Head bolt hole stripped!

[mr.radon]

Nope, my understanding is you will have to get an extension. I've done a lot of helicoils in my life, but never on a head bolt thread. The tool that comes with the kit isn't long enough to reach. Someone on here must have info on this.

[johnceggleston]

It looks like I'm going to have to order something anyways. There is no M11x1.25 around town. I think I'm going to use my other block and deal with later.

 

I definitely used/will use oil on the threads and washers.

 

 

you might call a machine shop and ask about the cost of a fix. anything that you have seen once i would bet they have seen several times. and you never know it might only be 50$.

[Scottbaru]

Nope, my understanding is you will have to get an extension. I've done a lot of helicoils in my life, but never on a head bolt thread. The tool that comes with the kit isn't long enough to reach. Someone on here must have info on this.

 

Taps usually can only go as deep as their threads are cut, unless you get an extension tap, or grind down the neck of a standard tap to get a little more depth. I've not seen extension taps for Helicoils.

[mtskibum16]

Well, I've been busy the last couple weeks and haven't made much progress.

 

I did find out that NO ONE carries a M11x1.25 Helicoil kit and I don't even think they make them any more. There are some available online however. BUT, I measured the tap and install tool on a 12mm kit and I think the tap will be too short without some sort of extention which could be a problem iteself if it's wider than the couterbore in the block. Also, the coils are only 16mm which seems short compared to the 45mm stock thread length.

 

Helicoil does make "Head Bolt Kits" with extended reach tools and 33mm coils but not in M11x1.25.

 

I've still haven't talked to a machine shop, but I'd like to be able to fix these myself incase I run into any more of them. This might be my only option though to fix this block.

 

In the mean time though, I think I'm just going to use the extra block I have to get this car running. Now my next concern - I had decided it would be fine to reuse the headgasket after partial compression while attempting the first install since the gasket hadn't been fully compressed, the fact that the bolts are untightened before retightened, and the fact that the mating surface would be exactly the same the next time around once the bolt was fixed. So, that being said do you guys think it would matter if I use a different block? It won't be the exact same mating surface, but the gasket still hasn't been fully compressed. So, reuse gasket or get a new one?

[themoneypit]

bite the bullet and buy a new PAIR of gaskets. if its a different block, i sure wouldnt want to risk having to tear it all apart again..

[johnceggleston]

i'll say it again, make a call to a machine shop. it will cost you nothing and you will know how much repair money you are talking about. then you can either plan the repair, for now or later, or throw the block away. either way, you will know.

 

you may even learn just what parts you need to make the repair.

[Gloyale]

I could be wrong, but aren't EJ head bolts M10? Not M11?

 

I KNOW that the EA headbolts are M11. that is why you can't get head studs for them.

 

But, I could have sworn the EJ bolts are slighlty smaller? And you can buy stud kits for EJs all day long.

[mtskibum16]

john - Yeah, calling the shop today after work.

 

moneypit - one gasket is still in the wrapper so I'd only need one. I think I will get another though.

 

Well I thought they were M10 too but they're likw 10.8x mm OD on the threads or something like that. I'll double check but they were a larger diameter than some M10x1.5 bolts I had.

[delli50]

years ago, i had a similar problem - stripped the threads for a head bolt in a ford 292 cid engine. (i guess i'm giving my age away here, although i was in my late teens).

anyway, i used a helicoil but in the back of my mind i was never satisfied that it would hold!

i ended up tapping out the hole to accept a bigger diameter head bolt from another, later model ford engine. i think that i also had to make the bolt passage through the head wider to accept the beefier head bold. worked great in the end....but i wasn't working with aluminum in the head or the block.

a beefier bolt, if you can find one, might be a way to go. you are already tapping out the head to accept the helicoil.

 

mark

[afterbang]

i had this same thing happen to my 98 legacy ej25. the bolt ended up breaking off in the head when i was trying to get it out. i took it to mountain tech in oregon city and they had to remove the engine to get the bolt out and they just heli-coiled it. i just ended up paying for a timing belt job, new water pump, and all new seals while they had it out.

 

i know your pain, it sucks.