Valve Cover Stud Stripped

C

cpotts454

XS650 Enthusiast
Messages
45
Reaction score
1
Points
6
Hey guys.. Ive got 3 stud bolts that have stripped in the head itself, so when I ratched them down, the stud pulls out, or just spins. Has anyone had these difficulties? And if so what did you do to fix the problem?

I was thinking of maybe finding the next size larger stud and then rethreading the stud hole on the head to that size....

Thanks for the advice.
 
Same thing happened to me but I only had one go. You need to Helicoil the thread. You can either but a kit with inserts, drill & tap & DIY or get an engineering shop to do it for you. The most important thing is to drill the hole straight.
Read inxs excellent thread on Helicoils HERE
 
my problem was a bit different... my stud was so tight in the head that when i was backing it out it twisted and snapped off... i tried ez-outs and reverse drill bits but everything just snapped off into the stud. I asked a mechanic at the shop what to do about it and he said that i'd be better off leaving it like it is because with it so buggered up it be tough to get a straight hole thats still small enough...

So yeah just make sure you're dead straight if you drill it out.

DSC00400.jpg
 
I'd drill that out. Start really small, make sure you're centered. go slow - drills don't work well at high speed through the grade 6 studs/bolts. They heat up and die. Once you get the first hole done, it's usually butter after that.
 
inxs and kevc thanks! I never heard of a heli coil before... After doing some research it seems to fit the bill! Whats a good place in the USA to pick up some heli coils and tap and dies and a reasonable price?

Ive got soooo many more applications I can use these for!
 
Check that last post, I found a local auto parts store that has all kinds of them. I do need to find one of those plastic thread size and pitch gauges. That would make cake work of finding what bolt and nut sizes I need for every application.
 
Uh, well, no. Brake rotors are usually cast iron. That stuff's easy to drill through. The reason you buy carbide bits is it retains an edge longer for a higher speed for repetitive work. But for drilling out a bolt, you want to keep the rpms low, like 300 or so, and have a lot of patience. this isn't something that will go fast or easy, no matter what you do or buy.

Chef, something else you *may* want to try it heating the piece in the oven, then trying to easy-out it. The aluminum will expand more than the steel, and you may get lucky and it will loosen it up enough.
 
That makes sense sundie, do you think that bolt is too beat up though to get it out of there, i think I probably jacked up the outer threads a little too much. I've got an old drill press from the 80's that spins pretty slow, maybe i can use that
 
Yes i'd have to agree with the Helicoil which can be done inexpensively.
The problem is to remove the old thread and I'd like a dollar for each time I have seen ppl pinching up a rocker cover bolt way above the required psi,mainly because of an oil leak.Rocker cover bolts only need a bit more than finger tight.Sometimes the covers for some reason warp and therefore will leak till the cows come home.There is a recommended tightening sequence required.
You will find that the helicioled bolt will be one of the strongest ones in the engine afterwards.
 
Ive never even heard of this technology before you guys brought it up. It seems pretty ingenious and solid. I can think of a ton of things non-xs related that this could be used for. Now to find a good kit at a fair price is the only draw back. Seems like kits with 4 or 5 sizes is upwards of 200.
 
I bought a master tap n die set. Was like 400. Best money I ever spent(not really I can think of other things but it sounded good!) But any way my point is by good taps go slow. If you buy the cheap ones there gonna break in he hole and your gonna have to drill that out and start over and buy a new tap!
 
a good mixed tap & die set will last you forever, and is invaluable if you tinker in your garage.

$200 sounds like a crazy big kit - Canadian Tire has a 41 piece set on sale right now for $29 from $79. The 86 piece kit (which is from the Guaranteed for Life line) is like $150. And while i subscribe to the "a good tool lasts forever" theory, i usually try the "a cheap tool will usually do the job, and if you use it enough that it wears out/breaks, *then* it's time to buy the expensive tool" first.

And yeah, helicoils are the bomb.
 
Doing some research at work and dont have the bike in front of me... does anyone know the valve cover stud sizes? I only need the smaller size that I use a 10 wrench on, but whats the #12 size for future reference? Thanks!
 
- the M6 are 1.00...the M8 will be either 1.00 or 1.25 im not exactly sure
 
Motorcycles tend to use metric standard pitch up to M8 ,then use fine pitch
seeHERE for chart.
Remember that Helicoil taps are "special" & not the sort you will find in a normal tap & die box set.
You should be able to buy small kits fot the sizes you require, I have M6 & M10 fine so far, from an engineering supplier quite cheaply.
I just looked online at my local engineering supply shop & their own brand of M6 thread repair insert kit, with drill, tap, insert tool & several inserts is £21
 
A hint for the drilling put the cover on using the other bolts. The cover will act as a guide for your drill bit. A bushing between the cover and the drill bit might be necessary to keep the bit centered. For the poster with the busted off stud. Left hand drill bits exist in many sizes if you get lucky the heat of drilling and the LH bit might unthread the stud out of the head.
 

Similar threads

Mikey
Mikeys new to him 81
4 5 6
Replies
110
Views
6K
Mikey
Mikey
joebgd
Tappet cover studs stripped.
Replies
2
Views
583
jetmechmarty
jetmechmarty
650Burger
Rocker Cover - Broken Stud
2
Replies
26
Views
3K
Steve C
Steve C
lumbee
Valve cover fitment
2
Replies
34
Views
3K
lumbee
lumbee
toglhot
A custom bike is never finished -not even a nearly finished bike.
Replies
1
Views
607
motormike
motormike
Back
Top