On 12/30/2012 2:41 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 11:33:37 -0500, JustWait
wrote:

Anything structural, we would not use a helicoil at all.

I used a Helicoil for a crank cap on a Vega motor (in my Monza). I put
50,000 miles on it after that, no problems.


As would I... I have used it for sparkplugs etc too. What I meant was
for instance once we stripped a 160 dollar steering part, wouldn't think
of putting a helicoil in there. When I was typing I was thinking of
suspension parts, steering, etc..

On 12/30/2012 2:41 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 11:33:37 -0500, JustWait
wrote:

Anything structural, we would not use a helicoil at all.

I used a Helicoil for a crank cap on a Vega motor (in my Monza). I put
50,000 miles on it after that, no problems.


I know I just answered but I should note.. I wouldn't use it on a spark
plug on a race bike...

thumper wrote:
On 12/30/2012 8:11 AM, Wayne.B wrote:
On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 10:44:22 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

True, but the material the heli-coil is installed in isn't any
stronger. A heli-coil is great for replacing stripped out threads
that need to be drilled out but it doesn't make anything any stronger.

===

I'm assuming you must have to pull the head to avoid getting drilling
chips inside the cylinder?

I read a customer's account of a Ford dealer that did it in place, just
blowing the cylinder out after and hoping for the best.

Very thin aluminum probably very little danger of any damage.

iBoaterer wrote:
In article ,
says...

"iBoaterer" wrote in message
...


There are ways, not ideal but there are ways to keep debris in the
cylinder to minimum, first is liberal use of grease on the tap.

-------------------------------------------------

I accidently dropped a small stainless steel lock washer into the
carburetor of a Fiat 850 Coupe we had years ago. It was supposed to go
under the wingnut that held the air filter cover on. It was dark,
and when I went to put the cover on, I heard a little "tink", tink,
tink". I didn't even think that it may have gone in the carb.
Fired the engine up and within just a few seconds of running it caused
enough damage to require the head to be removed and machined.

Valve keeper on a 289 Ford came off, valve dropped down while driving
down the highway, pulled over and figured what to hell, I need to get
home from the middle of nowhere, it started up, went home on 7
cylinders. Next day went to pull it in the shop, and that's when the
cylinder hit the valve in such a way that it broke it off of the stem,
punched a hole in the piston, scraped up the cylinder wall.....

My first car, 56 ford convertible. Tapping from the engine and then a Big
Bang. Valve head broke off, split the piston and broke the rod. Rod came
up and broke two lobes out of the cam. Totaled engine in about 2 seconds.

"Eisboch" wrote:
"iBoaterer" wrote in message ...


There are ways, not ideal but there are ways to keep debris in the
cylinder to minimum, first is liberal use of grease on the tap.

-------------------------------------------------

I accidently dropped a small stainless steel lock washer into the
carburetor of a Fiat 850 Coupe we had years ago. It was supposed to go
under the wingnut that held the air filter cover on. It was dark, and
when I went to put the cover on, I heard a little "tink", tink, tink".
I didn't even think that it may have gone in the carb. Fired the engine
up and within just a few seconds of running it caused enough damage to
require the head to be removed and machined.

---------

I'll one up you. I raced a 64 Vette fuel injection B production in SCCA.
Somehow a spare spark plug bell in the injector manifold, probably when
setting upside down near the work bench. During practice that plug went
down one of the tubes. I guess the valves bounced it back up and by the
time I pulled off because the engine was running really rough, it had bent
7 of the intake valves.

On 12/30/2012 2:21 PM, thumper wrote:
On 12/30/2012 8:11 AM, Wayne.B wrote:
On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 10:44:22 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

True, but the material the heli-coil is installed in isn't any
stronger. A heli-coil is great for replacing stripped out threads
that need to be drilled out but it doesn't make anything any stronger.

===

I'm assuming you must have to pull the head to avoid getting drilling
chips inside the cylinder?

I read a customer's account of a Ford dealer that did it in place, just
blowing the cylinder out after and hoping for the best.


Well that's crazy. Maybe, maybe if I used the grease method.

JustWait wrote:
On 12/30/2012 2:41 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 11:33:37 -0500, JustWait
wrote:

Anything structural, we would not use a helicoil at all.

I used a Helicoil for a crank cap on a Vega motor (in my Monza). I put
50,000 miles on it after that, no problems.


I know I just answered but I should note.. I wouldn't use it on a spark
plug on a race bike...

Probably better to use the helicoil than not have one.

On 12/30/2012 2:44 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 12:19:41 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



"iBoaterer" wrote in message
...


There are ways, not ideal but there are ways to keep debris in the
cylinder to minimum, first is liberal use of grease on the tap.

-------------------------------------------------

I accidently dropped a small stainless steel lock washer into the
carburetor of a Fiat 850 Coupe we had years ago. It was supposed to go
under the wingnut that held the air filter cover on. It was dark,
and when I went to put the cover on, I heard a little "tink", tink,
tink". I didn't even think that it may have gone in the carb.
Fired the engine up and within just a few seconds of running it caused
enough damage to require the head to be removed and machined.


When I first started working on the wreckers we had one that dropped the
carb post wing nut off, then the post went down in and blew the motor to
****... Didn't work on motors back then so I can't say exactly what
happened but someone got in trouble...

Same here on my 54 Mercury 312.
It ate a valve seat. The thing was never right after that.

On 12/30/2012 8:54 PM, Califbill wrote:
"Eisboch" wrote:
"iBoaterer" wrote in message ...


There are ways, not ideal but there are ways to keep debris in the
cylinder to minimum, first is liberal use of grease on the tap.

-------------------------------------------------

I accidently dropped a small stainless steel lock washer into the
carburetor of a Fiat 850 Coupe we had years ago. It was supposed to go
under the wingnut that held the air filter cover on. It was dark, and
when I went to put the cover on, I heard a little "tink", tink, tink".
I didn't even think that it may have gone in the carb. Fired the engine
up and within just a few seconds of running it caused enough damage to
require the head to be removed and machined.

---------

I'll one up you. I raced a 64 Vette fuel injection B production in SCCA.
Somehow a spare spark plug bell in the injector manifold, probably when
setting upside down near the work bench. During practice that plug went
down one of the tubes. I guess the valves bounced it back up and by the
time I pulled off because the engine was running really rough, it had bent
7 of the intake valves.


I was putting an engine together last year to sell a KX125, I dropped a
screw in it and didn't notice. Had to call the guy back and tell him he
couldn't buy the bike. Sold it in a basket for 700 a few weeks later.

On 12/30/2012 2:34 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 10:21:34 -0500, iBoaterer wrote:

In article , says...


Helicoil in anything adds substantial surface area to the mechanical
surface of the threads, it's just math.

It's still not any stronger than the base metal, period.

There is more surface as the hole is bigger, period. The type of metal
or the thickness is irrelevant, more is more... period. I knew the
engineer wouldn't know ****, take the question to a technician tomorrow
at work and have him explain it to you, LOL!

It is threaded into a bigger hole tho and that means more base metal
is in play.
The plug itself is steel to steel too, so it will come out a lot
easier while the Helicoil is bound to the aluminum.

I had to helicoil a plug on my Benelli 250. The factory installed plug
came out with the threads still attached to the aluminum.