spark plug inserts?

[Flyguyeddy]

You should pull the heads.

 

[Todd Loes]

Glad I asked - I didn't know of the rental option! Thanks both!!

To clean out the cylinder afterwards did you use the Shop-Vac suggestion? Bill, I was thinking the same.

If you have dual-plug heads, you can do the opposite. Blow air in the cylinder from the other plug hole while running the tap and the cuttings should stay out of the cylinder entirely. Greasing the tap catches a lot of cuttings too.

 

[mhflyit]

Todd - did you use the 44127 insert?

 

[103]

Todd - did you use the 44127 insert?

REF Time Sert page
I pulled the heads while it can be done on vehicle I am more conservative with flying vehicles. A huge pile a shards set my mind at eas about the 7 hours required to pull and replace heads. I used the 14mmx16.8long spark plug insert 44111 for the top plugs since I have thicker heads requiring longer reach. Worked perfect. My Autolites 2304 plug threaded were damaged and not salvageable. Manufacturing has stoped and the Unimog community has scooped up all NOS. My hand if forced and I am converting the slick to MSD wires today and will use NGK 1111 plugs on top. My secondary uses 12mmx17.5mm inserts and I run copper core wires with Resistor plugs on bottom and have not issue with radio noise.

There is no finer system to repair spark plug holes on an aluminum head. Tooling is expensive but makes a professional job without machinist skills.

Update on harness conversion! Do it! Todd thanks for the casting. MSD Straight boots are multi directional. Wire impedance is low for a noise suppression wire.

 

[103]

Install kit rental ordered!

Only the 14mm is easy to rent but I see this list now owns a 10mm and I have the 12mm kit. I am sure most would be open to covering post and replacing if booger-ed up. They are quality tool steel and should be good for 1000's of holes. I will double down and second the recommendation you pull the heads! Nuff said! You are the Mechanic in charge. The Process provides excellent feedback and you can feel the insert being pressed into the walls of the head you know when you are done. Note: The Process Video is for the non spark plug tooling but it demonstraits the way they are locked in secure. This company was a quite little know company providing the government solutions for area 51 since the 50's until FORD came out with the long reach plug popping Triton engine with only 3-5 threads at the bottom of the hole. A $400 kit was a fraction of pulling the heads and fixing the traditional way. Since then they are on the map and available to a all. You will not regret using them.

Matt

 

[Todd Loes]

Todd - did you use the 44127 insert?

Frankly I don’t remember the part number. I rented the tool and purchased the time-sert from the same place (aircooled.net). My heads are stock VW single-port with 14 mm spark plugs and 1/2” reach. The insert I used was copper. The tools, inserts, and process is all very high quality.
Todd

EDIT: 44127 is the part number for what I bought (as you suggested).

 

[103]

Follow up I found the rivets expanded the MSD wires too much to fit inside the SLICK internal towers. I pushed the wires further into the cover plate and trimed the old ends of targeting a height of 0.780" and terminated with the Electroair method. Very good feedback and more reliabel connection 145ohms per wire +/-3 ohms

Regards

 

[mhflyit]

Thanks Todd!

 

[Cannonball1]

I'm about to do this same job and decided to pull the heads. The bottom plugs are run by an electronic ignition and looked brand new. The mag fired plugs on top looked 20+ years old and pulled out some aluminum when I backed them out to replace. Time-sert makes a wonderful, easy to use kit.