I commented in a post last night that monkeys must have changed the plugs before I bought my 92 vette from a local dealer last fall. In that post I mentioned that when I was changing the plugs over the weekend, I noticed the old plug in #8 wasn't torqued down. I cursed the previous person who worked on it and put another plug in, torqued it to 11 ft/lbs and didn't think much more about it until tonight. I went back to finish installing the new Delteq opti-direct plug wires and when I touched the new plug in #8, the one I torqued down just two days before....it wiggled slightly in the head. I pulled it out and didn't have a mirror handy to look at the threads in the head, but I already new what I would see. I reinstalled it and retorqued it and it still wiggled side to side slightly. The other three plugs on the passenger side head were fine, but I thought I better check the drivers side and...#5 wiggles in the head too. Granted, I couldn't fit a torque wrench on 5 & 7, but I know when a plug is seated and I know that I definitely didn't cause either of these. The engine hadn't been run for the previous three days so it was completely cold and after working on motorcycles with aluminum heads for 13 years I know the danger of "gorilla fisting" anything into aluminum threads.

Now, aside from being thoroughly disgusted with my purchase from ORANGE PARK DODGE in Jacksonville, Florida, I'm just dreading the time and money that will be required to fix this problem. If I already have to pull the heads with 94,000 miles on the engine, the can of worms is wide open for everything imaginable.

Does anyone have any advice for pulling LT1 heads? Ahem, constructive advice, please! :-) Ever had plug holes repaired in aluminum heads? I don't like the thought of helicoils for this, but is there any other option available besides buying another set of heads?

 

Have you thought about the spark plug thread straighteners that places like Eastwood sell? Might as well give that a try, may save you from pulling the heads.

 

I ran into a similar issue when i did my plugs.

The previous owner/shop did not use anti seize on the plugs. The #8 plug was impossible to get out. I ended up using a breaker bar with an extension that helped move the plug while in the head bending the threads.

After looking into alternatives, I said funk it, and ordered a set of rebuilt heads from a LT1/4 shop in Houston that also did a very mild job on the heads. Without the work on the heads, I think I would have been out the door in the 200-250 range with shipping my heads backto them.

Its pretty much impossible to do anything to the head while on the car, or so I came to see.

So, if they are that bad, and you don't want to helicoil them, see if there are any shops around you that work on heads and you can swap for cores. Perfect time to upgrade. I got new valves, new LT4 springs, and 1.6 RRS along with the head work. If you can remove/install the heads yourself, you are saving a lot of money (local shop here in ATX quoted me $800 to remove and reinstall the heads.

I got good at taking these things off, as I can get both heads off in about an 2 hours.

 

I just repaired some stripped holes in a LT1 head a customer brought in to me. I used a tap that threads the hole so that a threaded insert could be installed. The insert is a steel insert that is treaded in and locked in place with red lock-tite. He was in hurry and wanted me to give it a try. I have used these thread inserts in rice engines before with good luck. And it seem to work just as well in a SBC head.

Ford has had a major problem in their modular truck engines, namely the 5.4 and their V10 engines has had problems with spark plugs blowing out, and I am not talking about one that blows out as a result of improper torq by the owner or a Goober type mechanic. I am talking about the originally installed spark plug at the Ford factory blowing out. I have seen three instances of this happening. For some reason the plug works loose and starts leaking exhaust gases, in time the gases errodes the thread and out comes the plug. In all instances I have referred the customer to their dealers, I didn't even wanna think about pulling a head on one of them things.....

Any competent machine shop should be able to repair your heads. Stripped plug threads are a common problem and are easily fixed with an insert or using heli-coils.

 

Thanks for your replies, last night I felt like the lone ranger with this problem. So worst case appears to be pulling the heads-I've rebuilt a number of motorcycles but never pulled the heads from a chevy small block. The task looks like a major undertaking. Trizney - was that two hours start to finish for pulling everything else too....intake, exhaust, etc?

Tjwong- what cylinder on the customer's LT1 did you repair? I can see #5 and have a decent shot at reaching it, but I'm not so sure about #8. Also, what type of kit did you use? I found the following link last night:

http://www.timesert.com/sprksert.html

Anyone ever heard of these guys before or better yet, used their kit? Right now I'm just disgusted thinking of what it may take to get my baby on the road again. Driving my 91 pickup is really bringing me down! :-)

 

I am going to stick in my .02. I would not attempt to fix it in the car. You only have 1 shot at a helicoil type repair. Having the head out gives you the room you need to do it right the first (and only) time. Total parts for gaskets and helicoil will be around $100 or so. More time than money. Not as terrible to do as you may think. Either way I wish you luck.

 

Thanks for the 2 pennies, Pete, I'll need all of them I can find to do this thing right. I agree, the proper way to repair this is to pull the heads. Right now it's the fear of the unknown that has me wound up.

I've never dropped the exhaust from a vette, but I anticipate a high PITA-factor there. I don't suppose just unbolting the exhaust manifolds from the heads and leaving them attached to the rest of the exhaust will give me enough room to pull the heads?

As for the fuel rail and intake, is it possible to pull the two as a unit on an LT1?

Pulling the heads doesn't scare me, just getting all the other parts off so I can get to them is what's got me concerned. I've got ample tools, but my time is limited and so is my available garage space. I don't want to turn this into the never ending project. Inevitably, I'll find other issues that I can't live with and will have to fix them too.

Why oh why did I just HAVE to buy THIS particular car??? It's almost like marriage...six months of blissful happiness then one day the honeymoon comes to a screeching halt!

 

The lt1 is not so bad because the intake is simpler than an l-98. most of the stuff on the intake can stay. No distributor to pull etc. The manifolds (exhaust) can likely be left in place on the exhaust pipes. Remove the 6 bolts that hold it to the head and push it aside. This will give access to the lower head bolts. I would go the little extra distance and change the other head gasket as well. Like I said earlier, more work than money. If you can handle motorcycle engines, this will not be so bad. Good luck, keep you chin up.

 

First off, don't beat yourself up. Even the best can get hosed.

I would go back to the Dodge dealer you bought it at and let them know your problem and that their service techs are a f'n joke. They won't do a damned thing, but it will make you feel better for saying so.

Next up, remove the heads. Trust me, you should not attempt to fix this on the car. The angles are a bitch to start with, and your one shot with a helicoil won't work. Besides, you don't want to get ick in the cylinders, either.

if it was me, I would pull the motor and refresh it. At this point it won't take much more and you will then have a known quantity.

 

Thanks for keeping me in mind

 

You're welcome, you and Silver will never be forgotten...any chance you two could lend a hand sometime?

 

Yup. That is removing all the wiring, fuel rail, intake, exhuast manifold bolts, alt, ac compressor, front passenger side accessory bracket.

The first time, I pulled the exhaust manifolds off because I found some shorty headers real cheap. The second time I pulled the heads, I just undid the bolts from the shortys to the block and left them hanging.

If you want to remove the exhaust manifolds, add more time. There is one bolt on each side at the bottom of the exhaust manifold that requires a wiggle, and when these bolts have never been removed, it is a pain. I ended up busting one of the studs off the original manifold since it was so rusted together (this was after soaking several hours in all sorts of liquid wrench).

I took pictures of everything before i pulled everything apart, if you choose to take the heads off yourself, take pictures.

Also, you will need to know how to set the lash on all your valves, which is pretty straight forward as well.

 

Yup. That is removing all the wiring, fuel rail, intake, exhuast manifold bolts, alt, ac compressor, front passenger side accessory bracket.

 

Don't mean to hijack the thread - but what is a helicoil repair. I Bought a 94 with 59k on it in Oct. I've replaced fluids and plan to start replacing hardware, ie. plugs, wires, etc. What you found in yours has got me scared of what I might find.

 

A true helicoil is a wire wound insert that looks like a coil spring with all the coils touching. What you do is drill the hole to be repaired to the specified size (determined by the helicoil size), cut threads in the hole with the proper size helicoil tap, thread the helicoil into the hole with the helicoil tool (usually supplied with the helicoils) usng red locktite on it, snap off the tang in the helicoil using the same tool...hole repaired.
Some of the other repair inserts are solid and threaded on the inside and outside, they install about the same way as a helicoil.

 

The guy brought me the cylinder head, so I had it very easy

 

Lucky you! I realize the helicoil kits are probably all very similar, but I am curious as to which brand you used. I've done a few helicoil repairs in the past on motorcycles, but never to repair damaged spark plug holes (still PO'd that someone did this to a vette, I would expect it on fourth hand Japanese motorcycles that have had hard lives, but on a VETTE???). I want to do this right, and want to get the best kit out there to do so.

I know this sounds very cynical, but I don't really have much faith in local establishments being "competent" anymore. Anyone know of well-known, reputable shops that specialize in vette heads?

 

First off, it doesn't matter what kind of ride it is, a "meat cleaver mechanic" doesn't care what he screws up. This goes for owners as well.
Secondly, your options if you have nobody local are: Find a shop and ship them your heads, or buy a set of aftermarket or replacement heads.

If you have any racers in your area (not the Goober type, but true fast running types), ask them who does their machine work.

If you're repairing your heads, it makes sense with 90,000+ on the clock to have the heads reconditioned (valve job, seals, etc.) at the same time...now is NOT the time to be a "gator-arm" as we call it in Florida (arm too short to reach into the wallet ). It's always a bummer to find "hidden" problems after the sale, but that's how it is.

Good luck, whatever you plan to do.

 

I am not a fan of helicoiling this... especially on the car. You will NEVER do it. The space, the angles, it just won't happen.

May I suggest an option - factory GM heads are CHEAP on the used market. Find a good machine shop, they can get you these heads, clean them up and you will be done.

The other option is Edelbrock, Dart, AFR or any number of aftermarket head makers. But remember - this option will not leave much change from $1500.00.

I would, at the very least, ditch those heads. And I would drop them on the foot of the service manager at the dealership who screwed this job up.

 

Thanks. The day after I posted, I was in Ace hardware looking for a stop nut to repair my visor and walked by a display rack with heli coil kits. I had a forehead slap moment when I recognized them.