Rocker arm bolts

[surreal_awakening]

OK so I was putting the engine back together this weekend...finally...and the very first rocker arm I put on stripped out. So, I need to helicoil it. What are the specs on the rocker arm bolts / what kit do I need? I think I read that it was 8mm, but not sure about the threads. Anybody have this info handy?

[Ryan from Ohio]

Unless you have a drill press I advise taking this into a machine shop.

Ive put some helicoils in during my shop days. Hand held drills wont cut it, or they are weak and wobble.

[mfuller]

Depending on the year of your heads, either 8mm or 10mm.

[bryan213]

haha dealer replaced both of my heads because rocker arm studs stripped out of head happend like 4 times junk aluminum heads.

[03MNAlero]

maybe i was lucky, but i did the same thing and stripped the first one out. i just used a hand drill and got the angle right.

[Ryan from Ohio]

It can be done. What Im getting at.. While your drilling, your hand will move a bit. When that happens the drill bit moves and makes the hole egg shaped or however it happens. When you tap for the heli-coil theres less thread in that area, which allows the end bolt more room to move/wobble.

If you have the heli-coils a smaller shop with some manual machines would probably get one in there properly for ya, around $50 or less. Money well spend considering if you DO mess it up at that point you will be in for an expensive repair or a new head.

[surreal_awakening]

Rocker arm boss fixed. No drilling necessary. The threads stripped out completely and cleanly so I was able to just tap the hole and thread in the helicoil. Only problem being that the tap wasn't a bottoming tap, it was tapered, so the new threads tapered in near the bottom of the hold. Had to make a bottoming tap by cutting off the tap above the taper point, then run it in again to thread all the way into the hole, then it worked like a champ.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Ya another bad thing with them... lol

The Helicoil tapsa re special to. So your tap wont work again.