Nov 102012
Dorman 42025 HELP! Master Cylinder Head Repair Kit
- Dorman 42025 HELP! Master Cylinder Head Repair Kit [Automotive]
Dorman Products, Inc. is well-known as a leader in providing quality auto parts to the aftermarket. We’ve earned our reputation for excellence from over three decades of experience in providing automotive replacement parts, fasteners and service line products primarily for the automotive aftermarket. Our prestigious position stems from a unique combination of application expertise, innovative product design, and breadth of product offerings, many of which are not conveniently or economically
List Price: $ 64.99
Price: $ 35.71
The best repair at the best price!,
First, you’re probably reading this review and looking at this item because you have a problem. I purchased this as a backup but the Dorman 42025 and the NAPA 600-3248 are identical and I actually a NAPA part but this is less than I paid for the NAPA on an auction site… in fact, Amazon has the best price ($37.42 and Free Shipping is what I paid) I have found. They average about $70 in auto stores and 40+ on that action site I can’t mention.
I have a 1999 Ford Expedition with a Triton 5.4L engine and a spark plug blew out on cylinder 3… that’s the third one back from the front on the passenger side. Yep… it actually comes completely out of the hole. When it does it makes your rig sound like a freight train but the sound is also similar to a blown exhaust gasket. I’m not a mechanic but I have most of the tools to work on a vehicle though I detest doing so and will make every effort to find the easiest and lest expensive repair. That said… this is both! If you have a vehicle in this age bracket spending a lot of money on a repair makes no sense.
Before you believe me and buy this puppy I’ll give you some history from my days of searching the Internet to try to figure out what happened so suddenly on my vehicle. Yes, it happens fast and there’s little warning but you can drive the vehicle for some distance after it happens… I drove about 20 miles to get it home. Driving can be dangerous though if you don’t pull the connector off the fuel injector because you could easily start a fire but by the time you’re reading this all that is probably over. I use the auto repair forums and discussions to research my problems and though they’re a great source of info the recommendations aren’t always the only ones that will work. I also have a 1990 Chevy truck that I’m still keeping alive. The recommended responses for this repair included installing a new head and take it to your Ford dealer… these will cost about $2,000 or more. Anyone who says replace one head is wrong and you should always replace both if you have more money than brains… make the inexpensive repair and then sell the vehicle makes even more sense. Another repair was a Time-Sert 5553 repair kit that runs close to $400. You can also use a Heli-Coil but you also need a kit to install those and they’re best done with the head removed and on a bench where you can see what you’re doing. I wouldn’t spend the bucks on the Time-Sert unless you’re paranoid about using a cheaper fix or you plan on putting a huge amount of miles on your vehicle… and I don’t. I have found time and time again with vehicle repairs that the cost of the repair does not determine the quality nor is it the correct way to determine which fix is the best fix.
I did get the sense that a there are a lot of trolling mechanics on the boards and a lot of Time-Sert reps seem to have an agenda that doesn’t include using a cheaper repair method. I don’t care about warranties and what Ford recommends since it was Ford that screwed up the design in the first place. There are a lot of people selling those expensive kits but if you blow a plug you’ll never find someone selling a used one when you need it. Lastly, I doubt NAPA, Dorman and who knows how auto parts stores would be selling these kits if they didn’t work. I never found a post on any discussion board talking about using this or anyone saying it doesn’t work because those posts and threads are probably pulled so you don’t read about a fix they aren’t endorsing.
The spitting out plugs issue seems to be a common problem on the Triton engine from about 1998-2002 and the plugs loosen, wobble around over time and can finally blow out of the engine. They can’t be screwed back in because the exit trip strips the threads out of the head so there’s just a smooth hole left. That means whatever repair you do requires that the hole be treaded again and that makes the hole too big for a spark plug. You then have to insert a threaded ring into the hole and then you can put in a spark plug. The Time-Sert kit is pricey and probably should be sold afterwards if you opt for that solution. This Dorman Kit is simple and can be done in about 15 minutes… there’s even a You-Tube video on how to do the NAPA kit which is the same for this one. Remember that working on these engines is not easy and everything is hard to reach. You have to remove the fuel rail & injectors on the passenger side… not a problem on the driver side… and you’ll likely have to buy a new coil because they usually break when the plug pops out. Also, you can’t see what you’re doing if it’s not the first few plugs because they are recessed and slope away from the front. The less you have to do the better and this kit is just a one step process and you don’t need to see what you’re doing… check out the video.
You’ll need a 17mm short socket to start it and a 17mm deep socket to install it tightly… a 11/16″ will work…
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|Dorman Spark Plug Repair Kit is a Hit,
I was a little skeptical about the review by T Morris regarding the Dorman Cylinder Head Repair Kit. My Ford F250 just blew a second spark plug out and after researching several repair kits I decided to try the Dorman Kit. I must honestly state that T. Morris review is accurate and spot on. The installation took about 30 minutes. The first repair job (a couple years ago) I did with a competitor took an hour and half and required considerable mechanical abilities. The Dorman Kit is almost fool proof for any one with a little mechanical abilities. To do the job you’ll need a 17mm socket, I found that a short socket fits best into the spark plug well. In addition, the 17mm socket clearance into the spark plug well is very tight. I found that a Craftsman socket had the best clearance. Once the repair housing is in the socket and it’s inserted into the spark plug well it aligned perfect and threaded with no issues. The spark plug with the kit requires a 9/16″ deep well socket rather than a standard 5/8″. Apply a small amount of anti seize on the spark plug threads and torque to specs. I highly recommend this product, and will use it again should my Ford ever blow out another spark plug. Price wise Amazon had the lowest price I could find. I priced at Auto Zone and NAPA and both were over $20 more expensive.
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|Awesome cheap fix,
Had the imfamous sparkplug blowout on Ford E-350 van with the 4.6L v-8. After a tight squeeze getting the new plug holder snug in place, and tightening down the special spark plug, fired it up and works perfect. Saved taking out the engine or using a more expensive re-threading tool. There is no room to do the re-threading in a van engine bay anyway. Saved our bacon.
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