HELP!!!! Air Blowing out of my Spark Plug hole

[mdswsu]

I have a 1989 Ford Festiva Manual (Carb) and this morning when I was driving to work my car started to get VERY bogged down losing a lot of power and started sputtering. I was going 55 mph on the freeway and had to go down to 35 mph w/ my hazard lights. I then heard a loud BOOM and sounded like an air compressor inside of my engine compartment. After pulling over, I noticed the spark plug wire had been blown off and there was air blowing out of the hole (highly pressurized). There was also a very very very fine mist of oil that was being expelled out also. I need help PLEASE, because this is my commuter car. NO MONEY! = ( Thanks for everyone's help!!!

[NovaSS]

doesnt sound good.

You blew out a spark plug, sometimes it can be repaired with a special helicoil insert to repair the threads in hole ...


BUT

Why did it blow out ?

Are you sure its oil being sprayed out?? You will get some gas being sprayed out which is normal. If its oil you may have lost a piston ring / cracked a piston and oil built up in the chamber, liquid can not be compressed and the pressure had to go some were, either to blow a head gasket or blow out the spark plug.


SOMETIMES they just blow due to someone cross threading it sometime in the past, it just an aluminum head, it doesnt take much to screw them up.

If it was my car I would get some one to put in the helicoil then do a compression test to see whats going on from there. The helicoil kit with all the parts to do it cost about $40.00 depending on the make and supplier. It shouldnt take more them 30 minutes to do the job

[Roboskittle]

Did the whole sparkplug blow out or just the center portion of it? Either way you are going to more than likely install a helicoil or replace your head. Might be a good time to consider an engine swap??? Good luck and hope you get it figured out.

[mdswsu]

I have 2 questions for you guys.

1. Where can I pick up a Helicoil kit

2. How hard is it to R&I a Festiva Engine?

I'm sure it is a super easy job, but I just want to make sure it is something I can DO! I have replaced engines before on other cars.

[Sandm849]

A heli coil kit is available at most auto part stores. Its not bad to do an engine...as long as you have a cherry picker and some tools! Most won't have a problem having an engine and trans out together surely in under a day depending on if you run into any probelms and your mechanical skills. Since this is your daily driver it would be much more time efficient to do a heli-coil or a cylinder head. They should certainly be able to be completed in a day as long as you have a manual and a basic automotive knowledge.

[mdswsu]

sweet, I greatly appreciate everyone's help! YOU ALL ROCK!!! I will let you guys know the outcome after I do the Helicoil rethreading. ^ ^

[Roboskittle]

As far as how hard is it to remove and install an engine.... I can generally have the engine out in about 1.5-2 hours provided nothing goes wrong ie. stuck axle, stuck axle nut, stripped nuts and bolts..... That is with basic hand tools no air compressor and using a cherry picker. Of course most cars here do not suffer rust as bad as they do in other places so add plenty of time if your cars hardware is covered in corrosion.