I installed an aluminum head on my B last year. Got it all together, and
striped the threads while putting in the plugs. Had to take the whole thing
apart, go to NAPA to have the helicoils installed in all the plugs ports,
and put it back together.
Then torqued one of the head bolts down (one of the ones going into the
head) down a bit to much and snapped it. So, off came the head again, back
to NAPA to drill it out.
Was a bit frustrating. But, the aluminum head made all the difference in
performance.
So, lesson learned was anytime you deal w/ aluminum put a helicoil into any
place a bolt gets into to.
Cheers,
Nick
73 B San Diego MG Club NAMGBR
> In a related note, Carrol Smith, race car engineering guru, says in
> his book on fasteners that anything that needs to be removed and
> reinstalled regularly on an aluminum casting should have some sort of
> thread insert installed. I'm thinking that I will put in Helicoils
> for the spark plug holes the next time the head comes off
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