EDIT - Link to tech ref section post: http://www.cafehusky.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4307 While checking my valves the other day I managed to strip out one of the valve cover bolt holes. I know a few others have done this too, so I took pics of the repair, and thought I would do a quick how to on it. So here it goes. Step 1: Remove the seat, tank, and valve cover. I didn't take pics of this part because that's all pretty self explanatory. Step 2: Locate which bolt hole you have stripped out. There are only 4 and I happened to strip out one of the intake side bolt holes. This was lucky in a way, as I was able to do the repair with the engine in the frame. If you can't get to the stripped bolt hole easily it's best to remove the cam retainer. Pull the two bolts that secure the cam retainer to the engine, remove the cam retainer and repair the stripped bolt hole. Step 3: Once you know which bolt hole you are repairing, take a clean rag, or cloth and cover the cylinder head only exposing the hole you are repairing. This prevents any debris from falling down into the valve train. [/IMG] Step 4: Open the thread repair kit and make sure you are comfortable with the installation instructions. I chose helicoil because I have used them for several years with good results. Many people prefer to use timesert thread inserts. You will need a kit with 6mm length inserts. A kit should come with the thread inserts, an install tool, and a tap. This is a special tap, so don't try using one you have laying around the garage. [/IMG] Step 5: Grease up a 1/4 inch drill bit and drill the stripped hole to the same depth as the existing hole. The grease holds the chips and prevents them from flying around and possibly entering the engine. [/IMG] Step 6: Grease up the tap, and tap the hole all the way till your tap bottoms out. Once the hole is tapped, take a Q tip and clean out the hole making sure to get out all the chips the grease might not have trapped. [/IMG] Step 7: Take the install tool and install the thread insert. A properly installed insert should be flush with the top of the hole or just slightly below but never sticking above the hole. [/IMG] Step 8: With the thread insert installed you are pretty much done. Check one last time for any metal chips that might fall into the engine. Reinstall the valve cover, gas tank, and seat. Go out and jump for joy that you just saved yourself $100 by fixing this yourself. [/IMG] I know that is kinda quick and dirty, but this really is a pretty easy fix. If you can change a tire you should be able to do this with no problems.
Can you just unbolt the part? Is that not just the top of one of the cam retainers. I'd just take it off and put it in a small shop vise to do the work. If you do it that way make sure you torque it to proper specs when reinstalling.
You and your easier way to do things mentality. Yeah, Kelly's method of removing the cam retainer is much better than removing the whole engine. Major brain fart on my part. Thanks.
I have three kids... "brain power" is the message I give them all the time. My 16 YO still remembers me saying this when he was 4-5. - hey, if you want to remove the engine and get metal shavings in the head go for it.
Just a word of advice, to take or leave, If you over torque the rocker cover bolts you can distorte the cam bearing upper pillow block. This allows the cam bearing to start to move and will pick up some spawling ( alum transfer to the outer race of the bearing) will and can cause premature cam bearing wear and failure. I won't torque find better just to snug it down. Would have used Time Sert over Heli Coil. Thought for the day Later George
Clay - why don't you edit your 1st post to reflect taking the cam retainers off and putting it into a shop vice is another method... and probably delete the part about removing the engine Then I'd like to put this in the common topics area because it does have good ideas such as using grease on the drill and tap in addition to the pics. While it is specific to the 4st this topic comes up for all bikes, ergo common topics. After that I'd like to copy post #1 into the tech ref section with a link to this thread.
time serts rule,,,also when doing the drill portion you can wet the rag also, to help catch chips (could use water or spray lube) we do this for chip catching on the aircraft, it adds to the effectivity of the grease on the bit and rag in place.
+2 on the Time Serts. Helicoils don't stand up to repeated fastening and unfastening and because they are not a solid insert they tend to leak ( not a big concern if it is a blind hole ). Thanks for the wright up Clay, I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in about alternative thread repair.
Is it possible to document using the Timeserts in addition to the hellicoil? Many people have issues with stripping threads at some point in their lives and it might be good to document both methods and differences between them (if any). Possibly a short simple pluses and minuses for each product as well? I realize Time serts are considered superior but I'm not sure why and hellicoils have made many people happy over the decades.
Yes, I'll put something together on Time Sert install. So far as plus's and minus's for both, about the only downside to Time sert is cost and availability. You can generally pick up Heli coils at any auto shop but you will most likely have to order Time Serts and the Time Sert kit is more expensive. HeliCoils have saved the day for many people but in my experience they don't hold up to repeated fastening and unfastening and if you ever had one back out while you were disassembling a component you would see how they can really ruin you're day as well. Procedure with pics to follow.
Sounds good. The only way I could see this thread being filed away is if I myself wrote a cohesive post assembling all the good bits from this thread. Then if people agree it is correct then I can put a copy of that post in the tech ref section with a link to this thread.
I recently had this same problem and with the help of many on here(especially DirtDame and rajobigguy), I took my camshaft cap to my dealer and they put a timesert in for $25.
Ok, I edited it a bit to include removing the cam retainer for easier repair, and to reflect that most prefer timeserts over helicoils.
Sounds good. I'll put a copy of post #1 in the tech ref section and put 'using helicoils & timeserts' in the title. Hopefully the timesert info will be forthcoming.
This is probably a better tutuorial on Time-Serts than I would have put together. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxnm8J9WXz8
Apparently the images got borked.. If you ever have time to fix this then I could also fix the images in the thread in the tech reference forum too.
