I stripped out a header bolt - need advice

[grip grip]

I made the rookie mistake of over-tightening a lubricated header bolt. This caused the stripping of the threads in one of the bolt holes in the cylinder head. If any of you have experienced the same boneheadeness, what helicoil or alternative kit did you purchase to remedy? Thanks

 

[MRX330]

Torque wrench

 

[grip grip]

Torque wrench

I've got 4 of them, but that wasn't the root cause. The issue is that I lubricated the studs which throws off the numbers.

 

[MRX330]

Stripped head?

 

[grip grip]

Stripped head?

Yes, stripped threads in a bolt hole located in the cylinder head.

 

[MRX330]

Try a pin socket wrench

 

[FocusedSlayer]

I have an SAE and Metric set of these for stripped bolts

http://www.griptitetools.com/

 

[Maihyo]

Did you strip the threaded hole that the bolt goes into or the head of the bolt? if its the head the previous reply should do it. if you stripped the threaded hole you will have to drill it out and use a helicoil for the proper thread pitch.

 

[jeffreylyon]

Not on a FiST, but on my son's turbo-ed Accord. I drilled out the hole, tapped with a starter tap and then with a bottom tap so that I had thread bite all the way to the bottom of the hole. I used the longest helicoil that would fit and hi-temp thread locker. It really wasn't difficult, but the exhaust faced front on his car. You might need to rend a right-angle drill motor and have someone make sure that you're drilling normal to the face. I'm sure that you already know this, but be sure to tape over all the exhaust ports to keep the chips out.

 

[MRX330]

He said it’s a stripped head.

 

[grip grip]

Yes, I stripped the threads in a bolt hole in the head. I lubricated the header bolt so it would spin in easier, and didn't adjust for that mentally when I was tightening the bolt. Oh, and that's not all. I also must have overtightened the bolts on the downpipe and now I can't get a seal between the ATP turbo to downpipe adapter flange (the one with the large fire ring). Damn car sounds like a 4cy version of a top fuel dragster, but's only making 2psi of boost. LMAO!!! Luckily I have another car I can drive while I sort out this mess. I have another turbo arriving tomorrow, so that should fix the flange issue.

Update: I just thought of something. What if the uppermost stud on the DP flange (which isn't visible under the car) backed out a little bit? Woudn't that prevent the flanges from seating flat against each other? I really hope the problem is that simple. It's hard to believe I could bend those thick flanges with those tiny studs.