Cam Chain tensioner Thread stripped!

[TheSilencer]

Hi all!

A little emergency has arisen!
I needed to remove my starter and couldn't squeeze it out without removing the Cam Chain Tensioner.
I removed it succesfully but when it came to replacing it I somehow stripped the one thread in the engine block itself!

I need suggestions! Please!

[Dogma]

That's going to need a thread repair insert, like a Helicoil (something called a timesert seems to be preferred around here though). You'll have to pull the air box and carbs to have enough room to work.

[rapidray]

Believe it or not, you may be able to just run a tap through it & clean up the threads. The key AFTER that is to use a bolt that is 1/4 inch longer in that hole! Check to make sure it won't bottom out & be too long but I'll bet around 1/4 inch longer will do it for you. Do NOT try to do a Helicoil there if you have never done it or you will be taking the motor apart if you mess it up. Ray.

[TheSilencer]

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions!

I ended up having to remove the entire engine and take it to motor engineers to have the hole re-drilled 8mm.
They then inserted a Helicoil reducing the size to 6mm and I was back to new!
What an episode though! Just for a stripped thread!
Hope no one else makes that mistake!

[blowerbike]

when in a pinch..a 1/4-20 american would have ran right into the stripped 6mm hole and worked great(self tapping) well kinda...
too late now i guess.

[Dogma]

Ugh. What a job. Did you at least get to fix a few other things while you had it out?

[tkent02]

a 1/4-20 american would have ran right into the stripped 6mm hole and worked great

1/4 -20 Might be a tad hard to find in South Africa.

[blowerbike]

1/4 -20 Might be a tad hard to find in South Africa.

i would rather order a bolt than R&R an engine...but thats just me

[rapidray]

I would rather have just chased the threads & put in a 1/4 inch longer bolt! Ray.