I have a 02 F4i and the far left spark plug blew out while I was riding the other day. Im just shocked and not sure what to do about it. I tried putting it back in but you feel the threads trying to grad but wont. The plug is fine, no damage to the threads on it. I took a different plug out and tried to put it in, but it wont take. I also took the plug that blew out and was able to thread it into a different one.

Right now the only things I can think of are:

1.Buy a new head
2.Take the head off and tap new threads
3.Take the head off and use a helicoil

If anyone could give me some advice, thoughts, ideas, something I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

 

Sorry to hear that -- just awful luck[:'(] Helicoil will be your most economical fix. You can try re-tapping but most likely there's not enough material left to re-tap.

 

Yeah, you're going to have to take the head off and have a machine shop re-thread an insert. I just had it happen to my little s-10, same exact thing. Took me a while to figure it out. I thought I blew my exhaust gasket out. It was loud! The thing is, you want to ask for a time-cert for the insert. Heli-coil's are junk, they are just a spool of wire wrapped to give the proper thread pattern. A time-cert is an actual machined solid insert. The helicoil's are alright for a lot of applications, but definitely a no-no on a high performance engine. I asked for the time-cert on my s-10, and they put the helicoil in, instead. I was going to have them replace it, but gas hit over $3 a gallon and I can't afford the gas in my 3/4 ton truck. Had to have it.
One last thing. The plugs usually get blown out because it was cross-threaded last time the plugs were changed. I was the one who changed the plugs last in the s-10. Next time I'll be more careful, it costed me about $400 for everything, and I did the work myself!

 

Thanks for the INFO!!! Didnt know about the inserts. Ive already dropped the bike off at the shop but they wont be starting on it until tomorrow. I will make sure to call and make the change. Just out of curiosity,how long do you think the helicoil would have last? Thanks again!

 

actually you probably could have skipped all that buy using a blowtorch, my buddy had the same problem on his car and heated it up with a blowtorch, gotta make sure its on the treads cause you dont want to mess anything up around it but after you get it nice and hot it should tread right back in. but having the shop do it would def. be less stressful.

 

Thanks for all the help guys! I ended up find a head from a wrecked bike with 2k miles on it. I guess Ill see how that works out. Thanks again!

 

DONT USE HELICOILS111... i have a majorly modified '77cb750f1(dont laugh it makes 75hp at the wheels).. and when i put the individual pod filters on it, i had to alot of plug chops to get the mixture right.

was turning it over one day after another jet change and could hear compressed air escaping from the front of the head... turns out that the guy i bought the bike off, about 5 years ago, had helicoiled the number 2 plug... and all the plug hopping had actually screwed the helicoil into the cilinder!!!!!!in the end the hot gasses had eaten the alloy away from the helicoil, and the plug wouldnt seal.... get the solid insert... you will be much happier in the knoledge that the thing isnt going to come out!!! peace