Hello Fellas,

my starter came lose from the housing and I tried tightening the bolts but one was missing and the other just kept going round and round. I took the bolt out and it had metal shavings stuck in the threads. I cleaned the metal out and placed it in the other hole but it just went round and round like the other one.

Now to tap and use new bolts. Does anyone know of a kit that has a tap and new bolts?

What have others used? If no kit, what Tap and bolts to use?

Many thanks in advance

BBD

 

You will need to put Thread repair inserts in [Heli-Coil ] or other brands.

 

I called the parts store and they seem to have no idea of which size to use.
I was hoping that someone has done this before on a 7.3 and could kindly give me some sizes of heli-coil and bolts.

Thanks again,

BBD

 

Use the bolt size to obtain heli-coil size. Good luck

 

If I was doing that job I would take the bolts and go get the next size up bolt and the tap to make the hole accept them. You would have to drill the starter holes out to let the bolt go through. But that's just me.

 

Possible issue with this is when your starter goes out you have to re drill the new starter. Won't be easy to do if you are traveling when the starter goes out. Most people pack enough tools they could change their own starter but I don't think most pack a drill and bits with them.

 

Thanks everyone.

BBD

 

True, and it is kind of a butcher job I agree but I have never done a helicoil job and don't the tools to do it.

 

The heli coil kits you buy have the special tap and installer that you need.

 

You make it sounds easy, I should look into it so next time I have an issue I'm ready to roll on it. How is the coil held in place?

 

The helicoil requires that you drill the old threads, then tap new threads to accommodate the helicoil, then use their tool to install the foil. I used locktite and I brought the built to the part store to size my helicoil kit. Hope that helps.
Dave Gill

 

10x1.25 bolt on mine. I would use time sert kit, heli coils are kind of hokey in my experience.

Helicoil holds itself using friction between helicoil and bolt and tapped hole.

 

I don't recommend heli-coils either. I would use a threaded insert, which does require the original hole to be tapped much larger. This would retain the original size starter bolts.

 

Time Sert. Thank you for that. I could not remember their name. Yes the Time Sert is the better if not the best way to repair threads.

I have M10x1.5 for my starter bolts with the 8.8 hardness.

I would like to know if I could just drill through and insert a long bolt and bolt the starter on and add a lock washer or two?

Thank you,

BBD

 

Update.

I stopped at a salvage yard today and they had a 7.3 laying on the shop floor. I noticed that the starter bolts onto a aluminum plate around 1 inch thick. Since the bell housing for the trans bolts to the other side there is no way to install bolts from the back side.


That is one thick plate





When a flange bolt has this tip, does anyone know the name for that ?

I plan to look for a good quality 3 bolt starter.
the Denso (excellent starter by the way) ripped out my threads after 2 years because it is a beast.

BBD