

| Subject: | Re: Heli-Coil an Engine Oil Drain? |
| From: | Jim Felder |
| Date: | Wed, 20 Jul 2005 21:59:57 -0500 |
Because of the relatively large size of the drill hole and that fact that you probably don't have access to a jig that will make a perfect right angle hole (you need a thing called a do-all, haven't seen one in years) I think you are taking a big chance on something you can't afford to make a mistake on. Have a machine shop/performance shop do it, plug the hole with gas tank leak stop (it's available at your FLAPS, comes in a long stick and you knead it to activate it) to drive down there, or have it towed. You could make your own jig by drilling a hole through a thick piece of metal and welding that to a strap and bolting that to the block somehow, but you're still taking a big chance. Jim On Jul 20, 2005, at 9:29 PM, Barry Muller wrote: > Hello, > > I have a newer rebuilt 2.1l wasserboxer that while > doing an oil change about 2 years ago I passed a > brain stone and torqued the bolt instead of losening > it. Bits of helicoil came out that time and during > every oil change since. I was able to gingerly > install the plug since and got a good seal, until last > week (about 1,000 miles since the last oil change), > now it leaks so bad I can not use the car. Yes, > painful, but of course I can only blame myself. > > > Any rate, I've been told that to replace the helicoil > with the next size up is the way to go. I'm nervous > about doing this because: > > A) Never installed a heli-coil before > B) I'm concerned bout drilling the case by hand and > having to keep a hand drill square to the case so I > don't get a cock-eyed hole > C) Concerned about drilling too deep! > D) How do I keep the drill chips from getting into the > engine and slowly machining my newish powerplant > apart? > > I'm looking for some real-life experience from those > out there who have gone this route. I'd like to know > how people solved the issues I listed above and how > long the fix worked for them. > > I'f you've used another solution to this problem, that > worked, please let me know about that too. (No, I'm > not going to use an old spark plug.) > > (At this point I think it'd be easier and safer to > install a "molly bolt" (perhaps you knlow these as dry > wall hangers - the ones with the little spring loaded > expanders that deploy after inserting into the hole). > I'd then use a heat-resistant synthetic rubber gasket > and a washer backer to seal the whole bit.) > > Thanks in advance > > Barry >
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