Stripped threads - worth repairing?

[stephenw22]

So I'm putting the ea-82 from the Hornet together yesterday, and I found a few stripped-out bolts.

 

2 bolts for the passenger-side cam case stripped out (the ones right by the o-ring), and both bolts holding the passenger side cam seal.

 

So, I can replace the cam case, but I'm thinking about getting a helicoil kit for the cam case bolts (since the threads for those bolts are in the head, and I just torqued the head gaskets on two days ago). Has anyone done this before? Just wondering.

[idosubaru]

you shouldn't have any problems fixing these bolts holes. heli-coil the cam carrier bolts, probably your best option.

 

you're in luck on the bolts holding the cam seal. i'm almost positive the actual holes for those bolts are deeper than the stock bolts. i know they are deeper on the XT6 ER27 becuase i've done this before. the EA82 cam cap is almost identical, i think it just has one oil port instead of two...but basically identical...anyway the cam towers are different so who knows, but i bet the holes are deeper. so find some longer bolts that will grab the untouched and good threads at the bottom. gotta find one not too long but not too short. an easy way is to get bolts too long with the right thread pattern and cut it the length you want it. then you'd have to clean the threads up with a die. doesn't take too long. i have zillions of bolts lying around and have used this "longer bolt" trick on cam seal caps, timing tensioners, cam pulleys.....works all the time and if i get good torque i go with it, if not i helicoil it. more often than not i'm not using my helicoil inserts and that's cool because finding a longer bolt takes about 23 seconds usually and i'm on my way.

 

 

you could try this trick on the cam carrier bolts as well, try installing the stock bolts into the heads without the cam case on it to see if they'll go any deeper and find good thread. if this works then you'll just need to find a longer bolt with the same thread pattern. if so then you won't have to get a 30-50 dollar helicoil kit and start drilling. though it's not that hard at all either. that being said if one of the top cam carrier bolts was stripped i wouldn't worry that much about it as the cam never leaks from the top. but you definitely want good clamping force across the entire thing and do it right.

[stephenw22]

If it was one of the top cam case bolts, I'd just use one of those crappy epoxy thread repair kits, and just snug the bolt up until it was a little more than hand-tight.

 

The problem is that it's 2 bottom bolts, and they're the ones on either side of that o-ring. I know that those 2 bolts are probably the most critical of any of them. I'll pick up the helicoil kit for these ones, that way I know I'll get enough clamping force.

 

Thanks for the tip on the cam seal bolts! The torque on those bolts is only something like 5ft-lb, so all I need is a few good threads. I'll pick up a few longer bolts today when I get the helicoil kit.