Holley-how to fix stripped threads
 

My 2818-1 was leaking fuel pretty badly from the front bowl and i discovered that the bottom screws threads were stripped. I dont recall this being an issue the last time i rebuilt the carburetor, but perhaps when i had it in for a tune up, they were overtightened and the threads stripped out. I thought i was going to need to replace the throttle body, but then discovered threadserts. It took me all of about 10 minutes to drill, bevel, tap, and install the threadserts into the two bottom screw holes. What a great invention!!!
Here are some pictures. I thought i would share just in case anybody else has encountered the same problem. It seems like it would be fairly easy to strip the threads over the course of many rebuilds.

Drilled out
http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSC_0014.jpg

Bevelled
http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSC_0016.jpg

Threadsert installed No more leaks and the original 2818-1 is saved

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSC_0018.jpg

Nicely done. Check out this damaged base plate idle speed screw thread for a WCFB which Bob Kunz invisibly repaired and I run with today !

That looks like a difficult fix. I am a big fan of the threadserts. Too bad i am only just now discovering them.

Been there, done that. My Holley started leaking from the bowl screw awhile ago, and I discovered the bottom screws were stripped. Sure surprised me since nobody had touched the carb in at least six months, and all of a sudden it has stripped screws. Only the bottom bowl screws -- is this modern gas eating the threads? Anyway, like you I found the threadsert kit (or helicoil, to some of us oldtimers), and was able to fix it right up.

I don't think there's a thread hole in my Muncie that doesn't have a Heli-Coil in it. I love those things. They're lifesavers. Great job on the carb main body.

I thought helicoils were just a spring that was inserted in place of stripped threads. The threadsert is an actual full insert.

Helicoils are thread inserts.... same process.... drill over-size... tap with a special over-size tap.... wind in the insert.

I agree that it is the same process, but the timesert is a different animal. I have used helicoils and have had them fail. I definitely prefer the timeserts.


Helicoil-which is really just as the name suggests, a coil of wire.

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/helicoil.jpg

Timesert Its an actual full insert.

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/timesert.jpg

Timesert vs helicoil

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/a...vshelicoil.jpg

I've never had a Helicoil fail.... but point taken.