<VV> Further Problems - was Oil Issues

[Les Honke]

Byron, it's probably time to pull that head (can be done without removing engine, you're almost all the way there already) and take it to a good Corvair head rebuilder to get the hole welded/retapped.

Don't recall if this was a rebuilt engine or not, if not might be just as far ahead to install a good used matching head.

Les
corvair at mts.net

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Message: 9
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 06:12:46 -0700 (PDT)
From: Byron Comp <byron.comp at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: <VV> Further Problems - was Oil Issues
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Message-ID: <665632.53590.qm at web120307.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
 
Well, I'm sure it will come as no surprise to many/most on VV, but I'm learning 
it more and more every day: This "restomod" hobby of ours is not for the faint 
of heart. Just about the time I solve one problem, another, seemingly worse one 
pops us. I got the RTV goop and got the valve cover on, and then discovered that 
the reason a backfire when trying to start the car last week had "spit out" the 
#2 spark plug was that the hole was so badly reamed out the insert couldn't 
hold. So I did everything necessary to remove the turkey roaster so as to get at 
the offending plug hole, coated the insert with "red" seal and then proceeded to 
re-insert it, tapping it with the associated tool to "swell" the serrated 
trailing edge. But guess what, the hole was SO bad, my taps drove the insert 
straight on through and into the combustion chamber. 
 
 
Thus the question, is there any reasonable expectancy that I can retrieve that 
thing without removing the head? And regardless of how I get it out, what do I 
do now about the wallowed out hole? Can I re-tap it and somehow use double 
inserts? Is there a larger diameter spark plug that will work in it? Or do I 
just bite the bullet?and buy a new head?
 
It never rains but what it pours.
 
Byron Comp
'64 Vert
Gainesville, FL