I was wondering if anyone has ever drilled/tapped the heads to use larger plugs. Both my 1973 2.0 heads have one bad plug hole, one was heli-coiled and the other was stripped when I bought the car. I live in the middle of nowhere and don't really want to mail the heads to a unknown machine shop unless I have to. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

Is this a budget/quick repair? Is the head off? Remove the helicoils
( they suck) and install a timecert(sp). I did an emergency helicoil, on the road, in the car, and drove it home to Tulsa from Yuma with no problems. It blew out with the plug about a week later. Pulled motor and installed a Timecert. Still doing great after 6 years.

Disclaimer: your experiences my vary.

Ya know, Shipping them to a reputable head repair shop will only take a few shipping days extra. I'm lucky. Got one local.

I would like it to last for at least a couple of years, recommendations for a good shop that I could mail them to would also be appreciated. Repair time is not really a factor, I still have to completely rebuild my brake system.

I know ther are a couple of guys on the board who do that work. Try a search, or check at Jake's site. I'll bet some one else will check in here shortly with the info ya need. The timecerts aren't that difficult to do. Drill, tap, and use a special tool to install the timecert.

Thanks, I will look into them.

You could put the timecert's in yourself. More than likely thats what they will put in at a machine shop. You could buy the tool and inserts for less then the shop bill. Just a thought.

Try it, you will like it. Your pocket book will like it. You can always send it to a machine shop to do probably the same thing. Go for it, and have fun doing itl Time certs are straight forward items to

Steve Hurt

Sounds like you could write the tech article on timecerts.....


(I say this because I would need it - do need it - to fix my heads.)

I was kinda worried that the timecerts would not work because the one hole was already drilled out larger for the heli-coil that fell out. That is why I started thinking about drilling and tapping for a larger plug. It seems like that would be a good permanent fix if it was possible to do it. I have not figured out the timecert hole size or anything yet though.

I am sure most people would just have it welded and redone, I am just worried about the local shops, they usually work on large farm equipment that is made from 1/2 inch thick steel. I live in the middle of wheat fields in a town of 900 people. The closes real town is Seattle, 300 miles away.

I also found a stripped out plug hole when replacing the spark plugs yesterday. I have the engine out of the car so I was able to get a good look at the threads...yep, definitely stripped. I was surprised the old plug was staying in there under pressure.

I'm thinking of going with the threaded insert route. I'm not sure if my FLAPS has Time-Cert, but there must be similar brands out there.

What am I expecting to pay for the tool and insert to do one hole?

Should I go to the trouble of taking the cylinder head off to do it?

I bought a timecert kit at an Autozone or Kragen. I fixed a stripped out spark plug hole at the track and it worked so well that I timecerted the rest of the holes the next time I had the heads off.

I was going to make a wisecrack about Ellensburg not being a "big" city, then I realized how far east your are. 15 miles from Moscow???

Удачи!
(Good Luck!)

Yep, pretty much nowhere. I can get a good used tracter a lot easier (and cheaper) than anything for my 914. Thank god for mail order.

I was just quoted $350 for a M14X1.25 repair kit w/ 10 inserts direct from Time-Cert.

I guess I'll have to find a shop that can do this for me.

Try Jim Pendergrass for Time Serts. 1800 926 1847 He will likely be cheaper. You want the 15mm length, (not the 17mm).
Time-Serts require some attention that they didn't use to. The shoulders tend to be a little larger than the counterbore that the tool cuts. I always make sure the shoulder will fit the counterbore before installing. I usually have to put them in my lathe and very lightly file the shoulder down a few thousanths.

You may have a tough time if you already have a helicoil in the head. The helicoil thread is the same as the Time-Sert threads so if the threads in the head are okay then you dodged a bullet. Otherwise you will have no choice other than to pull the head and have weld work done. As for other inserts, once the original threads have been cut away for an insert (or helicoil) you usually won't have much luck with a different insert. There usually isn't enough meat left in the boss.

If you try to jump up to the big plugs Ford used you will cut away the plug boss on the ex. side for sure and likely on the intake side too. It will be a mess.

BTW, many years ago I spent a week in Moscow, ID one weekend. Not many pretty girls and nothing to do but drink... a lot!