Cross threaded sparkplug hole

[Joab]

Hmm...you make a valid point.

[Joab]

Choices...

Ok, so I was reading around the intertubes a bit, and between that and what was mentioned here, I think the thread cleaner, or chaser is my best bet. Does anyone have any experience with these things, ie, brands to avoid, brands to live by? I think I will have to bite the bullet and go with the Craftsman version, but I would like to hear your suggestions before I commit.

[Cuda 69]

my suggestion is spin the plug in by hand in the first place and don't change your oil when it's hot.. only kidding,sorry about your misfortune.I would use a top quality chaser,I've personally seen them snap,using a cheap one.You have anyone who's a mechanic by trade? They may have a snap-on or of that quality.I have alot of snap-on and craftsman tools,and there very good.No thread chasers or i'd mail it to you to use.Good luck.Make sure you blow out the filings or your luck isn't going to change anytime soon

[Joab]

my suggestion is spin the plug in by hand in the first place and don't change your oil when it's hot.. only kidding,sorry about your misfortune.I would use a top quality chaser,I've personally seen them snap,using a cheap one.You have anyone who's a mechanic by trade? They may have a snap-on or of that quality.I have alot of snap-on and craftsman tools,and there very good.No thread chasers or i'd mail it to you to use.Good luck.Make sure you blow out the filings or your luck isn't going to change anytime soon

Where were you a week ago when I was trying to put the plugs back in?? :P

No, I am relatively new to Alabama, don't know too many people down here yet...my abrasive northern personality doesn't make me many friends

I will look into the Craftsman set then, I didn't know they could snap, and I am pretty sure that would be enough to send me over the edge...

Good point on the filings...although I am hoping there won't be many, since I am just using a chaser, and not a tap. Hopefully it will do more adjusting of the threads, then cutting new ones...

[Rasputin]

Whenever you tap or chase a hole in aluminum you have to do it differently than is you were working with steel. Seem to remember that you screw it in a bit and then back it out and clean the threads. Others may know better than myself which is the proper procedure for aluminum. Some grease or vaseline on the threads of the chaser may help collect any shavings as well. JAT

[Joab]

Whenever you tap or chase a hole in aluminum you have to do it differently than is you were working with steel. Seem to remember that you screw it in a bit and then back it out and clean the threads. Others may know better than myself which is the proper procedure for aluminum. Some grease or vaseline on the threads of the chaser may help collect any shavings as well. JAT

Ooh...didn't know that, but it makes sense. Going to have to look deeper into the alum vs. steel stuff.

Elsewhere on the intertubes, they had mentioned using antiseize when performing the procedure...think it is for the same reason, the shavings and such?

[CaptonZap]

Ooh...didn't know that, but it makes sense. Going to have to look deeper into the alum vs. steel stuff.

Elsewhere on the intertubes, they had mentioned using antiseize when performing the procedure...think it is for the same reason, the shavings and such?

NeverSeize is good.
As far as the chips, or swarf, as one of the members suggested, bring the piston up to TDC, put a vacuum hose hooked to the blow side of the vacuum, and blow it into the exhaust pipe. Does air come out? If not, turn the crank one full turn, and you should feel a good blast of air coming out.
Now you can pro cede to do the deed.
Be careful when you start the chaser. You may have cross threaded the top threads, and the chaser will want to follow them. YOU have to forcibly start the chaser straight.
And, as Joab said, ALWAYS run the plugs in by hand until they are all the way in, then use a wrench to finish the job. If you can't run them in 7 or 8 full turns by hand, something is wrong, and you should find out what before going any further.
Some folks use NeverSeize on the threads, to prevent corrosion, but be careful not to get any on the inside parts of the plug tip. And remember that with the added lubricant on the thread, the normal torque apply's more shear pressure on the threads, so you might want to reduce the torque applied by 20 to 30 percent.
A wire wheel on your grinder does a bang up job of cleaning the threads, but be careful that you don't lose your grip and let the plug bounce off the floor. As they said in A&P school, "If you drop the plug, drop it in the trash after you pick it up". Cracks in the ceramic insulator are hard to see, and make hard to diagnose problems.
Good luck, CZ

[Joab]

And, as Joab said, ALWAYS run the plugs in by hand until they are all the way in, then use a wrench to finish the job. If you can't run them in 7 or 8 full turns by hand, something is wrong, and you should find out what before going any further.

Joab did not say that, Joab is the idiot who screwed up the threads in the first place

I think it was Cuda.

Awesome info CZ, I will definitely do that, and take my time with trying to fix these threads. I want to switch to Iridium plugs anyhow, so I may just fix the hole, and put the bike back on standby until I figure out what wires I want to use with the Dyna coils, and put everything together while it is down anyway.

[Danny Crawdad]

Where were you a week ago when I was trying to put the plugs back in?? :P

No, I am relatively new to Alabama, don't know too many people down here yet...my abrasive northern personality doesn't make me many friends

I will look into the Craftsman set then, I didn't know they could snap, and I am pretty sure that would be enough to send me over the edge...

Good point on the filings...although I am hoping there won't be many, since I am just using a chaser, and not a tap. Hopefully it will do more adjusting of the threads, then cutting new ones...

You're also in south Alabama of all places ()

I've used a computer vacuum (with a very small tip) to suck shavings out of a spark plug hole before when I used a TimeSert, and it worked out fine. You could probably rig something up on a shopvac, and then used compressed air to hopefully blow anything finer that remains.

Like you said, though, using a chaser you won't generally be doing any real cutting, so a well-greased chaser and blast or two of compressed air at the end will be just fine. I'd definitely eye the cylinders with a flashlight (or a borescope if you have one, they're relatively cheap now) after, though, just in case.

[Joab]

You're also in south Alabama of all places ()

Lol, I didn't pick where they built Mother Rucker, I just took the job when they offered it

[Joab]

OK then...

So, going off what mjp said, I went out to the bike today after cooling off this weekend, and carefully lined up the plug, and it screwed in. So, that drama is over.

However, bike will still not fire. It is getting fuel, and air is good, so That leaves spark. I had initially pulled the plugs, because I figured they were getting nasty, and they all did have a fine layer of carbon built up. I cleaned them up, reinstalled, and still nothing. The best I can get is an occasional explosive backfire, which I assume is from the fuel mix fumes building up in the cylinders and an occasional spark setting them off.
I will check the pick up coil wires tomorrow, in case I managed to mess them up when I did the A-CCT mod.

Also, I am going to finally switch my coils out with the Dynas I bought awhile back, once I get some wires. The Z1Enterprises Dyna Coil Wires seem the best bang for the buck, and I will also try to round up some Iridium plugs as well, see if I can get a bit of life to breath back into this beast!

[Rasputin]

Set your tune up/ synch/colortune etc to the old plugs. I have found that the better coils make such a difference that I always reset the carbs. Then swap in the iridiums. That is what I do. No sense in carboning up a set of iridiums farting around. Specially at the price.

[natemoen]

You can also just go and buy a universal spark plug kit for a car and use that. plus you have extra wire for when you screw up

They aren't solid core wires usually but that really doesnt matter.

[Joab]

Hey Ras, thats a good point, I hadnt thought of that. I will go ahead and do all the tuning off the old plugs then, before swapping in the spendy sparkys.

For the Dyna coils Nathan, should I be going for 7, 8 or 8.8mm wires, since solid core isnt a huge issue?

[ddragon63]

Hey Ras, thats a good point, I hadnt thought of that. I will go ahead and do all the tuning off the old plugs then, before swapping in the spendy sparkys.

For the Dyna coils Nathan, should I be going for 7, 8 or 8.8mm wires, since solid core isnt a huge issue?

7 or 8mm outta be plenty... unless you really like spending your money... in that case buy a set of MSD 8.5 super conductors....
8mm Accel or Taylor Universal wire set oughta do ya just fine.