The spark plug shot out of my 2000 Mazda, I asked the mechanic to use a heli-coil and he told me that you could not use one on an aluminum head that I would need to replace the head to the tune 2500. Is that true?
2007-03-16 14:35:07 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
not well I thought they might just be telling me that because I am a woman, but I guess they never heard of the internet.
2007-03-16 14:41:12 · update #1
Helicoil makes parts suitable for aluminum. I'd get a second opinion. How well do you know this garageman?
2007-03-16 14:38:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can be done, but I would not recommend it. This should be done when the head is on the car in only the direst of circumstances since there is a good chance that it will fail, and I understand the facility's reticence to perform this repair. The best solution is to either have a quality machine shop repair the head once it is removed from the car or to buy another one. The problem comes from the fact that the material that the coil is made of is a different material than the head, and they have different rates of expansion/contraction. The Iron in the helicoil will hold more heat than the aluminum will and this difference causes it to work loose over time.
2007-03-16 16:01:11 · answer #2 · answered by Mtech 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He's trying to rip you. Aluminum heads are easier to fix than iron heads.
2007-03-16 14:39:37 · answer #3 · answered by mad_mav70 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good luck rethreading alum. Go to junk yard and get another.
2007-03-16 14:49:22 · answer #4 · answered by made8396 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋