guess that hurts just a bit...

Now that's one way to get rid of a tattoo! Ouch!

[DGXSER]

Ditto the thread kit fix. Not hard to do. I'd pull the exhaust, and the carbs. Use the vcacuum from all three openings, plug hole intake and exhaust. Then reverse it to blow into the exhaust or intake, when you do the thread kit work. I would use the kit Mike (Soccer4m) listed.

And while the kit comes in, drink a few cold beverages, and let the anxiety wear off. Even if you needed a new head (which you do not) good news is a decent used one is not all that expensive.

[tarzan]

+1 on This

Hey Newb,,,,,,you can definately save the bike, I had the same exact problem,,,,,
1. Suck out as much of the shavings with a straw and vacuum,,,,
2. DO NOT buy the helicoil kit,,,,they just strip out and have to redo it
3. BUY the Perma plug kit, 14mm. MMMMMUCH Better. IT comes with a tap, sleeve, an install driver, and is PERMANENT.
4. The part number is 2200-14
5. Their phone is 213-775-3048
I bought mine at Oriellys Auto parts, but probably Napa or anyone can order it
I have put three different sizes in motorcycle heads without taking it off. I took my time, cleaned the shavings with a vac, used the tap, installed the insert with
good, high temp. threadlock-available at any parts store, and its been years and zero problems. The insert is thicker walled than the helicoil and will not strip out. The helicoils seemed to work until you remove the plug and then they fatigue and fail. SO.....use this kit, around 15 bucks and you can ride on with a smile and no worries if it will fail, and worse, blow out while you are riding....Mike in Sun DIego

I have used this type of kit also.Works great. I do disagree about the heli-coil though.They are strong and reliable if installed correctly.I have installed thousands of them. Mostly in aluminum.

And as far as a magnet retrieving aluminum chips from the cylinder,ain't gonna happen.Aluminum isn't magnetic.

[Toolmaker Tim]

Perma plug

Get the Perma plug kit, take your time, make sure everything is lined up properly, turn on your shop vac and it will be fun. When your done you can go brag to your friends about how easy it was. You'll find them lined up in your driveway the next day to fix THEIR stripped plug holes!

[xs1100newb]

Ok, thanks guys. I guess I should not be worried about compression since the cylinder was firing hot about an hour before I attempted to change out the spark plugs. I am going to try to repair the threads and remove the metal shavings with a vacuu and straw.


Thanks again,
Adam

[DGXSER]

I would not let the compression worry you at all if it was running fine before. Fix the plug threads, fire it up and if it shows any signs of trouble, then I would check compression.

[ManitoulinLad]

I got one in my 3rd cyl

I have a helicoil in my third cyl. It works fine, backed it out once last year. As I didn't know one was in there. Just don't take out plugs with one in it when the motor is warm or hot. Thats what I did by mistake. They can back out due to heat expansion & contraction at a different rate when the motor isn't cold. With a panic call to the Tinman905. He suggested I put red locktite on it & put it back in. NO problem since. And of course always torque your plugs so as not to overtighten & only take them out when the motor is cold - then no worries. Keep up the good fight dude - Dan

[jwhughes3]

foil fix

I remember using the foil wrap fix on an old VW bug back in the day that had a mostly (but not all the way) stripped plug thread in one cylinder - we'd wrap a tiny bit of foil on the plug threads and install it - it would be fine unless you accellerated hard like to enter the freeway and then had to let off the gas - the resulting backpressure would fire the plug out the hole into the inner fender wall with a bang and it would run like crap on 3 cyl until you stopped and redid it -

usually the plug was still hanging by the wire - not always - but 8 times out of 10 - those bugs were tough to kill.


John