[Lokidog]

2 years ago I had a rebuilt 1.3 (long) motor for my Sierra. Since then I had the mechanic do all the servicing. Prior to the rebuild I did all my own servicing without drama.
This weekend I decided to start doing my own servicing again and when I came to changing the spark plugs, I found them unusually stiff while unscrewing them. (Normally when removing the plugs, they screw out quite smoothly after initially 'cracking' them lose). This made me believe that there may have be some slight miss-threading before…

Anyway, when I started to put the new plugs in, they initially didn't go in properly. After realising this I carefully made sure that they followed the correct thread path. I believe I have corrected the thread 'in the head', as now the spark plugs are easy to put in as well as take out, as I remember from doing all my own services.

I know my mechanic had his apprentice do most of the servicing on my car. My fear is that he's possibly miss-threaded the plugs at some stage. When I rang my mechanic yesterday, he did say it was hard to miss-thread the plugs??

Today it was playing on my mind, so I removed and then replaced the plugs. All 4 plugs came out smoothly after the initial 'cracking' of the thread, and all then went in smoothly when I replaced them. I did notice the spark plug on cylinder 2 had a couple of small metallic slivers on it's thread (from the thread in the head I'd say)

There is a very slight chance that other small metal slivers have got in to the cylinder? If so would they find their way out through the exhaust valve or down into the cylinder walls above the rings???

Sounds like a stupid question but as I've driven the car since yesterday's service and todays 'rechecking' of the spark plug thread situation. And also the possibility (not that I can prove it), that there may have been this issue of 'miss-threading the plugs' with the servicing done by the apprentice.

Is it worth worrying about, as I've already driven it? Should I have the head removed to check the cylinders??

Or am I worrying about nothing

[steak_knife]

Just drive it, I`ve see screws pass out the valves, if it was only a "sliver" it would mist likely pass it, if you remove the head you may find nothing.

Carbon build up on the end of plugs can do the same thing.


Steve

[royce]

the plugs do seem to get stuck in sierra heads a bit and a hard to get out, its a good idea to stick some never seize on the plug threads when you stick them in

its really hard to stuff a plug thread, to stuff 4 and still get the plugs all the way in would be pure genius, if you got them all out and back in again with no worries I would say they were just stiff

[Lokidog]

Yeah, maybe I'm being a bit of an anal annie about it. It's just nice to hear that it's not going to be a problem from others.

This is the exact reason why I did my own servicing prior to the rebuild. The only reason I had my mechanic do it, was because of the warranty.

As the old saying goes…

If you want something done properly. Do it yourself!!

[Lokidog]

royce wrote:

the plugs do seem to get stuck in sierra heads a bit and a hard to get out, its a good idea to stick some never seize on the plug threads when you stick them in

its really hard to stuff a plug thread, to stuff 4 and still get the plugs all the way in would be pure genius, if you got them all out and back in again with no worries I would say they were just stiff

Only cylinders 1, 2, & 3 were an issue! Cylinder 4 was like the good ol' times!! Well as I can remember.

Anyone else's thoughts are welcome.

[Taff]

Even if some bits of stuff did fall in the damage would be negligible.

Alloy is pretty soft.

[Lokidog]

Taff wrote:

Even if some bits of stuff did fall in the damage would be negligible.

Alloy is pretty soft.

Keep it coming, I'm feeling better

[Scrawny]

royce wrote:

the plugs do seem to get stuck in sierra heads a bit and a hard to get out, its a good idea to stick some never seize on the plug threads when you stick them in

Use the copper stuff, it helps increase ignition voltage also

royce wrote:

its really hard to stuff a plug thread, to stuff 4 and still get the plugs all the way in would be pure genius, if you got them all out and back in again with no worries I would say they were just stiff

I've seen some apprentices do some pretty spectacular stuff

[lump_a_charcoal]

Lokidog wrote:

anal annie

I saw that movie - Terrible plot, but great performances.

[steak_knife]

lump_a_charcoal wrote:

Lokidog wrote:

anal annie

I saw that movie - Terrible plot, but great performances.

Is that the one with the goat?

[lump_a_charcoal]

No that is Goatseye Gertie...

[steak_knife]

Oh year!! nice ass, no hang on, that was the donkey.

[Rockhopper]

ScrawnC wrote:

I've seen some apprentices do some pretty spectacular stuff

Many years ago our apprentice took one of our best customers (at the time) new VN Commodore out for a test drive and wrote it off. Less than 7 days later he took a highway patrol car out for a test drive and wrote it off as well That's the best effort I've seen. And he still managed to keep his job.

[Scrawny]

Rockhopper wrote:

And he still managed to keep his job.

How did he manage to keep his job???

[Hybrid]

Maybe the apprentice locktited your plugs in hehe.

[Lokidog]

Royce said that plugs do seem to get stiff in the alloy heads. This could have been the case…

Past experience is, after the plugs are initially cracked, they're general quite smooth and ease up while unscrewing. But, while taking the old plugs out, they seemed a bit stiff all the while I was unscrewing them.

I rang the mechanic and asked if they used anything like copper coat. He said that they didn't (I've never used it myself either). He said try a bit of oil on the thread and to try screwing the first few threads by hand. I did and I managed to get it sorted.

Even though my mechanic is really good at what he does… Apprentices aren't perfect and can fuck up. He can't keep his eyes on his apprentice at all times.
Like I said, I can't prove anything and it could have just been me, finding it difficult to replace the plugs with the initial starting of the thread…

[Lokidog]

lump_a_charcoal wrote:

Lokidog wrote:

anal annie

I saw that movie - Terrible plot, but great performances.

Not exactly what I meant

[Rockhopper]

ScrawnC wrote:

Rockhopper wrote:

And he still managed to keep his job.

How did he manage to keep his job???

The owner of the business had a soft spot for him, as he just used to turn up after school and pump petrol for them for something to do. The boss then put him on as an apprentice. The boss was'nt much better though, but he was a good bloke. He started a (then brand new) EA Falcon on the hoist once, forgetting it was a manual, and it took off across the workshop and turned it into a convertable when it ended up under our ramps at the back of the workshop.
17 years down the track though an my old boss has now since retired, the apprentice whilst he was a pain in the ass to work with, is now one of my best mates and works at Qantas doing safety audits and earning big big $$ , and I'm a freaking forklift mechanic. Go figure!!!