Anybody got a 5/16 UNC helicoil kit i can borrow?
Turbo Mini Forums

Well i managed to shear off a wok bolt in my engine yesterday so a bit peeved. Wondering if anyone has a helicoil kit for me to borrow? I dont mind buying inserts but if i can get away without buying a full kit then i will for the minute.

Then again i may just helicoil the lot of them while i'm at it.

Tip, putty steel bolts in 5/16 size are really not very strong

They're the ones that simon put in though but i guess i shouldnt have given it that last tweak. It really was a tiny tweak though...

Atleast it will be easy to drill out!

So much for getting the engine in this weekend!! gave up after it sheared in case i did a Tom!!

If I were you, have a go at extracting the old bolt first. To have sheared the bolt off in the ally casing with a UNC thread I'd guess the reason is that the bolt has bottomed out, so you should have half a chance of getting it out again OK. I'm sure you know how to do it, but I usually start off grinding a small flat on the sheared end, then centre pop in the middle, and drill a small hole as central and square as you can.
Then tap a hex/torx/spline bit into the small hole, and gently try and unwind it. Some people swear by those left hand fluted things, all they have ever achieved for me was the break off in the bolt, making the situation worse. The first and only set I had did this to me twice, the remaining 3 extractors in the kit then got the fcuking shit smashed out of them with big daddy when I had a strop.

If that doesn't work, my next plan of attack would be to gradually increase the size of the drill. With care, you can sometimes drill through slightly offset, and then "unscrew" what is left.

I have got a 5/16UNC tap you can borrow to recut the thread, call me a bodging cnut if you like but I wouldn't be too worried about helicoiling it, if you can get it out and re-tap the hole it should be sufficient. Also lob the putty bolts and get some better ones!

And don't forget, if all else fails, don't slam the bootlid of your 306.............

Yeah i'm going to have a go mate, it was a back up plan

Got some drills to play with later. yeah guessing the bolts supplied were slightly over long, or atleast longer than the ones that had previously been in.

Yeah not going to use an easy out mate, i've had to get them EDM'd out before at work!!

I've got a tap here mate but cheers for the offer. Ill let you know how i get on later.....

It didnt want to come out.... Tried all methods possible but it really didnt like it.
Got it all drilled out now but to make a proper job it need's helicoiling. Going to try get one from work or i'll have to buy one!!! Sure it will get used more than once.

Bugger

if got a set kicking around if you pay postage and promise to return it

a few threads on my gearbox casing are stripped, would it worth me going around them and helicoiling them all? would there be any benefit? why am i making a pointless post?

A bolt into a coil in ally is stronger than the bolt direct into the ally.

I spotted a new product in the latest Demon Thieves catalogue, they are called e-z-locks, rather than using the special taps like a helicoil kit, you drill and tap to the next size up, e.g. 5/16" UNF you drill and tap 3/8" UNF. Then the insert screws into the hole, restoring it back to 5/16" UNF.

They look a good idea to me as long as you have sufficient casing size to drill and tap the next size up, plus the bonus, they only cost £9 for a pack of ten......

They don't list UNC, but if you installed these inserts into an ally casing, I see no reason why you could not use 5/16" UNF into the steel insert instead of UNC.

Yeah i'm going to helicoil a spare casing at some point so the enxt time its apart i can swap it over. Well worth doing IMHO as mirage says.

Cheers for the offer nic but i'm sorted now, i cowboyed it for the minute with an M8 sorry guys!

As i said though i'm going to change it out but not until the next time its apart.

Those sound superb really tom. might have to purchase some.

hmmmm, might have to look into those aswell tom, i've got a couple of stripped threads in the end of my gearbox case that need to be sorted next time its apart.

I have had a look on the Demon Tweeks website (which is fucking crap by the way) and can't find them, they are listed in the latest (2006) Motorsport Demon Tweeks catalogue.

yup i have real issues with the demon thieves site...cant fucking stand it!

I'll grab myself a new catalogue and have a sniff at them.