Damn,I have my headers off at the moment.....I probably should look into this...more $$$ lol

 

 

Is it difficult to get headers reinstalled with studs in place (room wise)...everything is snug on these cars

 

Yes, big reason a lot of people don't do studs. It can make removing or installing the headers near impossible on a corvette.

 

That's what I was thinking..

Have them off the car now....should I look at new bolts? Been on and off a couple times...?

 

After a lot of research I have a final question.

Since I'm working with aluminum do I need to buy a smaller drill bit than what comes with the heli-coil kit? I saw it mentioned but can't find any good info.

 

Check kit mfg’er, each size needs correct drill to provide minor diameter clearance for their specific tap, regarding both heli-coil and time-cert.

Few other considerations:

1. Space will be tight for drilling pilot hole for replacement insert.

2. Time-cert is far superior.

3. If you are doing it anyway......

——

Depending on brand, but studs can’t be use initially on my LG Pro. To avoid damaging soft aluminum, what I did was after careful location and alignment using a few OEM bolt, I replaced them one for one with ARP studs.

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Lots of opinions but Time-cert and stud are both designed and proven for extreme duty industrial application.

Good luck!

 

Unreal , why ??

Can't you install the studs and then just slide the headers on to the studs and install the nuts and lock washers?

The reason why I ask is because if I ever have to take mine off I was going with studs as holding the headers in the right spot and angle , while trying to line up the bolt holes , then trying to start the bolts and make sure they are not cross threading is a real nightmare for me

I have had to install my headers twice , once, the original install and a second time to replace my starter and both times sucked ....I was so worried about cross threading, bolts felt like they were right but would only go in so far and then get real tight . I had to mess with them for a while until I got all the bolts to thread in hand tight ... that way I knew that I was not cross threaded , then I used my torque wrench

Dave

 

The headers don't have enough clearance to go over the studs. You would have to install the studs with the headers in place. Most headers won't rotate enough to slide over the studs with them in place. Some of the smaller ones might.

Bolts are not bad. Had my headers off 20+ times. Pulled one yesterday because I dropped a nut that got stuck in one. Took maybe 30 minutes on and off. It gets easy.

 

timeserts are better and IIRC considerably more $. I would be completely satisfied with the heli-coil for a header bolt. Just make sure you get the complete kit including the drill bit, tap and plastic insert installer

 

Glad to see your post Victor, always helpful and informative.

Mike

 

I use header studs with 1 7/8” Kooks. A couple of the studs on each side have to come out to remove the header. It’s really not much more work in the grand scheme of things. The studs that come out are easy to reach.

 

Just a friendly suggestion - irregardless if you are going to use the Heli-Coil or the Time-cert, you are going to need to remove the residue of the broken bolt.

I HIGHLY recommend forgetting about going the EZ Out route - way way too many people have broken off EZ outs, and since they are as hard as drill bits - so you aren't going to drill one out. About the only way to get a broken EZ Out removed is to have it EDM'ed out - and you'll need to pull the head to bring it to the shop to have that done...

Go to a decent tool supplier and get left handed drill bits, they are just like regular bits, but you run the drill "in reverse" to drill with them. Why is this better - because as you are drilling the hole in the old bolt - you are exerting a torque that will tend to remove the remnant of the old bolt. Frequently - as the drill bit is breaking through the end of the old fastener - the remnant of a bolt will simply remove itself with the left hand bit. Get the sizes up to about 1/32 - 1/16 from the size of the drill that comes with the heli-coil / Time Cert kit. Center punch the center of the bolt - and do so carefully, and drill slowly - keeping the drill in line with the bolt. If the drilling operation doesn't remove the old bolt - you've lost nothing - if it does - your life just got a little easier!

(Oh - and just for the record - an engineer friend of mine tells me that his company frequently puts Heli-coils in aluminum panels that have things threaded into them - where the screws that are threaded in are going to be regularly removed for service - the steel Heli-Coiled insert lasts MUCH longer than tapped holes in the aluminum.

 

Isn't there any worry about the metal shavings dropping into the cylinder? Kooks supplied me with bolts that use locking tabs to insure the bolts can't back out and should be able to use less torque and anti seize to get them out when needed

 

Header bolt holes are blind. I'd tape the exhaust ports before removing any material, however.

 

do NOT change the size of the pilot drill on a heli-coil.

The information you saw has some limited merit if you're drilling a pilot hole to tap threads in aluminum for use without a heli-coil, and when thread depth is very limited such as a depth equal to or less than the bolt diameter.

 

i must have done something wrong because I thought it was easier because you could hang the headers off the studs.

 

Thanks again for all of the advice.

Its been far too cold to work out in the garage, but I'll update this thread with what I find when I start.

 

That is dependent on the headers. If you can't put any of the studs in until the headers are in place, because they won't go over the studs with teh studs in place, it is a huge pain. If your headers can slide over the studs, then yes it is easier. Just depends on the header. My ARH 2" won't go in with studs there and are a super tight fit.

 

Quick update for anyone interested. I planned for the worst but ended up not having to go that route.

I removed the header and cleaned up the threads with a chaser. Installed new Oem header bolts and a thicker Remflex gasket to match the passenger side. All the bolts torqued properly.

Thanks again for all of the info and input provided. Although I didn't end up having to use the methods I learned a lot reading your responses.


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