RESOLVED - Stripped out the cylinder head bolt hole while replacing valve cover, what now?

[bdbull]

Murphy's law strikes again.

Was out doing the valve cover replacement on my 2010 Avalanche. Job is a breeze. Putting the new valve cover on and the two middle bolts literally stripped the threads out of the cylinder head. WTF?!?! How in the world does that happen? When I took the cover back off, both bolts had the threads on the bolt. I had to unscrew the threads from the freaking bolt.

So, WTF am I supposed to do now? I figure I have two options.
A. Put the valve cover on with the two outside bolts and whatever threads the middle bolts will grab. Drive the truck down to my local shop (about 4 miles) and let them sort it out.

B. Order a helicoil kit and try to fix it myself.

I'm leaning towards A just because I'm so pissed that this happened, and I just don't want to deal with it. There's no telling what else I might destroy while I'm in there.

Anybody ever done something like this or am I the only idiot that the universe has decided to shit on this way?

 

[swathdiver]

Murphy's law strikes again.

Was out doing the valve cover replacement on my 2010 Avalanche. Job is a breeze. Putting the new valve cover on and the two middle bolts literally stripped the threads out of the cylinder head. WTF?!?! How in the world does that happen? When I took the cover back off, both bolts had the threads on the bolt. I had to unscrew the threads from the freaking bolt.

So, WTF am I supposed to do now? I figure I have two options.
A. Put the valve cover on with the two outside bolts and whatever threads the middle bolts will grab. Drive the truck down to my local shop (about 4 miles) and let them sort it out.

B. Order a helicoil kit and try to fix it myself.

I'm leaning towards A just because I'm so pissed that this happened, and I just don't want to deal with it. There's no telling what else I might destroy while I'm in there.

Anybody ever done something like this or am I the only idiot that the universe has decided to shit on this way?

Let them put heli coils in it if they are competent or do it yourself after you take a break!

Haven't stripped a valve cover thread but have messed up plenty of other things, used to have a whole set of heli coils! LOL

 

[bdbull]

Well, I just took it up to the shop. I'll drop by there tomorrow morning after I drop my son off at school (in his car) and tell them what happened. I'm hoping it will be something simple for them to do.

I've never done a heli coil before, and at this point I just don't feel like learning something new...and possibly screwing that up too. Maybe another day. In fact, I need to change the oil in my wife's Tahoe but I'm gonna wait until I get my truck back just in case I find a way to screw up an oil change.

 

[swathdiver]

Well, I just took it up to the shop. I'll drop by there tomorrow morning after I drop my son off at school (in his car) and tell them what happened. I'm hoping it will be something simple for them to do.

I've never done a heli coil before, and at this point I just don't feel like learning something new...and possibly screwing that up too. Maybe another day. In fact, I need to change the oil in my wife's Tahoe but I'm gonna wait until I get my truck back just in case I find a way to screw up an oil change.

Good call, I've had days like that too.

 

[George B]

This is the kind of crap that happens to me a simple job gies sideways. Ugh!

I realize the truck is i. To have this fixed but for the sake of conversation I have a thought.

Sometimes In situations like this I got lucky and there were threads remaining further down the hole that a longer bolt would grab.

Good luck with putting coils in. I know that is a solid fix in this case.

 

[Fless]

You guys who have done multiple helicoils -- are you in the habit of using (red?) loctite on them when you install them, or something else, or leave them dry? I did one on a lawn mower exhaust bolt thread, so not a helicoil virgin, but not an expert...

 

[George B]

You guys who have done multiple helicoils -- are you in the habit of using (red?) loctite on them when you install them, or something else, or leave them dry? I did one on a lawn mower exhaust bolt thread, so not a helicoil virgin, but not an expert...

Here is some info I found.

Home

Discover Henkel adhesives ✓ solutions, technologies, and processes.

www.henkel-adhesives.com

 

[Geotrash]

You guys who have done multiple helicoils -- are you in the habit of using (red?) loctite on them when you install them, or something else, or leave them dry? I did one on a lawn mower exhaust bolt thread, so not a helicoil virgin, but not an expert...

I use blue Loctite on anything I may need to remove, including bolts installed into helicoil threads.

Super important to use a torque wrench when working with aluminum especially. I have to relearn the lesson every few years the hard way. The good news is I’ve gotten really good at doing helicoils. @bdbull once you do one you’ll wonder why you ever felt intimidated by it. I did and I was the first tIke.

 

[Fless]

I was wondering about using something when installing the helicoil. Interesting info (@George B) about the temperature resistant qualities of various thread lockers.

 

[bdbull]

I use blue Loctite on anything I may need to remove, including bolts installed into helicoil threads.

Super important to use a torque wrench when working with aluminum especially. I have to relearn the lesson every few years the hard way. The good news is I’ve gotten really good at doing helicoils. @bdbull once you do one you’ll wonder why you ever felt intimidated by it. I did and I was the first tIke.

I think that's why I was so damn mad. I was using the torque wrench and sat there thinking, "good grief, is this every gonna torque down?" Then I realized something was wrong.

I kinda wish I would have at least attempted the heli coil, but having to drill out the hole just scared the hell out of me. Hopefully they'll be able to get it done without too much trouble, otherwise I will be giving it a go.