I have an 05 Accent with 118,000 miles.
So I am driving along and hear a huge, loud sound.
It turns out that the # 3 spark blew out of the head, stripping the hole in the process.
Just before Christmas too. Great.
My first thought was, OK, time to have the head rebuilt.
But I have been hearing from some people that a Helicoil repair woulb be just as effective and save considerable money.
I would love to hear any thoughts you all might have on this subject.
Also if you have any guesstimates as to what I can expect on the bill.
I make my living with this car so a quality repair is mandatory.
Thanks,
Doug

 

If the head and ignition are in otherwise good condition, repairing the stripped threads with a Helicoil insert is a very effective repair, perhaps even stronger than the original threads. Cost? The insert itself might be a buck or two plus an hour of labor. You have one spark plug to replace. The whole job should be less than $100. I am guessing the #3 plug blew because someone over torqued it when it was installed, partially stripping the threads in the aluminum head. You might consider having the other three plugs looked at.