[Moorey]

Last Thursday night I went over to Squires in Sherburn in Elmet [old bike night] on my CD175 for a change and thrashed the nuts of it there and back. About 1ml from home it blew the left plug out of the head completely stripping the thread out of the head. I ordered VORLUX SPARK PLUG THREAD REPAIR KIT M12 X 1.25 B5838 off Ebay £6.90 it arrived this morning and I decided to do the repair without stripping the engine.
I removed the exhaust and turned the engine until the exhaust valve was open. I put a air line into the exhaust and did the job with air constantly blowing out past the well greased tap. Every piece of swarf was immediately blown out. Anyone else using this method make sure you wear goggles or glasses. From start to finish and having the engine running again just over 1/2 hour. I wouldn't hesitate to use this method again.

 

[ancientdad]

Excellent news - glad you were able to fix it and that it worked so well. Good to know for the future

 

[Tomsfunmachine]

I've used the greased tap deal, but never added compressed air up the exhaust with that valve open! Great method!

 

[Moorey]

I did nearly 200mls on it on Sunday and everything was good.

 

[Glyn]

Hi Moorey, Just read your thread on the stripped out plug thread and wondered whether you had to drill the hole first before re-tapping with the Vorlux Kit, or will the tap take out the old damaged thread ( my mate managed to cross thread his plug and screwed it in a good way as to make it irretrievable ). I'd prefer not to remove the head if I can do the job without. Also how did you screw in the new thread ? I've never used this type of kit before.
Any help much appreciated,
Regards,
Glyn.

 

[crazypj]

1967 CD175 is what realyl got me started as a 'professional' motorcycle mechanic. I took head with stripped thread to local Suzuki dealers (didn't like the guys at Honda shop even though I ended up working there few years later)
It had been Helicoil'd previously but tread were stripped out. I remember foreman/chief tech (BC) saying 'it's scrap' and literally tossing it over his shoulder. As a perenially broke 14 yr old, I made a shrink in insert ten re-tapped 12mm thread. Bike ran real well for thousands of miles (until I over revved it too much 'chasing' a Suzuki GT500 and big end failed)
About 7 yrs later I ended up in Suzuki workshops as tech but later ended up running workshop (BC had left to start his own shop)

 

[Moorey]

Hi Moorey, Just read your thread on the stripped out plug thread and wondered whether you had to drill the hole first before re-tapping with the Vorlux Kit, or will the tap take out the old damaged thread ( my mate managed to cross thread his plug and screwed it in a good way as to make it irretrievable ). I'd prefer not to remove the head if I can do the job without. Also how did you screw in the new thread ? I've never used this type of kit before.
Any help much appreciated,
Regards,
Glyn.

Hi Glyn no I didn't have to dill first there was no thread left in the hole. The tap started quite easily. I screwed the insert onto a plug by hand and wound it in with the plug first putting a little studlock on the outer thread of the insert. I have had the plugs in and out since with no problems. Just make sure you don't get any studlock between the plug and the insert,

 

[Skyliner]

I used this method back in the early 70's except I didn't remove the exhaust pipe. I'd turn the motor over until the exhaust valve was just barely open and let the other mechanic blow air in the muffler while I tapped the spark plug hole.

 

[[email protected]]

I did this minus the grease and worked fine. Good idea with the grease though! I'll remember that for future reference

 

[Moorey]

I used this method back in the early 70's except I didn't remove the exhaust pipe. I'd turn the motor over until the exhaust valve was just barely open and let the other mechanic blow air in the muffler while I tapped the spark plug hole.

Its amazing how much air you lose to the cylinder through the silencer drain hole, fine doing it that way with a decent ait supply though.