John, thank you for your help.  I will pass this idea onto my mechanic.  I
took a look at the Helicoil website (www.helicoil.com) last night; and I am
having a hard time seeing why this one particular bolt is giving trouble if
the Helicoil had been put in correctly.  I am beginning to think that part
of the problem is that there is too much weight on that particular part of
the exhaust system.  It is from S&S.  The only support is from where the
pipes are bolted to the heads and from where the muffler is bolted to the
frame.

John Lauterbach
Macon, GA
1984 DL
----- Original Message -----
From: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2000 12:25 AM
Subject: Re: Click found, but my mechanic needs your help

> John, sometimes when I have a problem such as this I safety wire the bold
head
> or nut as the case may be. This is a common practice in the aviation
industry
> because you certainly don't want nuts and bolts coming loose on airplance
and
> have a component fall off.
>
> Drill a hole through the bolt head, from the center of one flat straight
through
> to the center of the one directly across. Make it big enough to accept a
piece
> of 1/32 dia stainless steel safety wire. Push one wire end through the
hole,
> then wrap back along the edge of the bolt head until the wire from one
side
> meets the other. Then twist the wires together, and tie it to something
else,
> keeping it pulled in a tightening direction. If done properly the wire
will be
> pulling around the bolt head in a tightening direction. It will not back
out
> until you cut the wire.
>
> On my old "68 bus I used to have, my CV bolts kept coming out. I followed
this
> safety wire procedure and voila, no more problems.
>
> Good luck.
>
> John Rodgers
> "88 GL Driver
>
>
> John Lauterbach wrote:
>
> > I found the source of my clicking noise today.  Problem same as previous
two
> > times.  Top bolt on exhaust pipe leading to left rear cylinder again had
> > fallen out.  Supposedly, my mechanic had checked this last Wednesday
when he
> > did oil change and right rear axle transplant.  However, this is Macon,
GA,
> > and such things happen.
> >
> > Last spring, I had new exhaust system put on.  In July, the top stud on
same
> > pipe fell out.  My mechanic put helicoils and new bolts in both holes.
> > Obviously something is going wrong as the top bolt is not holding.
Looks
> > like it will be easy fix to put a bolt back in, but how to keep problem
from
> > happening again.  Bolt had a lock washer, but apparently this was not
> > enough.  Sounds like I good case for Loctite, but will it take the high
> > temps.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > John Lauterbach
> > Macon, GA
> > 1984 DL