Hi all,

Was changing plugs on my wife’s 2.5 Escape, when I ran into a spinning bolt on the ignition coil. Used a bolt extractor after trying just about everything else. I ended up pulling the bolt out as well as the gold threaded insert. Does the insert just go back in or is it fastened in there somehow? Looks like there might have been a small ring that broke off and went into the hole.

 

Welcome to the site.

The brass tread insert would have been cast into the manifold. If the hole isn't destroyed (looks like it may be cracked) , and clean, you might try an epoxy like JB Weld etc and reinstall it. It doesn't take much stress there, or torque, to hold the coil in place.

 

Thanks, look forward to chatting with you guys. We just bought our second Escape.

I ended up putting it back in there with some JB Weld epoxy. Like you mentioned, it doesn’t take a ton of torque to hold that coil on. Although I would hate for it to blow off when we’re driving! We’ll see how the epoxy holds.

 

The plug sockets snap onto the plug ends, and the deep well sockets don't fall off/out easily.
You could if concerned, add a secondary hold down, safety wire etc for the 'just in case' but generally the thread insert fails from the bolt, either it was over tightened prior, or bolt resistance being backed out due to corrosion etc. Not often failed from just a snug tension hold on the coil in place..

 

That’s a good point. Guess I’m just a little paranoid. Yea i definitely pulled that insert straight out with the bolt extractor. That spinning bolt was a pain all weekend.

I do need to pick up the OEM bolts for those coils. I ended up finding something that would work at Lowes. Do you guys have a recommended place to buy such bolts, etc?