View Single Post
  #3  
Old 05-14-2019, 08:20 AM
Stretch's Avatar
Stretch Stretch is offline
...like a shield of steel
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Netherlands
Posts: 14,461
The "better" Helicoil versions are called Time-sert or other brand names with "sert" stuck on the end. They are not cheap.

The safest way to fix is to remove the head - people try and mess about with compressed air to try and blow swarf out of the cylinder but I think that's potentially asking for trouble. If you have an engine with an aluminium alloy head it is probably a good idea to remove it anyway and check for corrosion (especially if the engine has been sitting for a while / poor maintenance). More modern engines such as the M102/3/4 and the OM603/6 suffer from head gasket corrosion related trouble.

For my M102 I used Hylomar spray on gasket dressing which is meant to help prevent corrosion as well as help with the seal.

If you decide to remove the head follow the reverse torque order procedure as specified in the FSM - this is particularly important for an aluminium alloy head.
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
Reply With Quote