Suggestions? what's a quick easy fix?

[Mosh]

I am with Jensen here.
Loosen that engine, rock it to where you can get at it and Heli Coil it. Be done with it and know it is fixed right.
All this jamming a standard bolt/longer bolt stuff, is trail side repairs that will only hold up for a day.In the end, you will still have to pony up the time and money to do it right.
Do the job once...Dont let the job do you!

Here is a thread I posted that has all the info for you.
http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthr...l-installation..

[Dirtcrasher]

The nice thing about stripped aluminum is normally you can just run the helicoil tap through there, no drilling required......

If you can't put a tap handle on it, I use a 1/4" wrench or whatever to turn the tap. BUT, you have to have good eyes and make sure you don't "tip" as you turn the tap.

The other thing is that threads don't get any stronger when there longer. 1.5 times the diameter is the strongest it can get, in your case a 6MM thread only needs 9MM in length to be it's strongest; Any longer is a waste.

So, you may find very shallow threads in there. A standard helicoil tap is tapered and not great with "bottomed" or "blind" threads/holes. In other words, unless you can drive the helicoil tap far enough in to get to the meat of the tap, the helicoil won't go in properly. I buy 2 tapered ones (about 15$ each) and make one a bottoming tap. A bottoming tap cuts all the way down to it's very start. The downside is that a bottoming tap doesn't "start" cutting threads, it just finishes the job.........

Helicoils are cheap, a buck or so and a pack of 10 is the cheapest. The taps run 10-20$ and can be bought as a standard cut tap, or bottoming tap. I find I need both in 4,6 and 8MM threads. I haven't had a "blind" hole in 10,12 or 14MM yet but at least I know how to deal with it.


I hope that made sense........

The kits are nice but 50$ a kit can get expensive. I have a zillion drills anyhow..... And I either make my own installation tool, or I just wind them in with a small flat blade screwdriver.

I use no gasket sealer on anything. 3 bond on the rocker box (thats what it calls for) but otherwise the only times it's needed are when some metal is missing from either of the two mating surfaces. It's actually "high spots" that create leaks and they get there when guys take them apart with screwdrivers/claw s/crow bars etc etc A fine hone stone works really well with some WD40 on it to remove the high spots. You can watch them disappear.......

Yes it's more work and takes time, but it makes you a better mechanic

[tri again]

I managed to strip out one of the valve cover bolt holes on my 350x motor. Now it leaks oil down onto the header and smokes like a pig.

what options do I have, I really do not want to have to pull the whole motor if possible. Any suggestions?

thanks!

This is Not necessarily for your engine or anything worth saving except maybe a lawnmower that needs to live for 'just one more season'
, but
locktite used to make some goop you put in a stripped hole, followed by a new bolt with some release agent on it.
Screw in the bolt, let the goop harden, and unscrew the bolt.

Haven't seen it in 20 years so maybe they dont even make it anymore.