Feedback on my stripped header bolt fix w/ a step stud?
Feedback on my stripped header bolt fix w/ a step stud? Long story broken down...
1) My #8 cylinder rear most header bolt hole (originally M8 1.25) was stripped out by PO. Was drilled and tapped for M10 1.5 and a socket head cap screw was placed in (5/16 allen female on top).
2)M10 bolt was looking shoddy when I did my headers a few months back and I ended up reusing it as new ones were having trouble going in and it tightened up just fine.
3)Working on exhaust this past weekend I loosened up the header and when I went to tighten this bolt it I noticed it was in at an angle and just spun and spun, started car and had an exhaust leak there.
4)Tried a new bolt again but wouldn't go in.
5)Tried a M10 stud with nut but unthreaded section in middle of stud wouldn't go past the header flange and I didn't want to remove header and entire exhaust.
6)Finally double nutted a M10 to M8 step stud though it was shorter than the original bolt and I am only using half the threads in the head right now (bathed in high temp red loc tite overnight).
7) Spun the M8 nut with a washer but due to the angle only a portion of it contacts the header flange, was able to get this nut much tighter than the old M10 bolt but could never get it to fully stop like the flanged OEM M8 bolts do in the other holes.
8)Going to start it up tomorrow to see if this fix worked.
9) If this doesn't work think I may get a M10 threaded rod in there until it bottoms out so I can use all the thread holes and then tighten down an M10 nut against the flange.
10)I know the right fix is to remove the head, drill, and helicoil, but the time for that does not exist right now and I will only remove the heads to upgrade heads in the future.
QUESTION: Would you guys try any other fixes knowing that I have a crossthreaded M10 1.5 hole in a location where no tool other than a small wrench fits? Is it ok that my stepped stud is not bottomed out in the head?
1) My #8 cylinder rear most header bolt hole (originally M8 1.25) was stripped out by PO. Was drilled and tapped for M10 1.5 and a socket head cap screw was placed in (5/16 allen female on top).
2)M10 bolt was looking shoddy when I did my headers a few months back and I ended up reusing it as new ones were having trouble going in and it tightened up just fine.
3)Working on exhaust this past weekend I loosened up the header and when I went to tighten this bolt it I noticed it was in at an angle and just spun and spun, started car and had an exhaust leak there.
4)Tried a new bolt again but wouldn't go in.
5)Tried a M10 stud with nut but unthreaded section in middle of stud wouldn't go past the header flange and I didn't want to remove header and entire exhaust.
6)Finally double nutted a M10 to M8 step stud though it was shorter than the original bolt and I am only using half the threads in the head right now (bathed in high temp red loc tite overnight).
7) Spun the M8 nut with a washer but due to the angle only a portion of it contacts the header flange, was able to get this nut much tighter than the old M10 bolt but could never get it to fully stop like the flanged OEM M8 bolts do in the other holes.
8)Going to start it up tomorrow to see if this fix worked.
9) If this doesn't work think I may get a M10 threaded rod in there until it bottoms out so I can use all the thread holes and then tighten down an M10 nut against the flange.
10)I know the right fix is to remove the head, drill, and helicoil, but the time for that does not exist right now and I will only remove the heads to upgrade heads in the future.
QUESTION: Would you guys try any other fixes knowing that I have a crossthreaded M10 1.5 hole in a location where no tool other than a small wrench fits? Is it ok that my stepped stud is not bottomed out in the head?
Fired it up today and still a little ticking exhaust leak sound. I am going to remove the passenger header next and try to clean up the M10 1.5 threads from the previous owner with a tap and will try a longer stud. It is the rearmost #8 cylinder hole so room is very limited and I am still not quite sure how I will turn the tap...
