Well, thought I had the spark plug started by hand, threw the air ratchet to it with a couple of small taps to see if it really was in right. It wasn't. I think it cross threaded on the first thread. There was a very small sliver of aluminum on the spark plug. I'm thinking maybe just the first thread got crossed. I can't get a plug to start anymore.
try using a tap to chase the threads? What are my options for "on car repair"?

 

You used an airgun on a sparkplug...am I reading that right?


I would probably start witih pulling the headers to give yourself more room and maybe then a tap.

 

Oh man....NEVER put an air rachet on a spark plug dude....I'd never put an air rachet on anything that threads into aluminum.

You'll have to helicoil it, which means taking off the exhaust manifold at the minimum and pulling the head at most.

Always start plugs by hand and if they don't seem to be going in right then they probably aren't going in right

Lesson learned, I hope?

 

if you used an air ratchet then it's probably more than one thread that got screwed up. as was stated a helicoil is the best way repair. a tap probably wont do any good because it will remove metal and the plug might not torque down properly after.

 

I'd try the tap. Whats the worst that can happen. Air ratchets aren't that strong, its not like an impact.

 

The 3/8 I have will pull 60ftlb's,enough to screw up a lot of threads.

 

if you have to helicoil it to fix the problem, your gonna end up pulling that head off. otherwise your going to end up with all those pieces of aluminum shavings in your cylinder. tough having to hear that, but thats probably what it will come down to.

 

I ran the ratchet for a split second because I was suspicious of it not starting right. I looked a bit ago with a mirror, and it looks like it may just be the first thread. I'll pick up a tapered tap at work today and see what it'll do.

 

well, thats good news. good luck with it.

 

Use a thread chaser-not a tap.

 

Thread chaser cleaned it up well! Thanks guys! Lesson learned - Do not work on car after splitting almost an entire case of beer with your friend, and don't use air tools to change spark plugs What was I thinking? Wait, I don't remember