I just put the cover back on from doing the blue spring upgrade and the bottom 2 bolts on the cover are not getting tight. I was using a 1/4 ratchet to get them at the snug point before i use the torgue wrench to 10 ft lbs. I pulled the bottom 2 screws back out and there is metal shavings on the threads. The top 2 I was able to torque just fine.

Do i have to replace the whole damn assembly or can i retap to a bigger size fine thread bolt on the bottom 2?

 

Try a helicoil before retaping. Almost all my valve cover bolts have helicoil's in them--LOL--and I only use hand tools. They work very well

 

If it is stripped there may be enough thread left to put inserts in, I can not remember the actual name of the inserts. The inserts resemble a helical spring and are threaded into a damaged , threaded pocket for a new screw to be run into. I am not sure if that can be done on the type of metal that the fuel filter assembly is made of or not.

Perhaps this may lead you down the road to an inexpensive repair.


Eric

 

That's it! Helicoil!

There is a special tool to insert them. I do not think they are very expensive and is roughly the shape of a pencil with an adapter on the end to capture the helicoil until it is inserted.

Eric

 

You can get a kit for the size you need with tap and insertion tools included and they're much cheaper than a new housing installation.

 

Yeah i have used helicoils before on exhaust manifold bolt locations but was unsure of going into aluminum

 

On the aluminum stuff I don't drill the hole to retap for the helicoil. I just go straight in with the larger helicoil tap but I do it in multiple in and out steps being careful to clean the tap threads several times until I get to the desired depth.

FWIW--I've had great luck with the helicoils in aluminum on SMALL bolts and for these applications I don't use a torque wrench. "JUST TIGHT ENOUGH" by feel works very well here, especially with a small wrench.

 

thanks i guess i am going to napa to get them. i might as well do all 4 no? and all this was as a result of having to change the t-stat because the fuel line wouldn't let the bolt come out, so i figured i would do the blue spring update while i was at it.

 

UPDATE: ok went out for the afternoon to napa and stuff. All they had in a helicoil kit was a m-6 that required a 1/4" hole. the OD on the regulator bolt shoulder is 5/16th. i don't want to chance that with only a 32nd surrounding the bolt after the helicoil is inserted.
The thread and bolt size for the existing bolt is m-5x8.0. I then went to lowes and got 4 m-6x1 fine thread bolts i have several of the m-6 taps at home already. I am going to take 1 and sacrifice it....thread on 2 m-6 nuts onto the tap, tighten them against each other and grind of the tip, take the nuts off to clean the cutter threads so i have a tap that will cut bottomed out threads.
I will use the other tap to get the threads started cutting then switch 3/4 in to get all the way in.

 

Well it worked. I think i might want to replace that whole assembly at some point. Where can i look up the part #?

 

Here's the part # that you need if you want to replace it, but you can always just use some large hose clamps for a little extra holding power for piece of mind.
4C3Z-9C166-AA

 

Thanks for the info brotha

 

tough crowd...tough crowd

 

LOL--at that time of the night all I was seeing was the backs of my eyelids, but thanks for the part # and remember that it's YM specific.

 

the part # i found is for late 04 engines so since my ex is an 05 my but an 04 engine