My questions, throttle body to intake manifold bolts. 00 outback wagon are stripped by the man of steel. Helicoil? or should I just try to re-thread the hole with a slightly larger bolt and a more coarse tap?
Superman used to own my car a tard. It's hard to tell at this point.
So far I have removed and cleaned the ground wires. Every darn bolt was stripped out. I had drill and re-thread idk how many holes.
Then I changed the alternator, got me a junk yard model and also picked up the tensioner bracket for the alternator because, guess what, that was busted, stripped bolts on tensioner. Well, I got the wrong bracket, it was so close though. When removing the other bracket, 3 of the 4 bolts holding the bracket to the block were stripped.
Later I found a vacuume leak at my throttle body to intake gasket. removed the bolts and noticed a familiar red substance on the threads. Yup, stripped bolds.
Brakes, stripped bolts.
3 lug studs, stripped.
oil pan plug is an after market repair, couldn't guess what happened to the original one.
Rear diff, square hole was rounded off. Had to weld a bolt to it to get it off.
Good Gawd! Sounds like the bionic man had a malfunction...
I guess it really is true that some don't know their own strength.
I'd say if the thread is stripped out as bad as you're describing, a helicoil really wouldn't work because there isn't enough left for it to bite into.
So re-threading would be the logical choice.
There are other options besides the two you suggest. If you wish to end up with the same threads as original... you can use a thread-insert. A thread-insert is kinda like a helicoil and is VERY often used to fix sparkplug threads.
Basically, you use a SPECIAL tap to make new, oversized threads. Then use red threadlocker when installing the insert. The inside of the insert has the exact threads you want.
The resultant repair is MUCH stronger than the original aluminum. Google "thread repair" and see what is available.
Some autoparts stores will loan-out a kit to you and when you return it, only charge you for the number of inserts you used.
I have used red thread locker with helicoils, many times, JB weld as "glue" as well.
I actually think either a helecoil, or JB Weld, properly tapped would work, here...just very precise skill is needed. Cobbled up, but functional. Salvaged intake plenum...probably are not a mint either.
They aren't stripped too bad. I sealed up the gasket with some permatex 2 weeks ago and it's just starting to leak. I know it took a lot of strength to get the **** bolts loose and pieces of thread came out with them. Then when I put them back, they got to the slightly snug point and just kept turning. I think I'm gonna go helacoil. They are cheaper and I have 5 other bolt holes in the block (that I know of) which need to be done also.
I've heard of this re thread and will look into it.
The car is in need of a head gasket. It's starting to take 1/2 gallon of antifreeze a week and half a quart of oil. (That's with a quart of lucas stop leak mixed in. Without the lucas it was 2 quarts every three days, just to work and back. But honestly, I'm terrified to tackle it until I get another car. I almost want to buy a motor from the junk yard for 75 bucks and fully rebuild it then swap it out.
That's a terrible way to look at it Boxerfan
I own the car and it's my only ride.
The bolts holding the power steering pump being loose are going to jack up my PS pump, more stuff to fix just to keep it going. throttle body bolts kill my gas mileage and I have a suspicion that those bolts are the sole reason I don't get laid more often.
Trans shift good and rear wheels get power. I got the car for 1300 bucks and it's dependable. Only time I was left stranded was when the alternator went out. That was my fault cause my subwoofer. But I had a battery in the back, all charged up. Just switched em out and rolled on. (I had heard the alternator squealing since I bought it so I kept a battery in the car just in case.) Free Battery, cheap guy.
I wouldn't be surprised if the previous owner took the valve cover's off and tightened the head bolts to try to stop the leak. Who wants to put money on it?
And the fluid thing is weird. I don't understand it. it will loose a quarter gallon coolant on the way to and from work one day. Then it'll go 2 weeks loosing none. Oil leak is little to none. I just use thicker oil.
It's reality. My '02 is the only vehicle I have and my constant battles with it over the last 2 years are well documented on this site. I purchased the car new, but there may come a time when I will stop doing anything other than the basics to it to keep it on the road.
I didn't say ignore the car, but only perform what is absolutely necessary to keep it on the road safely. I have a suspicious HG on mine, and if it lets go, I won't attempt to have the engine rebuilt. Usually cheaper to replace my H6 than it is to rebuild it. Still around $1500 or so to have it done. But I have to accept that possible scenario at face value. Do I give the car up broken, or do I spend the money on another engine? Also, should I replace the struts and springs it desperately needs, or put $6-700 worth of tires on it that it will need soon, or install another steering rack that is in need of replacement as well?
It used to be terrible, but I now recognize it as reality. Unfortunately, I am down to spending money on it that must be spent just to ensure it will start and drive, for there is always the possibility that when the engine lets go, I cannot afford to do anything about it. Not a good feeling.
On that note, I'm calling it a night. Good luck to you.
The guy who owned my car before me thought that if the oil was leaking at a quick rate then one should add an extra court. Every fluid in the car was topped way off. front differential would ooze fluid out when you pulled the dip stick.
another super easy trick for stripped bolts - use longer bolts. the holes are usually drilled and tapped deeper than the original bolts. clean the original threads with a tap - they'll be 1.25 pitch threads so like M8x1.25 i think for intake manifold bolts. clean them with a tap, then install a longer bolt. if the bolt is too long, you have two options - use washers under the head as spacers or zip the end of the bolt off and use a tap to clean the end of the threads off where the cut it.
when you're dealing with some bolts - like all those power steering and a/c bracket bolts - on my own vehicles I don't reinstall them all, there's way too many 14mm beastly bolts there for those simple brackets and pumps. i'll routinely leave out the hardest to get ones, particularly that lower rear A/C bolt that's been annoying in Subaru's since like 1990 or 1995. so if they were stripped, i wouldnt' even think about worrying about repairing them, i'd just forget them.
JB weld would probably hold on a low tasked intake manifold bolt but i avoid JB weld at all costs - it does fatigue, fail and is a lower grade repair than lots of other options which have a much higher success rate.
this guy certainly sounds interesting to just go way overboard on absolutely everything.
So I resolved my loose bolt problem today. I can't recall the size, but I found 4 bolts in my collection just slightly bigger than the original throttle body bolts, with a different thread pattern. Worked just fine.
Did the same thing for the bolt holes for the PS/ALT bracket. No drilling necessary. One of the holes, I used the same size and thread count bolt, just a longer one.
The car has a good bit more pep now. but now it seems I need to go get some copper washers for the power steering pump line. It's leaking ever so slowly when I curse at it. I'm pretty sure that this Subaru's mother was a Ford.