I feel pretty confident with 3 bolts for now.  I figure, if a rattle comes
back, I'll know right away I have trouble.

But I think I'm going to try the helicoil repair this weekend.  I don't want
to run 3 bolts long term.  Is the insert really that hard to install?  I
figure, after I drill and tap, that the insert must be pretty easy to get
in.  And, where I'm' doing it, I'll have easy access.  Not like doing this
in an engine compartment.

I ordered one of these kits:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002SREP4/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
and a correctly sized drill bits.  We'll see how it goes....

I was thinking of trying to get a nut up above... but I'm going to give the
helicoil a shot first.  That seems like the "right way" to do this...

On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 9:37 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> so great that you found it.
> you can get away with only 3 of those 4 bolts going into the frame, if you
> just want to be running quietly again and don't want to make a project out
> of it.
>
> ideally only one threaded hole is stripped and the other 3 are ok.
> If I wanted to 'cheat' and stick the other 3 good ones in and leave things
> as be for now.
> I'd remove them one at a time..
> and put them back in with thread joint teflon tape on the threads.
> that would help prevent corrosion on the threads of the 3 good ones.
>
> that's just my 'cheater' suggestion to make it better without fixing it
> right really.
>
> I don't use threaded inserts much unless I have to.
> depends on how much metal is there.
> this would be nice ...
> real nice....if on the bad one the bolt broke off in place...
> then you could just dril and tap in place, and that threaded hole would be
> fine again.
> If it's fully stripped out oversize ...then sure ...an insert type repair.
> I think of using those more in things like cylinder heads than frame steel
> though.
>
> I would hate to do this, but one could cut a small hole  through the side
> of the frame there,  and rig a nut with a tap welded on it, what I call a
> 'jam tap' to it would lock against something and not turn while you tighten
> teh bolt from below.
>
> Vans do run fine with only 3 good bolts holding that front trans mount to
> the frame.
>
> how to treat the inside of the frame for rust though ..that's a trick.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "pickle vanagon" <
> greenvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Monday, June 14, 2010 5:46 PM
> Subject: noise SOLVED. Now need to Heli-Coil?
>
>
>
>  Robert Fisher was right.
>>
>> Two of the transmission mount bolts weren't properly tightened.
>>
>> They weren't really loose, which is why when I was checking over
>> everything
>> (I stared at that transmission mount at least 6 different times) but I
>> guess
>> there was a little bit of wiggle room for the mount to pivot diagonally
>> across the two looser screws.  I think when I went to tighten them,  I
>> mistook resistance related to rust and the weight of the transmission as
>> the
>> bolt cap tightening down all the way.
>>
>> But now I have a problem.  One of the bolts, it seems, was made too tight.
>> Or maybe the threads were already trashed.
>>
>> So now my noise is gone but one of the four tranny mount bolt holes has
>> stripped out threads.  Is a heli-coil the answer here?  I've never had to
>> deal with this kind of situation before.  Any help would be greatly(!!!)
>> appreciated.  I guess I have to tap threads, and then insert the
>> heli-coil?
>>
>> So, thanks to *everybody* that listened to my noise and gave me their
>> feedback.  It could have been any of the things people suggested, and the
>> encouragement to check over everything was exactly what I needed.
>>
>> Thanks again!!
>>
>
>