'79 GS 850 Spark plug cross threaded

[TheCafeKid]

The TimeSerts are EXCELLENT for aluminium heads. My stepdads Lumina literally BLEW a spark plug out of the alu head. He tried and cussed for two days with Heli-coils, and god knows how much aluminium he dropped into the cylinder, but I went to the store and bought him a TimeSert kit, and worked like a charm...of course, a few months later, the tranny bit the dust.. Fuggin GM junk...

 

[Nessism]

Timeserts are nice but the kits are expensive. Those elcheapo solid insert kits should be fine but as Brian says, watch it so it doesn't come out.

 

[979roadrunner]

The TimeSerts are EXCELLENT for aluminium heads. My stepdads Lumina literally BLEW a spark plug out of the alu head. He tried and cussed for two days with Heli-coils, and god knows how much aluminium he dropped into the cylinder, but I went to the store and bought him a TimeSert kit, and worked like a charm...of course, a few months later, the tranny bit the dust.. Fuggin GM junk...

I've watched dozens of Lumina sedans go 300k+ miles on the original drivetrain, so they ain't junk.
Your father either had a rare bad one or someone didn't change the trans fluid and filter at the recommended intervals, or beat the hell out of it.
Vegas, Citations, and Aveos, on the other hand....