I screwed up. I just uncrated my LS7 and stared doing the bell housing alignment. When doing so, I stripped the threads in the bolt hole on the block where the bell housing connects. Seems like such a critical spot to do something this stupid to. What are my options here and how reliable/strong are they?

 

Heli-Coil....

 

Thank you for the reply. I've seen that option mentioned a lot. My worry is it's where the bell housing bolts too. It should be strong to support the duties of that particular fastener?

 

You were not too specific about which hole is stripped. The bolt hole on the block where the bellhousing connects? You mean bellhousing attaching bolts?

 

The bolt didn’t strip. I’d just replace the bolt then. The threads in the bolt hole on the pan stripped. It’s the bottom left bell housing hole.

 

 

I know, you stripped the hole.
I actually don't think that hole is very critical. The larger upper ones do all the work.
Still, to fix it, Heli-Coil is your friend

 

Or, better yet, Time Sert.

 

The dowel pins on the block do most of the work. The bell housing bolts just hold it together. Heli coil as mentioned and forget about it. The heli coil will be stronger than the original threaded hole. And in all reality, you could even leave that bolt out and never know the difference. Aftermarket oil pans don’t have those holes.

Are you running a manual or automatic transmission? If automatic, remove the pilot bearing.

 

Not rocket science...Helicoil or Timesert it, and move on.....
+ Time-Sert Professional Thread Repair Kits & Inserts American & Metric + (time-sert.com)

 

Timesert is strongest and just buy a kit as you will use it again some time in the future. That hole down there isn't super critical and that has happened to cars I've worked on before... someone simply overtightened it

Print out a couple copies of this torque spec sheet and put them in your tool box and give to your buddies that have LS projects: http://ls1howto.com/index.php?category=1

 

The question is, how did the threads get stripped? Did you use the incorrect bolt or just over tighten the bolt?

Stampede.

 

Ok, Heli-Coil it is. Thanks. Now I just need to figure out the specs for that thread.

I will look into getting a kit from them. I'm sure this won't be the last time I strip threads.

Do you think it could throw off bell housing alignment, though? I'm dealing with thousandths of inches there.

T56

Thanks.

Do you think it's critical enough that throw off bell housing alignment, though, without being torque down for the time being? I'm dealing with thousandths of inches there.

Too valuable. Thank you. You wouldn't happen to know the thread specification for that hole?

Legitimate question. The bolts are from the supplied QuickTime bell housing kit (RM-8019). They are the correct ones to use. I simply overtightened the bolt. This is, without a doubt, my screw up.

 

Dear lord. That’s not the block. That’s your oil pan. Do you really know this little about engines and wrench turning? May God have mercy on your soul.

 

Calm down, dude. I know it's the pan. Either respond and be helpful or... don't, I suppose.

 

The dowel pins do all of the alignment. Fix it and move on. Don’t worry over it

 

Thank you kindly, sir.

 

No to Heli-Coil, yes to Time-Sert (M10x1.5) much stronger.

 

Don't sweat it. It's what he does. Doctor dropped him on his head at birth, and he's been trying to get even ever since...

 

Alright, ran down to a local parts store and fixed it with a Heli-Coil. Thanks for the help, gentlemen.