[RESOLVED] Stripped fuel rail hole on the head

[sadc]

So I stripped 3 holes on the head, to where the bolts go to hold the fuel rail down. Is there something I can make these holes stronger? I know I have to drill new holes. I upgraded my bolts to like 20 grade or something. The OEM ones broke like twigs. But now I think I might have to go back to that. So anything to make the holes withstand more torque?

 

[HIGHPSI4]

Those small bolts is not the problem. All they do is hold the fuel rail on. They do not have to have a lot of pressure to do that. Remember, so bolts do not have to be cranked down so hard. As for what to do now, You will have to drill out the old bolts and may have to rethread the hole.

 

[DSM Jeff]

You broke your fuel rail bolts? Just so you know, torque on those are 12Nm or 8.7ft lbs. You could even use a little blue loctite on them. Now your best bet would be to get a heli coil kit. Its consists of a tap, stainless threads and an insert tool. Find one for a M8x1.25 bolt.(I believe thats the size) Drill the hole per company recommendation, tap it, insert the heli coil and then install your rail. Besure to block off any open holes such as the injector holes if you're doing this on the car. Vaccume the shavings up when you're done.

 

[kmoore]

Just like others have said, drill out the old bolt, heli-coil and you're done. Next time, when the first bolt breaks it's probably not a good idea to keep cranking down the other two the same way you did the first... it will save you a lot of time and hassle.

 

[force it in]

This is what I used to repair the threads that hold my transfer case to the transmission. The holes were already damaged when I bought the transmission. Click on kits & inserts.
++ TIME-SERT Threaded inserts for stripped threads, threaded inserts, thread repair stripped sparkplug's, Ford sparkplug blowouts, threaded inserts threaded, repair stripped threads, stripped threads, inserts threaded inserts, Ford spark plug repair,

 

[steve]

I think I'd use the time-sert's if I was doing this repair.

I never quite understand why these get stripped out. I assume that by the time people graduate from working on lawn mowers they realize that aluminum is pretty soft and you should check the torque values before tightening something.

Were you missing the black spacers and got carried away?

 

[kmoore]

I think I'd use the time-sert's if I was doing this repair.

I never quite understand why these get stripped out. I assume that by the time people graduate from working on lawn mowers they realize that aluminum is pretty soft and you should check the torque values before tightening something.

Were you missing the black spacers and got carried away?

What I don't understand is how you could strip all 3 of them. You'd think before you got to the other two you would think to yourself, "Hey I probably shouldn't tighten these two like I did the first one."

 

[sadc]

I think I'd use the time-sert's if I was doing this repair.

I never quite understand why these get stripped out. I assume that by the time people graduate from working on lawn mowers they realize that aluminum is pretty soft and you should check the torque values before tightening something.

Were you missing the black spacers and got carried away?

No way, I never did put my rail back on without it

What I don't understand is how you could strip all 3 of them. You'd think before you got to the other two you would think to yourself, "Hey I probably shouldn't tighten these two like I did the first one."

It was already half striped from the last owner . Just that when I put the high grade bolts in the holes. It made them worse

 

[turboglenn]

higher grade bolts dont' hurt threads, over torqueing, cross threading or putting in the wrong thread ruins bolt holes.. Drill then heli-coil / time-sert

One thing i've seen cause more people to ruin aluminum holes and break bolts in using an air ratchet.... NEVER use an air ratchet on aluminum parts and never use it to do the final snugging.. use the to take out bolts or to run in long bolts but do all final tightening by hand with a torque wrench if you can't feel the proper pressure needed to hold a bolt of that size without ruining it. Inexperienced wrench turners do this all the time (notice i didn't say mechanic, as a real mechani knows how NOT to do this)

Not dogging on you, but to ruin all 3 and why on earth would you even need or use a grade 20 (grade i've enver heard of) for soething that simply holds down your injectors.... that's a bolt for flywheels, head and main bolts or maybe holding a bridge to the road.... 8 grade is still more than what's needed on most holes on a mitsu in the motor or chassis

 

[DSM Jeff]

Just to say it again, torque on those are 12Nm or 8.7ft lbs. this is straight from a 97 Talon shop manual. That is just past snug. Air ratchets put out more torque.

 

[sadc]

even if I had access to an air tool. I wouldn't use it to torque my fuel rail bolts down

 

[siceclipse]

those time-serts look awesome!

 

[HIGHPSI4]

Wow, I just picked up a head that had all three holes ruined. They even filled the holes with blue RTV and shoved the bolts in to hold the fuel rail on.

 

[Calan]

The OEM ones broke like twigs.

Aside from the previous comments about torque specs, etc.... HTH do you strip the threads in an aluminum head AND break the factory steel bolts?

That may be a never-done-before accomplishment

 

[jrohner]

You could just locktite some studs into the head, although I don't know if it would make getting the rail on tough or not.

 

[steve]

I don't know if it would make getting the rail on tough or not.

Based on what I remember it would make putting the fuel rail on and off pretty much impossible.

 

[andy4g63]

On the other hand, after you torque down the fuel rail, you should still be able to turn injectors left and right by hand.

And I think my experience with studs is the same as Steve said.