HELP

I now need a $3000 repair, the engine was mis-firing, during the exam the coil was removed and the plug shot into the radiator, requiring that replacement too

What causes such an issue? The plug could not be screwed back in due to damage to the threads?

I dont get it

Any thoughts?

 

Who installed those spark plugs?
Sounds like that one may have been cross-threaded and barley hanging on. Once they took the coil off (to test spark while cranking/idling?), compression could have shot it out. (and if that is the case, it's probable that was the cause of the misfire in the first place)

Before your mechanic charges you 3 grand to install a new head, ask him if you can Heli-coil that hole. They do make a $15 kit specifically for this predicament....

 

SC_at_kfi is right it IS possible to fix that and even without removing the cylinder head. I was a cylinder head machinist for 10 years prior to working at Skunk2 and we used to Kingsert spark plug holes in Triton V8's which were notorious for blowing out plugs. Its certainly not the BEST repair, but its far and away the cheapest. Heli-coil wont work because under the best of circumstances you have to knock the tang of the end which would go into the combustion chamber. A Kingsert on the other hand is much thicker and will hold up better. Do some research as it may be a Honda issue. If you don't find widespread reports of that same motor blowing out plugs I agree with the original opinion that someone goofed when putting the plug in.

 

Are time-serts the same deal as kingserts? I have used them before and have had zero issues with them.
OP I would look deeper into the issue and if it is a common thing there may be some sort of warranty/recall available from honda. Im not familiar with it bt its worth looking into.

 

Whole story sounds shiesty.

Your getting fvcked, with no vasoline

 

3k to repair? whatever shop that is run away and dont ever go back. i can get a complete motor for half that.

 

plugs only eject out of lightning motors and it's because of bad design (3 threads). This shouldn't have happened, somebody ****ed up putting that plug in.

 

On a SBC, for example, you can grab the tab on the helicoil with a pair of needle nose pliers to prevent it from dropping into the cylinder. It would be a lot more challenging on a Honda head with the spark plug tubes in place.

Regardless of which product you use, you still have to suck all the chips out of the cylinder after you re-tap.

 

This just happened to me today. 06 Pilot with 101k. Check engine light w/ VTM-4 came on and I noticed a slight miss at idle....but I had been noticing a slight miss at idle for a month. I know the plugs were overdue, but all other research I had done didn't turn up this issue or any need to change before 100k.

We were 180 miles from home and she started to miss real bad, idle was very rough. Had the wife and 8 month old with me, and the road I was on was very busy and the weather was ****. I decided to get to the closest service shop and out of danager. Well, the plug is beat to hell, and the coil too. Threads look to be toast. Had it towed home @ $3.57 per mile.

Gonna present info I have found here to Honda to see what they can do for me.