I f' up today. replacing my park plugs the front head striped out. I had trouble with it being too tight before but today was the day. So to many thanks from this forum I ordered Time-Sert spark plug repair kit. Once I'm done I will post a review of the tool and how it went. I don't know how many spark plugs I have changed, this was the first time I striped the threads. Aluminum stripes real easy.

 

You probably already know that you only get one chance at it. Take your time, use red thread locker on the insert, and make sure it's the correct depth. Good luck!

 

I wrenched on boats for a living and fixed many outboard spark plug holes that were stripped. These Heli-coil kits work fantastic! You won't have any problems. Use grease on the tool when you tap the hole bigger so the filings stick to the tool. Good luck.

 

Not a heli-coil, from reports it should be better.
http://www.timesert.com

 

Yes, timeserts are 10x a heli coil. Time serts will still be there after the aluminum is gone. No comparison. And the absolute best way to repair threads in aluminum.

 

That may be so, but since Heli Coils are far stronger than the original threads, that would make Time Serts exponentially and unnecessarily "better", with a proportionately higher price tag. Helicoils are stainless steel so they would also "be there long after the aluminum is gone", whatever that is supposed to mean. HeliCoil has been the standard in thread repair for decades and I guarantee you will find more of them in machine/maintenance shops around the world than Time Serts. Buying and using the newest and most expensive tool for the job does not ensure the best repair. I would be willing to bet that even the cheapest clone helicoil spark plug repair kit will do the job sufficiently. There are not degrees of "repaired" for this application, its either fixed or not; does it hold a spark plug in place and retain compression? Then why spend more to do the same job?

 

Heli Coil requires drilling out the hole and then tapping to fit the next size am I right? The Time-Sert allow you to repair thread and maintain the original size. Just seamed easier and although more expensive it is cheaper than taking the bike to a shop.

 

I always put my plugs in with fingers only for this reason. if I can't get it to thread in then there is a problem.

 

Not exactly,standard thread sizes are drilled and tapped with special helicoil tap, slightly oversize but the same pitch as the original thread, the insert returns the threads to original size but stronger. The spark plug kit uses same type of duplex tap tool used by Time Sert, must be a decent technique since Time Sert copied it; it threads in with normal plug threads as a guide and the secondary tap cuts the insert threads. Actually the Time Sert requires an extra step to counter bore for the shoulder on the insert. Your Time Sert kit will make an excellent repair. All the demos are displayed as benchwork, to do this job on the bike it helps to have assistance, you can rotate the crank so the exhaust valve is open and apply compressed air at the muffler, air will flow out the plug hole, use a rag wrapped around a blow gun to make a seal at the muffler, this will keep tap chips blowing up and out of the tap flutes and no chips will drop in the cylinder. Depending on the exhaust type the other muffler may need plugged.

 

When screwing in plugs I always spin them backwards until you feel it drop(kind of click) than spin them in, it's an easy way to know the threads are lined up.