Intake Manifold bolt Stripped-Options
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 457
Likes: 1
From: Royal Oak Michigan
Intake Manifold bolt Stripped-Options
I was noticing a small coolant puddle on top of the manifold at the very front just rearward of the forward right side manifold attach bolt. Noticed the bolt was not torqued down- and realized why. It is stripped. It is the one that secures the compressor bracket to the manifold. Is there any chance this bolt needs to be longer and is just not engaging to the head? If it is stripped what is the best option to repair short of replacing the heads? This engine is old and does not match VINs. I just need to get a few years out of her and then will attempt to install a new crate engine.
Darrel
Darrel
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Might try a longer bolt but that might cause some debris to drop into the lifter valley, not good. I had to heli-coil an alum head on the my Firebird this last winter, you have to remove the intake to do this so you can catch the metal debris from the drill and tapping process and clean it up afterwards, I was changing intakes so it was no big deal.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,008
Likes: 38
From: Space Coast Gator Territory
Given what you said about the engine, you could clean the stripped hole with a rifle bore brush and lacquer thinner. After the stripped hole is clean and dry, JB Weld a stud into the hole. Since the engine is described as expendable, this shouldn't be a problem. I have done this with a thin film of neutral shoe polish paste (release agent) on the stud threads, and was able to back the stud out later. JB Weld is amazing stuff and repaired the damaged threads. Even with the stud in place, you will be able to remove the intake mnfld with a little patience.
You can keep debris out of the lifter valley by running the shop vac or wifey's old unit in the area you are working. It will quickly collect most debris as it becomes loose. I keep a seperate vac hose for this as it eventually gets oily inside.
You can keep debris out of the lifter valley by running the shop vac or wifey's old unit in the area you are working. It will quickly collect most debris as it becomes loose. I keep a seperate vac hose for this as it eventually gets oily inside.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 457
Likes: 1
From: Royal Oak Michigan
Bolt went in fine
I removed the AIR bracket to get better access to the hole. Used a wire brush and liquid wrench to clean the threads. Just to see what would happen and put the bolt back in and began to lightly tighten. The bolt torqued fine. I think with the AIR pump bracket on the bolt just was not long enough to engage the threads in the head ( I don't think this engine originally had a pump on it??). So bubba just left it sitting in the hole and over time the threads and all kinds of junk filled the bottom of the hole.
Thanks for the help.
Side note, I took all the emissions junk off the engine (except the EGR valve-). Engine runs much better- must have been several vac leaks in the system.
Darrel
Thanks for the help.
Side note, I took all the emissions junk off the engine (except the EGR valve-). Engine runs much better- must have been several vac leaks in the system.
Darrel
