LLZuB

Hey guys,

so i was driving home 2 days ago, when i had a misfire (p0301, cylinder 1 misfire) and my engine started running like garbage since it was running on 5 cylinders. I figured my coilpack was shot and just needed to be replaced so i opened it up and this is what i found:



the coil pack was into pieces, and the metal tip of the spark plug was blown off of the spark plug as well (the metal piece in the picture). After i got everything out of there with pliers, i proceeded to take the remaining part of the spark plug out, and noticed it was really loose and lifted right out without me loosening it. The only thing that i could think happened is that the sparkplug fired out and messed the hell out of the coil pack.

Now onto the next problem...i went and bought new spark plugs...but it won't catch on in the cylinder. Since it shot out, i can only believe that the threads are messed up and thats why it's not catching. Is there anything I can do to re-thread it? or should i just take it to a shop and let them do it?

thanks for the help guys, i really need it right now

ATTappman

Unless you have a tap and die set, I'd take it to a shop. They'll have to run a tap through it and you'll then have to use a larger size spark plug in that cylinder. It's not that uncommon for people to strip the threads in cylinder head when installing a spark plug. You could try using a thread chaser and see if that helps any, but it sounds like the threads might've been ruined. Was this the original plug? If not, was the plug torqued to the right specification?

JtzMax

iTrader: (5)

Wow .... sorry to hear bout that!

A few options here if I may -

1. Try a 'different' plug, one with just a little larger diameter (possibly a 3.5 plug????)
2. Take the car to a mechanic and pay thru the nose to get it 'fixed'
3. You could possibly try to use something to 'fill' the threads and then retap it, but more than likely you'ld end up with metal shavings in the cylinder = not good.


That's all I can think of right now. Personally, I'd try #1 first, gotta be a plug 'similar' but larger diameter.

LLZuB

Thanks for the suggestions guys,

i figured a shop would charge me an arm and a leg to fix it, and tell me everything needs to be taken apart to be fixed properly.

Ill try the bigger sparkplug suggestion and see if it works, im crossing my fingers

Ironic thing is, i was actually suppose to change my plugs the day i drove the car and this happened..and something came up so i drove it and this was the outcome

lesson learned for everyone, change your plugs on time..or you'll be stuck in this situation which really sucks

allensteiner21

iTrader: (6)

check out the speed tv website. on truck u they featured a reapir kit for your exact problem. they didn't say the price and probably pretty spendy but might be cheaper than a mechanic or a new head instal.
the kit is just a sleeve with new threads and not sure how it exactly works but they sai it was simple.

LLZuB

hmm i took a look on the website, but there isn't much there

do you remember the name at all?

LLZuB

nevermind found it. it's called Time-sert

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

You could try helicoils. We use them for the 00VI install. They work quite well in fact.

LLZuB

would i need to take the cylinder head off for heli-coils?

mtrai760

iTrader: (19)

No.

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

My only fear with this kind of repair is the fact that you're tapping a new hole and making new threads. I would be afraid that metal shavings from the process would get in the cylinder chamber if you dont remove the head. Any advice for him peeps?

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

Yeah the metal shaving falling in the cyl is a major issue. Sadly, it might be better off leaving this to a shop so they can properly remove the shavings. I doubt the threads are bad you just need to remove the pieces of the old plug

LLZuB

Ya thats why i was asking if i'd have to take the cylinder head off to do that, im afraid of the shavings falling into the cylinder since even when i tried to put the new spark plug in, i could see shavings on the plug when i brought it back out

I think im going to have to bite the bullet on this one and take it in and get a quote tomorrow

thanks for the ideas guys..i just don't want to make this a bigger problem than it already is if you know what i mean

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

Likely it will be cheaper and easier to swap in another engine then it is to remove the cyl head.

LLZuB

funny thing is that was running through my head after thinking about how much they're going to charge for labour to do it...if the number is ridiculous...i think it might be time for a swap...but ill have to do a bit more research on price for that

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

Search and www.car-part.com is your friend. For a couple of hundred you can upgrade to a 00-01 engine

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

I'm so unremembered

http://forums.maxima.org/all-motor/3...ohc-heads.html

VANGtastic97

iTrader: (8)

swap the motor.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

Oh yeah, I remember your thread about that. Mah badz

Metal Maxima

iTrader: (30)

for helicoils. I have one for the 3rd plug, she's been holding like a gem for 3 years now.

Jeff, I wish I knew of that thread, I was FREAKING OUT when I stripped the threading.

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

If I recall correctly, the All-Data rate on cylinder head replacement is like 14 hours or something ridiculous. The removal would probably be like 6 hours. It may have changed since then, or I may be totally off, but 14 just popped into my head.

That being said, if you take it to a shop, the swap might be cheaper. Especially if they charge you the full rate for the removal/repair/install.

Good luck man.


edit: just sent a text to my friend, he replied back saying that he remembered 6 hours for the removal of the head as the All-data suggested time.

LLZuB

Hey guys,

i just drove it over to my mechanic, he's going to look at it and determine if he'll be able to use a kit on it to re-thread or not (he's determining if it's to deep or not) and he's going to give me a call tomorrow and let me know if it can be done easily since he's done it on other cars before.

If the re-thredding isnt possible i think i'll just be buying a new engine to swap in since i know it'll be cheaper after labour and gasket kits.

ill keep you guys updated on what happens tomorrow!

thanks again guys

ATTappman

You remember right. Warranty hours are 14, standard hours are 20. This is to pull the cylinder head, grind the valves, replace head gasket, etc. Not including parts. Presumably retapping a spark plug bore would be less labor, particularly if somebody could do it without pulling the head.

Product_Of_Korea

iTrader: (8)

+1 on swapping

doing the timing is not fun....

JtzMax

iTrader: (5)

Are you considering a 3.5 swap, or just the 3.0? Just wondering. I agree that the shop would empty your wallet - quickly! - and then there are 'other' possible issues to go wrong in doing the whole job. If it were 2, 4, or 6 .... 6 hrs is worth it, but it's in the back, under the IM and a ton of work to r and r.

Timing is not that difficult, no fun I agree, but not a 'bad' job by any means. Try doing a belt on a Suburu TT. lol

LLZuB

Well i've started researching prices on engine, and it seems as though the prices between a used 3.0 and a used 3.5 arn't that much differant

it's about $1000 for either or with about 100 000 km's (canadian cars)

im just waiting on the verdict from the mechanic today to see if he'll be able to do it or not, then ill start searching harder and try and find a better deal on a engine if thats the route i end up taking

i figure if the engine swaps going to happen i may aswell go all out and do a 3.5, we shall see what happens!

LLZuB

P.S is the 3.0 an easier engine to swap in? would they're be any extra stuff needed to do to drop the de-k in? i can't really find much info on the de-k swap, found tons of stuff on the 3.5 swap (even a full writeup) lol

i actually found a de-k with 90 000 km's for 600 so not a bad deal
the seller said that it doesnt come with the starter, a/c, power steering

i also just asked them if the harness was cut and they said yes, would that make the swap harder?

but i figure i'd be able to use the existing anyways right

Product_Of_Korea

iTrader: (8)

The de-k would pretty much be a direct drop in. You wouldnt even need to change ecu or harnesses(except for the injector harnesses. The only diffrences in the DE and the DE-k is the upper and lower intake manifolds(00vi) Coolant log(would be able to swap out with your current vq30) camshafts, EGR system is a little diffrent IIRC. Other than that it pretty much is identical to the DE

3.5 would require ecu,harness,nats,gas pedal and someother things im not quite postive what all is involved. But there is also the option of a hybrid(Timing components off the vq30) you would still be able to retain your 3.0 ecu and harnesses.

LLZuB

problem fixed!

took it to my mechanic, and he got someone to come in and use a Helicoil and rethread the cylinder and it's garunteed for life
defiantly relieved that they didn't have to take apart the engine (that would have meant engine swap for sure) lol

thanks for all your help guys!

LLZuB

Im going to add this as well since i think it relates,

I had a loud pinging noise from my engine before the coil and spark plug was changed

and to my surprise no more pinging! which is nice because it was starting to get annoying and embarressing

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Congrats on getting it fixed. Looks like no motor swap needed LOL. What did he charge you?

LLZuB

thanks man! ahaha i know it's a shame, a motor swap woulda been nice, but a nice drivable reliable car is nice as well lol

he charged me $200 canadian (it was outsourced to another guy who does strickly helicoiling) funny thing is, the guy said he was doing 5 of them today so it's a very common thing to have happen

Product_Of_Korea

iTrader: (8)

motor swap still can be a thought of

FallenOne

iTrader: (17)

3.5 swap FTW!

Mad Medicine

for metal shavings, this i what i learned in school:

on the tap there's like 3-4 corners dug out from the tap which lets metal shavings out while making the threads. just fill those cracks in the tap with grease and the grease will hold onto as much of the shavings while tapping.

also put the piston at TDC on that cylinder before doing this so that the extra shavings don't go far, and use vacuum cleaner with a small nossel that can fit in there to get the remaing shavings.

What ever is left in the cylinder will get burned up in the first combustion, aluminum burns pretty easily since its a soft metal. The chance of having a shaving getting stuck between an exhaust valve and prevent it from closing is close to none after all this.

nyc96max

iTrader: (5)

congrat on your fix !