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Oh my god...I now have a front cylinder spark plug hole with a stripped thread. Can anyone offer some advice which might not need dropping the engine and lifting the head?

Any ideas would be much appreciated guys.

Thanks.

Dave::

P.S. Its' an '83 900S2.

'
" Oh Dear Dave "

Take the head off, you don't even need to drop the engine and send it out to get helicoiled job Done

PS; it is after all just an "S2" dont take it to heart

i think i read somewhere-there is a self tapping spark plug-may solve your problem-not sure though

The front head comes off in about 20 minutes! Just take it off and bring it to a machine shop for a heli coil...all will be good in the end! A fresh set of oil o rings should be all you will need to buy upon re assembly.

If you are careful you don't really have to remove the head.Using copious amounts of bearing grease on the reamer and tap will catch the chips if you take your time.If you don't have the tools or kit or desire seek out someone versed in VW aircooled engine repair.The plug threads on those engines puked with great regularity and anybody with any experience will have the bits to repair your head[s].But as others have said the front head is easy to remove and reinstall.

I'd recommend a TimerSert repair over a Helicoil. I know some people swear by Helicoils but I'm not a big fan...

Definately a Timesert job....helicoils are crap in comparison....I only use timeserts on my motorcycles

Same thing happened on my 900SS. You can either use lots of grease on the tap as stated above, or remove the head, but I would definitely Timesert rather than helicoil. Threaded steel insert make a permanent and more positive repair, and i will not back out (if one properly) when unscrew the plug, as helicoils tend to do.

Hey Spub, when did you get a 77 SS ?

Hey Martin....Had one all the time, even before my SSD....By the way, the thing with Timeserts is the insert itself costs nothing (relatively speaking), but the specialized tool(s) to install them (tap, reamer, handle, insert setter) are expensive, for as much use as you will put them to. I have a set if anyone needs to borrow it in the greater California area, but guys in OZ are on your own.....

Cool...had a timesert installed. Was tuning carbs, still had some backfiring happening. Pulled the plug out and gosh, out came half the timesert, in pieces. Bloody brilliant.

Now calling the timesert guy back to explain what the phuk is going on.

Afraid i now need a new head. Shiiiiit!

D.

Dave

Take the head to an Engine reco place , the once that do alloy welding etc etc , they will be able to help you now , there is no point using a timesert again as the threads have been cut to suit and they surely would be damaged by now

Good luck let us know how it all turns out

Cheers Marty

Dont give it to anybody in the car engine business!!!!!!!!

Send the head to Pete Smith from Epi-Cycle (he has a website) in Bellingen. He is an exceptionally good machinist & has worked very closely with Ducati's for a long time. He ran the Ducati dealer team Superbike outfit for a long time & had a lot of success racing previous to that with a couple of other Ducati's.
It can be welded & re-machined to be 'as new' easily, you dont need a new head.
If you cant find his no. PM me & I will dig it out. Do not risk it with anybody else, I have seen the results of others attempts to fix the same & they are crap.

Dave.

Bevel Dave.

Took your advice and sent to Pete Smith. He is by far the god of machining. Please if anyone needs work in this area do not go anywhere else but Epicycle.

Slightly off topic now my head is back in shape. I want to ask a question regarding carbs.

My front cylinder needs the throttle stop screw wound in almost all the way to bring up the revs. I checked out the slide and it does show a small indent from making contact with the stop screw. How much is this past serviceable and requiring replacement???

Thanks guys.

Dave::

If money is no object replace the slides. It is the right and propper thing to do because if the base where the idle screw rests is worn then chances are the slide and possibly the body is worn also.
However, if like me, kids, ex-wives, bills, mortgage, and beer costs keep rail-roading your hard earned funds you can swap the front slide to the back carb and visa versa. Effectivly what this does is allows the idle screw to bear on the other side of the slide that does not have a dent.
Yes yes I can see the purists roll their eyes but harsh economic times call for harsh economic measures.