Helicoil?

Warren3200gt wrote: I never torque down to the service manual levels. These engines are 40 years old and have been through countless heat cycles. 40 yo steel into 40 yo aluminium is asking for trouble at those settings. Use a small spanner so you dont get too much leverage on it and let your hand be the torque wrench. They really dont need to be super tight.

I wouldn't use over 8 to 9nm or 70 (what I now use)..... 80 max inch lbs. Using a 3 1/2 inch 10mm wrench I was stopping at 60 for the bolts on them and my cover and they felt good and snug and never gave me a problem........ I've read about a lot of folks on here stripping them at 110 inch lbs so your not the first nor will you be the last

Here are some conversion and torque charts.
On M5/M6/M8 threads i go the safe way and use the lowest value of torque.
Never had a problem with it.

Helicoils are stainless.
Won't come out with a magnet.
Need to unwind them out using the method described by Scirocco and blow out any bits with the air line or fish them out with a bit of grease on the end of a small screwdriver.
Once out you may be able to go deeper with a fresh Helicoil and longer bolt or you can buy Wurth big serts which are made just for this situation.

Thank you all for quick and good inputs/information.

It was not ant helicoil there before, I was able to clean the whole, drill, make threats and install new helicoil.

I torqued up to speck without any issue.

When I had the head of in the winter I could install wurth helicoils in all whole... lesson learn..

But It turned out to be a good solution for now.

I've always considered a Time-Sert a stronger repair than a HeliCoil. Just need to be extra careful you drill and tap perpendicular to the surface.

A buddy showed me a quick repair on the cam cap bolts. Clean out the hole and use a grade 8 1/4" 20 flange bolt of the same length. Just run it in, no tapping required. Sounds hacky but it's a strong repair. Handles 12 ft/lbs no problem.

I did that in the 70's. It only worked for a while.
Steve

I didn´t know that Helicoils are stainless and not magnetic. Once turn in thread spiral you have to break off the turn-in tap with punch at the notch, (predetermined breaking point) and remove the broke off tap part with a magnet. Not all stainless steels are non-magnetic, some yes, some not.
Stainless Steel: >15-20 % Chrome and >5-15 % Nickel = austenitic structure = non-magnetic
Stainless Steel: <15-20 % Chrome and <5-15 % Nickel = ferritic structure = magnetic

< = less than X%
> = more than X%

All my Helicoil wire inserts are non magnetic stainless steel.
Never had any that weren't.
I have genuine Armstrong Helicoils that use the pre compressing tools and the more common Re-coil and V-coils inserts with the simple T bar installer and they are all non magnectic.
Would be nice if they were as it can be a pain getting the tang out of the bottom of the hole.
That is here in the UK though. don't know what you are getting in the US..

We here in Germany have the magnetic Helicoil inserts.
Easy in an easy out, quality "Made in Germany" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

SWest wrote: I did that in the 70's. It only worked for a while.
Steve

What do you mean worked for a while? Pulled the threads with the next set of cams?

Only used them for the cam cover. Stripped out after a couple times.
Steve

Scirocco wrote: We here in Germany have the magnetic Helicoil inserts.
Easy in an easy out, quality "Made in Germany" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

We build'em good in Germany eh Heine!!!!