some pics from fixing the damage from autozone helicoils

[lostforawhile]

ok some pictures from repairing the damage from autozone helicoils,if you don't know the story,I was having problems with the studs on the exaust manifold about six months ago,I bought a set of autozone helicoils,due to the fact that no one else had them at 8:00 pm. well every one of the autozone ones has caused the aluminum threads around it to strip out. this has left all my studs but two loose and unable to be tightened. I'm in the process of going to 5/16-18 studs right now. I'll keep updating these pictures as I go

for a good question,what is the plug screwed into the block just below the freez plugs? on the left side?

[gp02a0083]

lol someone is going to make a funny photoshop pict for this one , anyways perfect time for a headder on that while ur replacin threads

[89T]

drains coolant from the block.

[Pico]

looks like alot of work, but we all know you can get the it done

[guaynabo89]

drains coolant from the block.

yup


comes in handy when flushing

[Cheeseburger]

good luck on the repair maing!

[MessyHonda]

ive only seen my uncle do a helicoil on a valve cover bolt...it was cool...anyway.....you still need some headers or you will not be heading right...lol

[lostforawhile]

ive only seen my uncle do a helicoil on a valve cover bolt...it was cool...anyway.....you still need some headers or you will not be heading right...lol

here ya go ok a few more pictures,everything tightens down except the first stud,but I believe that may be a bad stud is all. I'll finish putting it together tomorrrow.
I used a nappa balkamp brand helicoil kit. these are genuine helicoils they sell them under licience,O'reilies also sells genuine ones like this

the size to use to repair studs on this head is 5/16-18,this is a coarse thread,and will still fit through the holes on the manifold. I used studs that were 5/16-18 on one end and 5/16-24 on the end the nut goes on.
you will need to drill the existing stud holes in the head out to 21/64,you will need a special drill like this to have clearance. even then it's still tight

next step is to use the special helicoil tap and tap the holes for the inserts

next you thread the helicoil on to the installation tool,there is a tang on the end of each insert that the tool drives. now thread the insert into the hole

next you have to break off the tang on the end of the insert

I just used a hex key and tapped on it with a hammer
finally screw in your stud and you are done
you can also get a kit to helicoil these back to original size,it would have a different sized drill bit required also. it's much eaisier to find a kit for 5/16-18 though.

[Cheeseburger]

how much was the kit??

[lostforawhile]

how much was the kit??

45 it includes the
tap of course,it just wasn't in the kit in the picture. they sell cheap kits at places like AUTOZONED but thats what got me into this mess in the first place.

[Cheeseburger]

lol so the moral to this story is..... dont buy the kit from autozone! lol....

[lostforawhile]

the moral of this story is don't buy ANYTHING from autozone. they just opened an O'reilies right next to the autozone here,LOL,I don't thinks I'll be going in autozoner anymore. especially after my fuel pump failed and they wouldn't honor the warranty

[gp02a0083]

ive been getting steering racks for my friends cars and so far ive had one that was 180 degrees out ( really really not good) and ive had other parts that last like a week then they go

[carotman]

at least it allowed you to save the head and reinstall the manifold. The one near the PS pumo must have been a pain to do.

[lostforawhile]

at least it allowed you to save the head and reinstall the manifold. The one near the PS pumo must have been a pain to do.

it wasn't too bad,after pulling out the dip-stick and the power steering pump and using that drill,also removing the fan. it was pretty easy.

[88Accord-DX]

Yeah, I had to drill a head out on this 99 Dodge B1500 Van with 5.2 engine. The header bolts broke & had to borrow an angle drill. I ended up just drilling them out & retapping the threads. So now I won this Ingersall Rand drill on ebay for $36. (hate borrowing tools)

{img]http://i8.ebayimg.com/05/i/08/b3/0b/4f_1.JPG[/img]

[88Accord-DX]

Yeah, I had to drill a head out on this 99 Dodge B1500 Van with 5.2 engine. The header bolts broke & had to borrow an angle drill. I ended up just drilling them out & retapping the threads. So now I won this Ingersall Rand drill on ebay for $36. (hate borrowing tools)

[RamThis]

I sincerely hope you put some red loctite on those helicoils......

You should always use some carb spray on the tapped threads and the helicoil to remove any oils, blow them off nice and clean with air, and then put on the red loctite, and install the helicoil. Let it dry and chase the threads to remove any squeezed out loctite, and assemble as normal. If you do not use the Loctite, the helicoils will come loose. I've helicoiled MANY MANY holes in aluminum, and even some spark plug holes. I've never had one come loose after I've done them.

[HondaBoy]

so, is this like what i'm going to be looking foward to when i replace my exhaust manifold studs? i hope not, i bought a new set of them to put on with my header.

[lostforawhile]

I've never had to do that,I've helicoiled more aluminum then I can remember,this was the only set that ever came loose. the ones that stripped out were the autozone brand not genuine ones. I've even built entire aluminum race motors with the real ones and never had one come loose. the genuine ones expand as they are inserted. the plastic installation tool that came with the kit chewed up,so i used the metal drive tool from the autozone set. that was the only good thing from their kit. I had to remove one because a chip kept me from installing it all the way,they won' t turn in reverse. I had to grab the end of it and unwind it to get it out. when you try to turn one backwards the spring expands and won't back up. they have a patent on that design,only the genuine ones do that.

[lostforawhile]

so, is this like what i'm going to be looking foward to when i replace my exhaust manifold studs? i hope not, i bought a new set of them to put on with my header.

maby not,at least i hope not. it's a common problem with any aluminum engine that is this old. I know when I built this head I helicoiled everything else. I think I was out of helicoils or something. was a long time ago. If I built another one today I would make sure there was one on every thread in the cyl head. it's insurance is all.