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[Steve T]

Hi Guys I asked earlier about whether anyone has used one of these kits

well I bought the kit as the local garages wanted £25 +vat to do the job, here's how it is ended up




I put a 14mm dill through first, to clear the damaged threads although you don't need to as the die is supposed to cut it away, I just done it to make it a bit easier for myself, I then slowly used the tap and used WD40 for lubrication to cut the threads right through. Then cleaned the swarf away, used some brake cleaner spray to clean threads and let it dry, put the insert on to a spark plug to put it in with and put some Loctite on the outside threads, be careful not to get any on the spark plug threads, place insert in and tighten up don't be heavy handed, left spark plug in overnight for the Loctite to go off then removed it, all done.
Steve

[neddy]

Looks a good job and if the correct locktite was used will be no trouble at all

[Steve T]

Hi Neddy used permanent Loctite which can be removed if heated to 200+C also not shown in the photo I used a small centre punch inside at the top.

[Revband]

It looks like a good job well done Steve, also a thumb on the nose to the nay sayers, although on your original post it looks like as usual a lot answered without reading it correctly.

[neddy]

Nice touch the centre pop, don't think many garages would have done that

[jefrs]

Good job and done well.



But you spent £37 plus a hour or more of your time instead of £25 at the garage

I'm guessing you wanted to do the job properly yourself but the reason for not drilling thro' is so the tap chases and follows the old thread exactly and remains dead square.

My mind being full of useless information, the cutting fluid for aluminium alloy is paraffin, which is not far off from what WD40 is. When filing aluminium or other soft metals, rub chalk onto the file to stop teeth clogging.

It looks really very nice

[Steve T]

Thanks for replies guys, jefrs the garage cost would have been £30.00 don't forget the vat. that extra £7.00 has bought me the other inserts which can do the spark plug or the other oil plugs, although to do the ones with the strainers on you would need a bottom tap m16 x 1.25 and then have to do a cutaway for the oil ways. That hour to do the job what price can you put on that for the enjoyment of working on your bike and sense of fulfilment of a job well done. Thanks for the tip about the chalk will keep that in mind. Thanks for your comment
Steve
if anyone in Northants needs too they are welcome to borrow the kit, contact via the message board.

[jefrs]

SteveT, my old dad was a master toolmaker, also apprentice master, so I became a physicist-engineer in defence industry. I often prefer to pay more and do jobs myself so they get done properly, like £100 for a set of three "guitar nut files". The inserts themselves are actually quite cheap, its the tools that are expensive. I've had a cheap tap twist up like a corkscrew. And I've spent an hour or more teaching the garage spanner monkey how to adjust a carb for old car MoT after he buggered it up.

[PeteF]

I'm with you jefrs, I would always prefer to do a job myself if at all possible, even if it did cost a bit more.
Buying good tools is never a waste of money as you then have them for the next time.