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Helicoil on intake boot bolt.

  • Thread starter Thread starter afholderman
  • Start date Start date
A

afholderman

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Today I went about removing my intake boots to check out the o-rings, they need replacing, and had quite the annoying discovery. Apparently the po decided to drill out and re-tap one of the bolts to a larger size. I will assume this was because of a broken bolt, but who knows. I had been hoping to convert my hardware over to stainless allen heads from cycleorings. My question is this, would a helicoil kit solve my problem, allowing me to install the new bolts?
 
afholderman said:
Today I went about removing my intake boots to check out the o-rings, they need replacing, and had quite the annoying discovery. Apparently the po decided to drill out and re-tap one of the bolts to a larger size. I will assume this was because of a broken bolt, but who knows. I had been hoping to convert my hardware over to stainless allen heads from cycleorings. My question is this, would a helicoil kit solve my problem, allowing me to install the new bolts?
Click to expand...
Why not just use a oddball larger s/s screw in the retapped hole and spare yourself some grief? Kudos for checking (and replacing) o-rings!
 
Yes, a helicoil will solve your problem and allow for the hardware to be the same size.
 
tom203 said:
Why not just use a oddball larger s/s screw in the retapped hole and spare yourself some grief? Kudos for checking (and replacing) o-rings!
Click to expand...


I agree with tom203. Leave well nuff alone cause these things can be a
b!tch.
 
I'd go for the helicoil, assuming idiot PO didn't destroy the hole when he went over size already.
 
I might go the other way, put a stud in there permanently and use nuts from now on.

If they PO used a metric size, you can probably find a stud with that size on one end and the correct size on the other. Try a specialty metric hardware supplier, not Fastenal but a real one, they have everything.
 
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Unless the thread size is restored back to the stock size the intake boot hole will have to be oversized as well. Just me but I wouldn't want to pay $25 for a new boot and then have to drill a hole in it. If reusing the old boots, it might not be so bad to leave it alone.
 
Nessism said:
I'd go for the helicoil, assuming idiot PO didn't destroy the hole when he went over size already.
Click to expand...

This was my concern, that it may already be too open for a helicoil. The boots were in fine shape, other than the enlarged hole, so I had planned on re-using them. I suppose in that case it would in fact be easier to just have one odd size fastener. I had been planning on making an order through Z1 as well as cycleorings, so perhaps I should just go through them and get 7 regular plus one off size. One final question then, how does one going about measuring the new bolt size, should I just go to a hardware store and check which nut it will fit?

tom203 said:
Why not just use a oddball larger s/s screw in the retapped hole and spare yourself some grief? Kudos for checking (and replacing) o-rings!
Click to expand...

They appear to not even be the right o-rings. They do not have a thick enough cross section to fill the groove and come over the top to form a seal.
 
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I'd helicoil it. You don't remove these often enough where a helicoil could be a problem, and it is important to use the correct size fastener (6mm).
 
I reckon it's an easy decision...

Get a drill the right size for the right helicoil to take it back to original.

If it will drill meat out of there, helicoil it back to original.

If it won't drill meat out of there, stay with the enlarged hole.

Just my 2c...
 
afholderman said:
One final question then, how does one going about measuring the new bolt size, should I just go to a hardware store and check which nut it will fit?



They appear to not even be the right o-rings. They do not have a thick enough cross section to fill the groove and come over the top to form a seal.
Click to expand...
Started out as 6mm so he probably retapped for 8mm (.314 inch) or more likely 5/16 inch (.3125 inch ). Just take screw to hardware store to find out. Old squashed o-rings would also look like poor fit.
 
If there's not enough meat for a 6mm helicoil (the drill size for a 6mm helicoil is only 1/4", which is about 6.3mm), then drill and tap it for an 8mm thread (or even a 8mm helicoil) and use an 8mm/6mm stud. Sometimes these are called "step studs".

One example from: http://www.034motorsport.com/hardware-fittings-hoses-metric-hardware-step-stud-8mm-to-6mm-p-231.html
StepStudM10toM8a.jpg


You can get these studs at any real hardware store. (Hint: Meantards, bLowes, and Home Despot are NOT real hardware stores.) I've seen them at Ace and at some Do It Best stores. Real auto parts stores should also stock them. (Hint: real auto parts stores usually do not employ teenagers and/or the mentally deficient, but they do employ the grumpy and grizzled, and are rarely open past 5:00pm.)
 
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bwringer said:
If there's not enough meat for a 6mm helicoil (the drill size for a 6mm helicoil is only 1/4", which is about 6.3mm), then drill and tap it for an 8mm thread (or even a 8mm helicoil) and use an 8mm/6mm stud. Sometimes these are called "step studs".

One example from: http://www.034motorsport.com/hardware-fittings-hoses-metric-hardware-step-stud-8mm-to-6mm-p-231.html
StepStudM10toM8a.jpg


You can get these studs at any real hardware store. (Hint: Meantards, bLowes, and Home Despot are NOT real hardware stores.) I've seen them at Ace and at some Do It Best stores. Real auto parts stores should also stock them. (Hint: real auto parts stores usually do not employ teenagers and/or the mentally deficient, but they do employ the grumpy and grizzled, and are rarely open past 5:00pm.)
Click to expand...
Best idea I've seen yet. I'd do this.
 
bwringer said:
If there's not enough meat for a 6mm helicoil (the drill size for a 6mm helicoil is only 1/4", which is about 6.3mm), then drill and tap it for an 8mm thread (or even a 8mm helicoil) and use an 8mm/6mm stud. Sometimes these are called "step studs".

You can get these studs at any real hardware store. (Hint: Meantards, bLowes, and Home Despot are NOT real hardware stores.) I've seen them at Ace and at some Do It Best stores. Real auto parts stores should also stock them. (Hint: real auto parts stores usually do not employ teenagers and/or the mentally deficient, but they do employ the grumpy and grizzled, and are rarely open past 5:00pm.)
Click to expand...

GreatIdea!!!!!!
 
bwringer said:
If there's not enough meat for a 6mm helicoil (the drill size for a 6mm helicoil is only 1/4", which is about 6.3mm), then drill and tap it for an 8mm thread (or even a 8mm helicoil) and use an 8mm/6mm stud. Sometimes these are called "step studs".

One example from: http://www.034motorsport.com/hardware-fittings-hoses-metric-hardware-step-stud-8mm-to-6mm-p-231.html
StepStudM10toM8a.jpg


You can get these studs at any real hardware store. (Hint: Meantards, bLowes, and Home Despot are NOT real hardware stores.) I've seen them at Ace and at some Do It Best stores. Real auto parts stores should also stock them. (Hint: real auto parts stores usually do not employ teenagers and/or the mentally deficient, but they do employ the grumpy and grizzled, and are rarely open past 5:00pm.)
Click to expand...

We have a winner.
 
Personally I would just use the 1 odd fastener if it's well done already... Especially if re-using the old boot as you say that has been drilled oversize too.

If you go crooked or two deep with a larger drill for a helical you could end up with a scrap head....
 
salty_monk said:
Personally I would just use the 1 odd fastener if it's well done already... Especially if re-using the old boot as you say that has been drilled oversize too.

If you go crooked or two deep with a larger drill for a helical you could end up with a scrap head....
Click to expand...
Makes sense to me, but I always take the easy,lazy way out if I can!
 
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