stripped holes in engine cover.

[[jh]]

I changed my stator and r/r this weekend with much success. The problem now is that three of the bolts or the holes are stripped on the engine cover. I think it's the hole because I finger tightened them in and then when I tried to tighten them they would just keep spinning. so I'm just wondering if we have a proven solution(as I'm sure I'm not the only person who has had this problem) like bigger bolts or some kind of goopy stuff that will harden over time or just re-threading the holes. idunno ??? ??? ??? :-\

[h2olawyer]

Are you sure you got the right bolts in the right holes?  Some are longer than others.  Remove the bolts and compare to the depth of each - you can do it by looking at the bumps on the engine case.  It helps to make a template out of cardboard & as you remove the bolts, poke them into the cardboard template.  If you had just one or maybe two "stripped out" I could understand needing to helicoil.  But with 3, I'd look at the bolt placement before thinking the threads are stripped out - especially since they came out but won't go back in finger tight.

H₂O

[[jh]]

I made a temp plate and am one hundred percent sure they went back into the same holes. One of the holes that is stripped is the one next to the oil pore hole which is the longest and I'm sure it's back where it belongs. They will finger tight but as soon as i try to tighten more they spin.

[h2olawyer]

The best fix is to heli-coil them, then.  You might try slightly longer bolts, but I'm not sure how much extra depth there is in the holes.  The other way would be to fill the stripped holes with JB Weld or a similar product & then drill & tap them.  However, that might be more difficult than installing heli-coils.  Maybe someone else has another possibility.

H₂O

[Rick G]

There isn't really enough depth to utilize longer bolts and i consider it risky to try to drill deeper and thread the hole , having no idea how much material is available . I have a 10 mm Helicoil kit (35.00 in 2002)  I have found that one or more  oil filter cover screws are stripped on many visions , as are stator cover screws. Its a"must have".

[[jh]]

so 10mm is the size I need?

[Kevin]

The side covers use 6mm screws, You need a 6mm heli coil kit.

[67GTO]

Kevin,
   
   6mm would be for the oil filter cover as well?

Do the kits come with instructions? (never used one)

[Tiger]

...6mm would be for the oil filter cover as well?

Do the kits come with instructions? (never used one)

Yes and (generally)Yes... ;)

[Kevin]

You are drilling the hole out slightly larger and tapping threads back into the hole. Then you thread the heli coil into the hole with a special insert tool. I would put a drop of blue locktite on the heli coil before threading  it into the hole. Tiger is right all of your bolts are 6mm.

[Night Vision]

any worries about spoils from the tapping getting into the oil?

[Tiger]

 :) I would remove the cover, (oil filter/left side, etc), before drilling and inserting the helicoil. That way you can cover the area and prevent any waste material from entering your engines "blood stream"... ;)

         8).......TIGER....... 8)

[Brian Moffet]

The holes for the oil filter cover don't go all the way through the case.  So you want to make sure when you drill the new holes for the helicoil that they still don't go all the way through the case.  I would wrap a piece of tape around the drill telling me when to stop, or buy one of those attachments that clamp on to the bit if you feel like spending the money :-)

At least that's what I plan on doing when I finally helicoil on of my oil filter bolt holes ...  ::)

[Night Vision]

yabbut... he's talking about the left side case.... what about that top hole that gets the copper washer.... if it were that paticular one... would the shavings get into the blood stream?

cuz I have that situation... stripped upper hole

[Rick G]

Its an old habit , referring to 6mm screws as "10 mm "  . In the "olden days" most 6mm screws were turned with a 10 mm wrench or had a slotted head. Before the Japanese invasion it was HD, British bikes and a host of European  bikes.