I have a 2001 5.4l expy and.....

Well i was trying remove a sparkplug with one of those solid thread inserts and it dropped intocylinder #3. I have a timesert kit coming and my hopes are to ream out the spark plug hole and attempt to remove the insert by bringing it up through the plug hole. Of course this is going to be tough and require the insert to be lined up almost perfectly to get it out.
The tools i attempt to use are a magnet that is just small enough to fit into the plug hole, but ffairly powerful. Also plan to use heavy wire with a section of duct tape around the end of it.
I am trying to negate the need to remove the head to get it out and am looking for any other ideas people may have. Will also have a shop vac on hand, but dont know how much help it will be.
Would it be possible to remove the intake and unbolt the head just enough to get it out without removing the timing chain, etc
Thanks

 

Personal opinion here, but I would just say bite the bullet and take the head off. You'll end up fighting for hours to get that insert out and may end up causing damage.

 

I would try to adapt a piece of tubing to the vacuum so that you can get it down in the plug hole.

 

Your best bet might be to try to get the magnet head inside the lost insert and try to pull it up into alignment with the hole. It's going to be hard to see down there unless you have a small camera or borescope. Check to make sure the hole is large enough to allow the insert to come out with some clearance, after reaming for the Timesert. If you actually have to screw the old insert out, it probably isn't possible. I may have some measurements on the sizes - I'll check.

I had nightmares of losing a helicoil in the cylinder when I did my Timesert fixes. One was pushed down in pretty far because I was turning the plug in and out to try to get it loosened up, not realizing each time I turned it in the insert was going farther in. Luckily I was able to get hold of it with an EZout.

 

I would be more careful with this method than any others. For the fact that if you are using a magnet recovery tool, the magnet can fall off and then you have a real problem. The heads are aluminum so there is no issue there but once you get it down into the cylinder and start to move it around, it will find itself trying to stick to the cylinder walls as well. I don't know if they exist for a small application like this one but maybe try to find a magnet that has a demagnetized release so if it sticks to an object it shouldnt, you can demagnetize it.

 

How about drilling a small hole in a magnet and sending it down on a string? Just a thought.

 

Coobies had the same issue recently and he had to pull the head.

 

It will most likely instantly attract to the cylinder wall. You will need to control the magnet in order to move it around to find the insert. You can use a magnet on a stick, I'm just saying, don't buy a cheap one... they will fall out with some use. I have had many break and or fall apart but not in the cylinder. They have just a little bit of glue holding them in and if it sticks to something solid, it could come apart. The other issue is whether or not the insert will fit out the head. How it "dropped" down inside I'm not sure? If it fell in there, it must be able to fit out right?

 

If it fell in then I would assume the head is stripped from the threads again. If so, you couldnt rethread the head and put another insert in. You would probably have to replace the head or have someone weld the hole closed and re-drill a hole. Either way you would need to remove the head.

 

Betcha you could get a Bigsert to thread in. However, I also bet that the insert that's in there isn't coming out without pulling the head.

 

I would never chance running a bigsert then another insert into that one. If that current helicoil was put in correctly with red loctite and it fell out then the cylider head needs some serious repair. Otherwise you risk dropping a plug into the cylider or both new helicoils into the motor with it running and now you just bought a long block. Do it right. Do it once.

 

Odds are the insert threaded out the bottom. In which case, you'd have to thread it back in and screw it out the top; or in English, the head has to come off. Just sayin'.

 

I still dont get how it "dropped" in there during the removal of a plug...

 

You would have to drill a hole diameter larger than the insert and then MAYBE you'll get lucky enough to pull it out with a magnet. Odds are against you good luck.

 

You would have to ream the hole so you don't have to reverse thread it to get it out, IF you get it out. A boroscope would be a MUST as well as a good, small magnet (not a cheap one). Easiest route overall would be just to pull the head.