Flying SparkPlug Wire/Loud Engine, Sparkplug wire laying on engine Options

[celicazero]

First and for most... great forum!
Its the reason I decided not to sell my celica.

I ran my celica pretty one night after having it transported to southern cali from Chicago. It idled funny (around 2200K). It clunked off harshly when I pulled into my drive way and shut it off. I have never had any trouble what so ever form my car. I openned the hood to find the 3rd plug wire (from right to left) sitting lose on top of engine. It apparently hit the hood hard enough to tear the cloth underneath.
Plus after I reseated it the engine sounds really terrible. Very loud tapping and clanking in all gears and even during idle.

[Rjb23]

Did you check the plug? Also what engine do you have.

[celicazero]

I have a 5sfe. Im using platinum 4 plugs. They were only a few months old. The wires look OK. I am thinking of replacing the cap. It just sounds really really bad.
It starts with no problem

[celicazero]

I just replaced my plat4 with denso ird. I changed the rotor and cap. Even bought a new yellow top battery for giggles. I removed the hood completely. I started the car and for a second it seemed normal until I heard a loud bang like a gun shot from the front of car. The same wire flew this time it had one of my new $12 plugs with it. It land about 20 ft away. Any suggestions

[Anub1s]

Sounds like you may have stripped the splines in the head. No good, no good at all. You may want to take it to a shop to have them look at it.

[celicazero]

Cant i just rethread it. The treads on the plugs are fine. I am not opposed to tearing down the block to see if it possible. I just never had a problem with my car before and this seen really weird.

[Rjb23]

Yea that is crazy, I would take it to a shop. You really won't be able to rethread the spark plug hole if its striped.

Are you sure the plug was in all the way?

[celicazero]

yeah it shot out pretty far.

[Digndoug]

the plug or wire shot off? did you pull the plugs them self out and look at the gap? or if its burnt or if the tip broke off. On my ford explore the tip broke offf and dameged the cylnder head and ring.

[celicazero]

Well on the first occurance I examine all of the plugs they lookked fine. they still seemed gapped normal. Well after today the the gap on a freshly installed plug is closed compleltely I just bought a new one and remove the others. Today both plug and wires are out of the car.

[Rjb23]

Well if it was just the wire I would say you have a short in it or something.

You may have not had the plug tightened all the way, sometimes it feels like its tight but the little metal gasket is not all the way on and its not really tight. Try threading it back in, and seeing if it tightens down properly, and make sure the plug is gapperd correctly.

[97GTinKC]

sure sounds like the threads in the cylinder head are gone, especially if the threads on the plug look ok, they can sometimes install a thread insert in the head without removing the head, be easier with the valve cover off and the plug well removed. have to be able to drill and tap the hole for the new insert. kinda tricky, got to keep metal shavings out of the motor. I've done it on old VW's before, best way would be to pull the head, get it welded up and re-drilled and tapped (also the expensive way, how many miles on your engine? may be time to just pick up another engine?).

this is also why I dont like these new cars that have a rediculous regular plug change interval, you leave a steel spark plug in an aluminum head for 60-100K miles, it most likely ISN'T coming out again. do yourself a favor and check them at least every 20k and use anti-sieze compound on the threads.

[celicazero]

Well I was thinking that and i almost have the block apart enough to attempt it. I have welding and tapping experience so im not afraid to try it. I have 123K on my 97 even. It did seem cheaper to buy an older short block than troubleshoot this one if there is going to be as much trouble as I for see. I just moved to southern cali and I have not got it smogged and all of that out of the way either

[LewFX]

welcome to so cal!!! doesnt the rain just suck!

[celicazero]

The rain I can deal with its just the floods that suck. I just talked to a guy in my nieghborhood who said he would love to buy my car but he didnt believe it would pass smog with a different engine other than a 97 5sfe. I would like to place a BEAMS 3sge in at this point but if it doent pass smog (which I dont think it will or at least it not legally I dont think if it some how did) it not worth it. Id rather sell it.

[Silvan]

Why don't you try a helicoil? Maybe that helps.

This post has been edited by Silvan: Feb 23, 2005 - 4:54 AM

[celicazero]

After finishing the retapping of the spark housing and after days of ripping up the block. The plug fits better than before and in my opinion. I inserted it and removed several times. kinda got me worked up. Now after reassembling everything I still had that horrible noise with the engine running. very loud ticking more like knocking. I took it to a local toyota dealer and they look at for about two hours (after three hours of waiting). They then gave me a bill for looking at it and an estimate on a replacement 5sfe for $5700 . Im not sure but I think they even want another $1200 for labor. Is this sane? Any ideas from here? I have never seem any trouble until now and the car has been well maintained. i only used mobil1 plus the longest I have ever went without an oil change was 3400 miles three years ago.

[celicaboston1983]

I had the same thing happened to me a couple of months ago the spark plug shot out and tire a hole in the hood cloth and mad a dent on my hood so i assumed it just got loose so i just plgu them back in and same thing happened and now I have two dents. went to the shop and they told me that it was crosstread or something so they just put this little metal ring piece forgot what its called on the spark plug before they put it back in. And everything has been great since.

[97GTinKC]

Could it be just a chunk of carbon in the combustion chamber thats come loose, causing the knocking sound? I have seen that happen before ,,,

[Rjb23]

That is a rippoff. Get a used 5sfe and do it yourself if you can. For that much money you can get a 3rd gen 3sgte put in, by xatracing.