Fixing Another Shops Butcher Repair. Can I Save the Head?? Chevy Express Van 

Well, saved the customer money, and fixed what should not have been broken in the first place. But you taught all of us how to use those inserts properly, and also tricks on how to use them as well.

Kenny a proper old school mechanic , but also knows his way around electrics and computer diagnostics

Great job Kenny, I love these kind of repairs it's the oldschool mechanic magic

It amazes me when people botch things up, you know when a spark plug is on the wrong thread still creates work for someone. Another great video Kenny.

I learnt very early on, hand fit everything threaded before using a wrench or gun, especially spark plugs etc. If you have to use a socket to run it in, still do it by hand, saves a lot of time because you don’t go wrong.

"First, do no harm!" I have a short handle Snap-On ratchet I have had in my tool box for years. It is great for installing spark plugs and not over torquing them. I am amazed at the 80 foot pounds people put on a spark plug.

Your a good man SIR! I'm glad to see you could help them instead of sell them another cyl head.. or send off to a machine shop...

Years ago, I had an Escort that had to have the spark plug threads repaired. My local machine shop put an insert in from the valve side stopping right at the taper surface so that the original type plug would still seal. He somehow locked in the insert to where it would resist coming loose while installing the plug, but the taper seat would not let it come out while removing the plug. The repair gave no problems for as long as I knew the car's history. Thanks Kenny, for showing DYIers how to avoid making common mistakes.

Glad you showed the red scotch bright. I bought the green. Didn't know there was a red very fine. Thanks Kenny!

Hey there brother Kenny, this was a great video. You did an incredible job for your customer!

I don't know how often you replace the spare plugs on a 3 valve V8 Ford, but this works for me. Get all your tools handy and at the ready. Warm up the engine. QUICKLY remove the coils. Spray you best rust penetrant down on top of the plugs. At least 1-2 inches of fluid. Crack the plugs loose 1/8-1/4 of a turn. Let the engine cool down for 1-2 hours. 2 is better. Work the plugs back and forth with the engine cool. A breaker bar works best. Then slowly remove the spark plugs. You should get them all out without breaking anything. Just remember to blow out the penetrant with the plugs removed. Don't want to hydro lock the engine, or fill the shop up with smoke.)

I can’t get enough of your videos. Love the content. Thanks

What a great and informative video, thank you for taking the time to record and explain what you're doing!

Dude, this is great! I have always let the machinist handle this type of situation but I love seeing how it is done.

I’m about to embark on a journey that I should have taken decades ago, I’m going to train to become a certified master mechanic/ technician. Since watching your videos, I will have a wide open calm mindset to help me deal with difficult situations.

As a former tech, I am amazed at some of the "butchers". You almost have to work at it to cross thread a plug. We had a saying back in the day when encountering priorly cross threaded items accomplished by hacks, their motto must be "cross threaded is better than no threaded!"😅😉

Another great job and saved your customer! Thanks Kenny

I’ve learned so much from your videos, I and everyone that watches your videos appreciate you for teaching us the correct way to do the work we thought we knew we could do. .👍yes 👍👍👍👍keep up the great work and the videos . Yes yes job well done.

A fine job ,especially the shop made tools.

Nothing is more fun than fixing threads that are messed up!

Nice work Kenny saving that head. A shame it had to go that far, but at least it's fixed.

Time-Sert makes a very nice kit to repair these permanently. I have used the kit extensively on Triton engines that blow the plug out.

A true engineer! not a mechanic or fitter. Great work

Great video Kenny. Thanks for sharing. I always learn something new from your videos. Cheers.

It sounds like the previous mechanic didn't peen out the knurled end enough once he was at the correct depth. Then when he turned the new plug into place, the whole insert spun itself deeper into the cylinder. With a plug design that is smaller than the big threaded hole for the insert, there was no increase in torque telling the mechanic he was done. This was by far your best video for me, I had no idea there are special plugs for this exact situation. If I ever find a plug like this in a car, it will be a clue that tells a longer story. And you gave me something more to worry about, if a valve is open when doing this. It means an extra step of finding TDC compression, and then moving 1/3 turn more to get almost to BDC on the compression stroke.

That's why I carry multiple spark plug or regular deep sockets of the same size. Some are deeper than others or a little shorter to clear something or have a thinner wall to fit where they have to. Great video, very informative and detailed.

I paid 100$ for an install kit that has 1 of each length, the installer, and the peener. It works generally flawlessly. Being a Ford owner with a gen1 5.4 2 valve i have used my kit on my truck as well as customers 4.6 trucks. Having to do that on a Chevy is a rare occurrence.

Good save right there, glad you shared it very interesting 👍

70k Kenny! Good channel! Always quality content!

Great job patience and enguinuity

Awesome work, thank you for showing the fixes. I use red scotch bright with some wd-40 for cleaning up aluminum heads.

Excellent video! I hope I never need any of these thread inserts, but it's nice to know they exist.

Very good video, thanks Kenny for all the knowledge you give out, blessings for a good week.😎☮️✌️✅

Lock n stitch are by far the best thread repair kits available

I understand your frustration. I used to come home from working on machine tools. And sound like you talking to my wife. I was told by her " shut up, thats how you make a living. Fixing break down weather it's neglecte or stupidity."

I live in a town at the end of the world…and there’s less than 10 auto repair shops. 2 name brand auto shops to choose from, the rest are local shops. So, a simple tuneup was done @ this name brand auto shop on a Ford suv, I noticed a performance issue. Which led to a different problem, but the spark plugs were supposedly replaced? I pulled one spark plug to check the gap…and it was never replaced! But thank you for ur channel, I recommend u to everyone I know. And I’m a back-yard mechanic 😊

I like this kind of vid. Thx Kenny.

Looks like you got it figured out. Great work.

Still HIGHLY recommend using time-sert as they have a "thread roller for straightening out slightly damaged threads

I wish the tool manufacturer put the part number for the two types of spark plugs you used. I just repaired my ford escape, the plugs are 7 inches down the hole with the twin over-head cam engine. And of course it was one of the back against the firewall plugs that blew out. Great video, wish I had seen it before my repair.

As always Kenny very professional job there the shade tree mechanic that did the previous work should have all his tools confiscated and never given back to him or her ! Great job Kenny ! Stay Safe! 👍👍

Hi Kenny! Good work! There are threaded sleeves with a lip/flange at the top to stop the insert in the right place. Any views on this type? Many thanks!

Nice job on the insert. Ran a machine shop for many years and i always used red Loctite on them,none ever came back.

I have been fixing cars etc for 37 years and have repaired plenty of plug threads with heli coils I have never had a issue ...just be careful the tang don't drop down cylinder when you break it off

@WrenchingWithKenny Just a helpful note for your viewers. Best practice is to use time-sert Kit 4412E-187 or similar from other manufactures specifically for tapered seats (gasket plug is a different insert part number) good mention about thread locker high temp Permatex, Loctite or Time-Sert p/n 6020 Locker & Sealer specifically high temp for spark plugs inserts as you show. Most techs will use regular thread locker, and this will burn out. This time-sert kit does not have the extra thick wall insert the Chinese kits do and will leave a thick aluminum cover over the insert inside the combustion chamber. On LS heads A lot of techs do not understand you should not go double oversize (Chinese inserts) on a LS cylinder head. The aluminum around the insert gets to thin and will not dissipate heat from the fast enough correctly. When this happens, the aluminum will literally melt away at the insert because the insert retains to much heat. Great video. I usually do not have may positive things to say about repair videos, but you nailed this one.

Epic save!

I've had problems with the Helicoil insert with the knurl. Came back out next time I removed the plug. Much prefer Time-serts they have a positive stop and won't thread further into the hole.

Interesting to see the insert being peined with a hammer the head sitting metal on metal on the work bench. The head made quite the sound when being dragged across the bench. A towel between each next time perhaps?.

Kenny. If you ever see the cheap tool kits that come with motorcycles, they’ll be a cheesy spark plug tool formed out of thin wall tubing that will fit down even the narrowest plug well. Providing you find the right size, it would be worth having them for this instance. They’re about a buck at a swap meet.

Looks like you're working on a GM minivan. Go through the wheel wells to gain access to the plugs. Especially the ones near the firewall. # 5 and 6. Drivers side,you gotta fumble with steering gear and brake lines. Passenger side,not to bad. You do gotta pull the wheels.

My grandpa had motor mounts done on his Astro. The "mechanic" welded them to the frame instead of taking the time to install the 3 bolts.

Good job Kenny! You're the man!

Time sert have inserts for taperseat plugs excellent repair system

There is NO SUCH THING as COMMON SENSE. If Sense was Common, everyone would have it!!!😉

From experience, if a HELICOIL backs out, it is due to improper installation. The ends must be a minimum of one full thread deep for full contact so the end will dig into the thread when turning. Loctite is never used on a HELICOIL. I have seen quite a few that were installed with the bottom tang not broken off which is supposed to lock the thread when installing the bolt or spark plug. Also, on blind holes, if the insert is too long, it will begin to become a smaller thread at the bottom because the tap has a taper and when a long bolt is installed, it can cause the insert to back out when removing that bolt and it will lock into that taper portion giving incorrect torque. My old boss used to say to me that only 2 threads of an insert are needed to fully torque a bolt. That would be for me a do or die situation as I would want the proper length per bolt for security. I have always used HELICOIL. They were designed for aluminum threads I believe during WWII but I may be off about the exact time. I have never heard of an airframe failing due to one being installed. In my old guard unit, we had a massive genuine HELICOIL installation kit and it included go/no go gauges. You don't see that anymore. This may probably the reason they were allowed. Funny, I have never seen the actual instruction book that came with that kit but it covered just about any thread used in America. Only Uncle Sam could have afforded it.

Another commonsense repair, thank you. I also saw that the back cylinder has a common LS problem also, broken exhaust manifold hold down bolt, I assume you fixed that also.

BTW i have the same Snapon flex head (metal handle) and love it. At this point it is over 30 years old and is still my GOTO

Amazing work

I would be concerned that the rough edge where that sleeve was in the spark plug hole would create a hotspot and cause predetonation. Just a thought.

Just an FYI for when you order more scotchbtite pads, the 7448 (lt grey) is a bit less aggressive than the 7447 (maroon), or the 7447 pro pads your using. I couldn't tell if you were showing the pro pad or the regular 7447. The 7448 are about equivalent to the green sponge pads sold in grocery stores. And the 7440 ones work great for cleaning up the bead areas on cast rims when installing tires.

anybody else yelling at the screen "Lube it!!" ??? LOL

Am thinking the problem with a Helicoil not sealing is that there is a coil above the coil below when the tab is broken off. The spark plug shown uses a tapered seat to seal. Can’t make contact all the way around. A bit concerned about same with the steel collar thread repair shown. But less concerned. The setting tool may form the top to create a sufficient flared seat.

Modern engines the cylinder head ( If not the whole engine ) is alloy, it is softer than say cast iron, cross thread a spark plug and you are in TROUBLE!! Which is why my my garage will be changing mine, to Avoid a HUGE bill!!

Great spark plug fix video. The only thing I would recommend is considering “Joe X, the Rag Man” mechanic did this type of damage with these spark plugs, I would have the head X-Rayed for cracks in the combustion area of the head. Personal experience I had a crack when I did the exact repair you did.

Kenny; 4:49, If I'm not mistaken, that's an intake valve.

Bravo, I love watching a master mechanic fix stuff right. What does a repair like that cost labor not including parts? Approximately? You do fine work.

Great job, i do the same way, but i use bearing mount.(should never come back out😅)

Would you try to clean up the carboned up exhaust valve before reassembly?

What a mess. Head is off, replace the head and move on with life. That was a nice repair though.

Thanks for the video!

Holy crap! How many shops would have pulled that turd out of the garage asap and told the customer good luck.

Everybody has to learn. !

Once again always hand thread a spark plug at first to make sure it's threading right. You can tell if it's cross threaded. If it is stop and take it out and try again. Turn it counter clockwise until is drops down to the threads and you should be able to tighten it correctly and not cross thread.

Do you use solvent like Berrymans B12 with the scotch brite pad to clean the gasket surfaces?

Damn, this is painful to watch. I've actually installed one insert before, as correctly as I knew of at the time, and I never had any problems with it. I was *not* aware that you should use different flat bottom spark plugs with a gasket along with that sort of fix though, but it makes sense. Still, I had absolutely no problems with my repair. It probably helps a lot that I took machine shop in high school though, but yeah I wasn't aware of the different spark plugs that should be used with that fix. Thank you for sharing, today I learned a thing. 👍

With regard to the previous repair attempt, in the words of comedian, Jeff Foxworthy, you can’t fix stupid! Very good repair, although I would have loved to see some type of cushion between the deck of the cylinder, head and your workbench as you were painting the top of the insert

😅 . I'm sorry man. It just caught me. Not saying I've not done some stuff back in the day. But some of these are mind blowing. Doing a great job. Thanks for the vids.

You seriously have to watch some of these shops. I had a transmission that was starting to slip. So I changed it out for another one from the wrecking yard. The core I was offered at the wrecking yard was a joke. So I took my transmission to a rebuild shop. The service writer (Mike) refused to give me a quote. Saying that I need to leave the whole truck with him. As HE has to be the one to remove the transmission, rebuild it, and reinstall it. Only after I pressed him. He explained that the manufacturer may have put "the wrong transmission" in my truck to begin with (a truck that ran perfectly for 26 years). As well. I may have "improperly installed the wrong transmission from the wrecking yard," and he doesn't want to take "responsibility for any mistakes I may have made." The same (2nd) transmission that I was going to also have this fool rebuild. When all was said and done. I ended up rebuilding both transmissions myself. Watch yourselves out there, guys. There are a lot of slippery shops!

Nice to see someone still fix something now days. doesn't happen near as much as it used to.

I remember an apprentice using this tool on a Camero, insert went in and locked in fine. When he gave me the tool back I noticed a big chunk of the tap was missing. As you said about the 11:30 mark , valve was open , tap hit the valve breaking it and the valve. Had to take the head off

In residential house construction we call this job the high cost of cheap construction. The customer tried to hire a cheap mechanic will end up paying four times the cost in the long run. Ouch 😮

Those usually come with a install tool. What reason would you not use that id there is one?

have used the same method to repair oil pan that lube shop stripped threads out of oil pan. and there is a drain plug that size of the spark plug threads

Thank you, very informative information and interesting content. Thanks again

Holy cow Kenny you had to get jiggy with a side of a Mcgiver.

So soothing

Nice video, I can see why you get 10,000 views a day.

I have a 98 f150 with the 4.6. What tool would you suggest to remove a broken seized plug?

Don't blame: the customer, previous repairs or the shade trees that did them, blame FORD

Please add a link to part 2 of your videos Thanks

What a mess, you did good on the repair, if I were the owner, I would have replaced the heads. Be done with it. Good video

I strongly recommend using a thread chaser as opposed to a tap. You want to try to reform the threads, not recut them. Cutting new threads the same size, where does the excess metal come from? To recut threads makes a much weaker threaded hole.

Had that happen to my Snap On spark plug socket causing me to leave plugs loose in an LS Tahoe so I ground my socket down so that sheet doesn't happen again.

How does someone cross thread an LS cylinder head. That’s wild maybe a ford 😂😂

A great way to demonstrate the installation of the insert. You can easily see what could go wrong inside the engine. The only thing I will add is make sure you have the correct tap. I am a pipefitter, pipe taps are tapered (NPT = National Pipe Taper) and going backwards like Kenny did here would wreck the threads. So like Kenny did, make sure you have the right tap and things will go smoothly.

Needing to make a repair is bad to begin with, but that's just how it goes. Needing to make a repair as a follow-up on a botched repair is a royal pain. 🙄

Hi Kenny you should have pointed out that you did clean up the ragged edges of the tapped hole in the combustion chamber if you had left it ragged could it have possibly caused detonation?

Great job

Good save. Now get yourself a proper tap handle, and for god's sake use cutting oil when you are tapping or even chasing old threads. Could have very easily used a screw extractor to pull that insert out from the opposite side. Super easy and about 10 fewer steps.

I just had a head off of one of those engines yesterday doing lifters, I always use a whizzy wheel with the correct pad, not wasting my time with a course scrub pad