2.7 case ... How to fix this loose bolt?

[teveo]

See the pic.. (pic is "borrowed" from the for sale section.. not my case!)


My engine is in the car and runs really strong with somewhat low pressure when warm.
(I have been collecting pieces to rebuilld it but seems like that will be next winter... )

The main issue is quite much dripping from this bolt, i suspect it was overtightened some time, when i try to tighten it get that ugly sliding feeling of a bolt loose in the threads...

I would like to unscrew it, check the threads, perhaps use some epoxy or even loctite and reinstall the bolt, and with a combo of new copper and gasket sealer make a "fix for the season". I dont have dies long enough to try to clean up the threads.

Any issues or other ideas?

[cgarr]

This is common with these cases, we cleaned out the threads while in the car, don't use a tap, just some brake clean then bonded it back in, we had pretty good threads left but this was only a temp summer fix til winter when the engine could be rebuilt. It should really come apart to do it correctly.

[john walker's workshop]

no good way to fix, but you can remove it and plug the hole. use a short 10mm bolt with a flat aluminum seal under it and run a 10mm tap that matches the bolt threads into the hole to sufficient depth. the hole is already the right size for the tap, so no drilling needed. nothing is damaged in the process, and you can timesert the stud later if the cases come apart.

[356RS]

Teveo, This is not uncommon with the mag case's. Same thing was happening to my case. It was rebuild time and Walt at C.E. repaired that long stud/bolt with a heli coil. You want to try to remove the bolt now and try to fix the problem before your rebuild time? Sounds like a good idea....but.... what happens if the threads of the mag case come out with the bolt? And if you did get the long bolt out without any mag threads still on it, maybe you might think "red loctite" it back in? But that would not work because the oil in the case will contaminate the hole so the loctite will not harden. Sounds like you live with the leak till your rebuild, which you might want to do ASAP. Maybe someone has a good fix and will chime in on this......

[Britwrench]

There use to be a kit available with a timesert to "fix" this problem. I used one a long time (say 10 years) ago and it worked fine.

[teveo]

Thanks for all info and advice, a timesert kit would be great, I will see if I find something like that.. else John Walkers tip seem good, I might go for that.

[BoxxerSix]

Originally Posted by 356RS

...... And if you did get the long bolt out without any mag threads still on it, maybe you might think "red loctite" it back in? But that would not work because the oil in the case will contaminate the hole so the loctite will not harden......

Not that it really applies to this topic, but Permatex does produce a thread locker compound meant for dirty/oily threads that will displace the film and lock the stud inplace however it's a "blue" semi-permanent grade. Surely not something I recommend as a permanent fix in this situation but always works in a pinch.

Company by the name of Belzona produces an aluminum based epoxy compound that I use extensively to repair threads in non-ferrous cast parts that don't see temps above 350F. Devcon also produces a similar epoxy but doesn't quite have the thermal capacity of the Belzona.