Stripped - please advise!

[dpm68]

Hi, I have a 4-Runner with a 22RE (4 cyl) that I just finished helicoiling the head (in car) on all of the exhaust bolt holes, (that worked out great) but it turns out that spark hole no.4 is gone too. It turns out that this is a common problem for 'Yotas (soft aluminum heads.) What I'd like to know is - is it ppossible to helicoil the plug hole without removing the head? I could bump it until no.4 is at TDC and vacuum out any shavings and the tang too...has anyone ever done something like this, or am I bonkers.? Thanks for looking, and I will go drink now... Dave Mika

[mikej678]

In the January 2004 issue of Car Craft on "The Last Page" there is a tool called Back Tap.
They say it can be used without removing the head.
I haven't looked but, they say it is avalible from Starr Products.

www.starrproducts.com

Hope this helps.
Mike

[zstalker]

I'm not an expert on Toyota 4-cylinders, but it seems to me that there are bazillions of them out there.  I would think it would really be worth your time and money to just get another head, with all good threads.  Putting a newer head, you'd be sure that you're starting with a better head that re-working your old one...
...just my two cents....
~Erik~

[dkn1997]

had the same exact thing happen to me with an alluminum head on an 86 B2600 mazda pickup.  I drilled it out, tapped it, and then swabbed out the cylinder with a magnet on one of those flexible grabber things, then I shop vac'd the hole out.

worked fine, head was never taken off.

[Steve P.]

had the same exact thing happen to me with an alluminum head on an 86 B2600 mazda pickup.   I drilled it out, tapped it, and then swabbed out the cylinder with a magnet on one of those flexible grabber things, then I shop vac'd the hole out.

worked fine, head was never taken off.

What good did the magnet do???

[8WHEELER]

   yeah what he said........

Dan

[Chryco Psycho]

it was an alum magnet 
cutting it slowly & backing out with the tap covered in grease should minimize the alum getting into the cyl

[cudaken]

 Will one of the aluminum magnet's help me to get the chrew up bearings out of my 440 Neil


                                  Cuda Ken