How to use helicoil

[KingKong8247]

OK well this was my first time using helicoil. I was a bit nervous but it turned out to be very easy.

My valve cover bolt was stripped, which Im sure has happened to a lot of you. I went to autozone and picked up a kit for the right thread pitch. M6 x 1.00.

-First off remove valve cover.
-I put a rag in there so none of the metal shavings will get into the oil.
-Next use a 1/4" drill bit and drill out the stripped hole. The tap will usually say on it or on the package somewhere what size drill bit to use. Very important to use the proper size.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/KingKong82478247/240sx/DSCF0810.jpg
-Then using some type of cutting oil (WD40 is fine) spray the hole and the tap and proceed to tap the hole.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/KingKong82478247/240sx/DSCF0809.jpg
The way I tap is start it slowly, use the first couple turns to make sure it is going in straight, slowly turn it a 1/2 turn, then back it out a full turn or more to clear out the metal shavings. Do that all the way through the hole.

-Next your set should come with a black rod with threads on the end. Install the helicoil on this. It will help install the helicoil into the thread.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/KingKong82478247/240sx/DSCF0812.jpg
Then slowly turn the helicoil into your newly tapped thread.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/KingKong82478247/240sx/DSCF0813.jpg
Keep turning it until it is about a 1/4 to 1/2 turn above the surface.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/KingKong82478247/240sx/DSCF0817.jpg
After that just use some sort of punch, small screwdriver, or tiny drill bit and punch out the piece that goes straight along the bottom.

And thats it, you are good to go

[sac]

Pretty decent write up.
I would RED or stronger LOCKTITE on the threads of the helicoil to prevent it from budging though.

[burnsauto]

nice write up. +rep for you:)

[clark]

nice reference for someone who does this in the future. +1

[s13drob]

hasnt happend yet. but ill remmeber this writeup till then. thanx. great job.

[WangonwWarrior]

Thats a good write up and its not too hard to do props to you

[khilgers]

+rep I didn't even know there was such a thing.

[wangan_cruiser]

oh fuck i need that man i stripped one of my threadhole from my sr block. hehehe cool +1 thanks for showing us

[w0nderbr3ad]

+ rep for you sir. I don't know what a helicoil is. Whats the difference between using a helicoil and a thread tap?

[sac]

if its really stripped to fuck to the point where the bolt thats supposed to go in there wabbles around and wont thread at all, you can heli-coil. Or you can tap it with a larger bolt. But in some cases you cannot use a larger bolt for clearance issues or something. So you heli-coil it.

[90KAcoupe]

^^ a helicoil fixes a completely stripped out hole.. a thread tap just cleans up threads normally.. if u tap a completely stripped out whole u would have to make it bigger (then ur bolt wouldnt fit)... so basically helicoil= saved lives...

that was suppose to be pointed at w0nderbr3ad sorry..

[sac]

^^ a helicoil fixes a completely stripped out hole.. a thread tap just cleans up threads normally.. if u tap a completely stripped out whole u would have to make it bigger (then ur bolt wouldnt fit)... so basically helicoil= saved lives...
i thought i kinda said that.. but you pointed it out to deffinition.

[Mr.James]

i had to heli coil my block where the stupid metal oil line for the turbo goes... pain in the arse to get in there with the motor in! but turned out well....hopefully i have no problems when it comes time to upgrade...

[importdude]

awesome guide for ppl that never done it

here is my Suggestions

Helicoil for anything that doesnt require much Tq
timesert for everything esle

[handinpants]

I love these things, they are sooooo helpful... thanks for your how to, i need to know cause i'm prone to making mistakes.... .

[r6_240sx]

+1 I love helicoils.

[gunluvS14]

nicely done man

[rican_nick]

i love helicoils..:)

[ManoNegra]

Helicoils save lives... put that on a shirt.

[trsilvias13]

You should check out timesert - same idea, but seem to hold better. I had to do it to my sr like 5 years ago and it held up fine.

OP - good job. You are lucky you on had to do it to a valve cover bolt. My friends did that to hold their headstud. Now when you are doing that, it is awfully scary. But the helicoli held up to at least 15+ 10 second passes in the 1/4 miles, making 750FWHP in his honda. THe block gave before the head lifted.

[KingKong8247]

You should check out timesert - same idea, but seem to hold better.

Ill look into that, Ive never heard of it.

Also sac are you saying use some loctite then insert the helicoil?

[sac]

ya.. i put locktite on the outer part of the threads. the part you thread into the head in this case. Just a little bit though. You dont want to glob it in there, and have it get on the inner thread where you will thread in your valve cover bolts. Just a small dab will do the job. Kinda like anti-seize, only you want the helicoil to really stick in that bitch (bitch being the head.)

[DoriftoPnoy]

haha helicoil is good for lil things like that i guess. but when it comes to things that require a lot of torque like a head bolts, then no I would not recommend using it.

[blownmotor]

time serts are the way to go lasts much longer helicoils can eventually pull out

[sac]

yes time serts are alot better way to go, but if its for a valve cover bolt where there is little torque, and you have helicoils laying around, I would just use the helicoil. A lil locktite and helicoil will hold up to a valve cover bolt for a pretty long ass time as long as when it gets pulled your careful, and remember rightie tighty lefty loosie.. hahah

[sammydag]

helicoils are the best thing for aluminum bolt holes
+1 on write up

[LigouriRd]

One trick to add to this:
To keep the chips from drilling and tapping from getting everywhere (like in the head), schmeer some really thick grease around the hole. It will capture the chips as they come out of the hole and has the added benefit of lubricating the operation.

Even with that rag there, i bet some chips still ended up in the head.

[Silverstreek]

old thread bump. gotta do this on my motor, anybody know what the thread pitch is for the ka24de valve cover bolts? not sure by the pics if this for a ka24de or not.

[KingKong8247]

The head is off of a ka24e motor. I have no idea if the pitch is the same.

[Silverstreek]

well if this writeup's for a ka24de then i'm good to go.

[KingKong8247]

well if this writeup's for a ka24de then i'm good to go.
I did the writeup, I was saying that this writeup is for a SOHC head.

Maybe you can try taking one of the bolts to the store and open the package and see if it threads in. Or bring it to a hardware store, some places can tell you the pitch if no one here chimes in on them being the same.

[Silverstreek]

oh, crap my mistake. i'll do that then and i'll post up in here what the sizing is. thanks!

[Silverstreek]

size for ka24de head is M6x1.00 as well. the kit i got from napa is M6x1x09.0MM, can't member the p/n off the top of my head, but it was $36 for the kit.

[KingKong8247]

Great, Good luck!