So, changing plugs. Done it several times on this car. Never managed this before. I got the plug started by hand, seemed fine. Got my socket and extension on it and started putting it in. Went about half way and got stuck. So, now I am humped.

Did a little digging and it seems a few guys have had this issue before. Anyone here manage to fix this with out pulling the engine? Seems a few have used expanding taps and even normal taps. Apparently grease or cutting oil keeps the shavings on the tool. Anyone try it? Don't want to pull the engine if I don't have to.

 

I've not done it, but I wasn't aware the engine had to be removed.
Why can't a tap be used as it sits?
One trick I learned many years ago for tapping in tight spots was to hammer a hexnut onto the end of the tap.

 

Another trick I learned to prevent crossthreading them was to use an old piece of a straight plug wire to start plugs.
It's foolproof.

 

Thinking expanding tap covered in vaseline. That I can engage the good threads in the back and tap the front on on the way out. Vaseline so the shavings stick to the tap.

But looking for ideas from people that have done this before. Only reason for taking it out would be if the housing needs major work. Or worse, replaced.

 

There was one a few weeks ago, but I can't remember the thread, sorry.
I haven't seen a backtap actually used, but it looks like a good idea.

 

I had to tap out a spark plug hole on a friend's RX8 a long time ago.
I used a little grease on the tap to give the metal shavings something to cling to so it wouldn't go into the engine, but vaseline would probably work fine too as someone suggested earlier.

Take your time with the tap. Cut into the threads slowly and wipe/brush the metal shavings off often.
Once I hit the "rough spot" where I could feel it cutting new threads, I believe I only turned the tap 1/4 turn at a time and wiped off the tap, reapplied a little grease, and started again.
I was being very cautious as to not allow the metal shavings to fall into the engine.
Good luck!

 

Anyone use a back tap? Not sure if it will work since it cant go out the back side on our engines.

 

Backtap
Happen to me also, plug was hard to remove and when installing the new plug seem to start ok but then halfway it sized stripped the threads. Anyway this is the tool that saved me. Go slow and use plenty of grease to catch chips.


Good luck

 

It's a 14 mm tap right?

 

Going to see if I can find one locally. Thanks.

 

Hey Gang,

Hope you got this sorted but i thought id post my experience here as it may help....

When replacing my coils, plugs and wires for the first time after purchasing the car, i noticed one of the leading plugs was cross threaded, so my mechanic at the golf course i work at showed me a trick he learned a while back (30 years back)...

He took one of the old plugs (a leading plug as it has notches at the end of the plug) and took a hack saw and sliced the existing notches on the top of the plug so as to shred some of the metal......he then slapped some grease on it to catch the metal shavings...and very gently started tightening it back in to re-thread the hole. He pulled it back out a few times to monitor metal shavings, but the trick worked perfectly and my new plug threaded in beautifully.....

I posted it a while back in another thread for someone who was having an issue with a cross-threaded spark plug, but cant seem to find it now....

Anyways, Hope you get this sorted out!

All the best,

Big Fella

 

Hey Gang,

Hope you got this sorted but i thought id post my experience here as it may help....

When replacing my coils, plugs and wires for the first time after purchasing the car, i noticed one of the leading plugs was cross threaded, so my mechanic at the golf course i work at showed me a trick he learned a while back (30 years back)...

He took one of the old plugs (a leading plug as it has notches at the end of the plug) and took a hack saw and sliced the existing notches on the top of the plug so as to shred some of the metal......he then slapped some grease on it to catch the metal shavings...and very gently started tightening it back in to re-thread the hole. He pulled it back out a few times to monitor metal shavings, but the trick worked perfectly and my new plug threaded in beautifully.....

I posted it a while back in another thread for someone who was having an issue with a cross-threaded spark plug, but cant seem to find it now....

Anyways, Hope you get this sorted out!

All the best,

Big Fella

 

I got it fixed last weekend. Ordered the back tap posted above from amazon. Ran it through a few times. Cleaning and applying new grease each time. Did the trick.

Thanks for the help!

 

That's good news.
Thanks for updating.