Cylinder head receiving thread stripped

[Guest]

Hey guys,
So I was tightening down my valve cover with my new gasket, and realized that one of the bolts was cross-threaded and would not tighten. So I took it out, and there was a heli-coil attached to it. I'm guessing it got weak and stripped the heli-coil. I didn't install it and had no idea it was there. Will another heli-coil kit work, or do I need to get it fixed by a professional? I don't think it's good that even the heli-coil got stripped. What size would that kit need to be? It uses a 10mm socket to tighten.

[1980GS1000E]

I would attempt a repair with a Timesert. Similar to a helicoil but much stronger.

[Anthony]

What size would I need to buy for that?

[Steve]

M6 x 1.0
. . . . . . .
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[1074cm3]

I was re-assembling a basket case Honda XR dirt bike a while back when one of the bolts in the rocker cover would only go in about 1 thread. When I looked into the hole with a light the threads were sharp but just didn't look "quite right". Just for giggles I tried a 1/4" bolt and it went right in . I guess the P/O had 1 laying around when he needed to make a repair, so he just went ahead and used it!

[blowerbike]

Hey guys,
So I was tightening down my valve cover with my new gasket, and realized that one of the bolts was cross-threaded and would not tighten. So I took it out, and there was a heli-coil attached to it. I'm guessing it got weak and stripped the heli-coil. I didn't install it and had no idea it was there. Will another heli-coil kit work, or do I need to get it fixed by a professional? I don't think it's good that even the heli-coil got stripped. What size would that kit need to be? It uses a 10mm socket to tighten.

i don't think it was a heli-coil that came out.
when threads strip sometimes the aluminum stays on the bolt and people think it's a heli-coil.
see if a 1/4-20 SAE bolt will drop in the hole....if not then you didn't have a heli-coil to start with.
at this point you can tap to the SAE bolt i mentioned or use a heli-coil.

[Anthony]

Now that you say that, it might of been just the aluminum. It looked different from a heli-coil, and it was smaller. So if I try a 1/4-20 bolt and it screws in, it wasn't heli-coiled? Should I still get the kit and make a new thread?

[1980GS1000E]

Yes as the helicoil will retain the stock size and be much stronger than the original. Racers routinely install helicoils or timeserts in aluminum cases and covers just to eliminate the stripped thread issue. My Honda CB1100F has 8 bolts holding the valve cover on. Guess how many are helicoiled.

[Anthony]

Got it, so I will grab the M6x1 heli-coil kit and install that one. I'll definitely keep it around in case others do the same. Might do all of them this winter.

[posplayr]

Got it, so I will grab the M6x1 heli-coil kit and install that one. I'll definitely keep it around in case others do the same. Might do all of them this winter.

There are a lot of M6x1 bolts so get an extra pack of those. Alum. is very soft and SS very hard. It is a very clean and painless way of improving the reliability of your bike. If you do not overdo avoid anti seize then the SS heli-coil will seize to the aluminum and you wont have to worry abut it coming out.

[Anthony]

So I should avoid using anti-sieze when installing the coils?

[1980GS1000E]

No antisieze. There is a tool that the kit provides to install. The steps are drill, tap, install. Any questions please ask.

[blowerbike]

it's just a valve cover bolt...no pressure or force on it.
the 1/4-20 would have self tapped itself and lasted as long as the bike.
it would have been are secret...i wouldn't have told anybody