Helicoils question

[Pembo]

My intermediate shaft case stud is probably pulling its thread out of the case. The one that is under the intermediate bearing and exits the case on one side. Has anyone had this problem in the 2.4 or 2.7 magnesium block and managed to fix it without engine removal? It's a 1973.5 US import. I'll probably pull the engine out eventually but not just yet.

Hoping to attempt a helicoil with access through the bottom plate with the inserting tool through the stud hole. Tell me i'm dreaming.

Or maybe high temp epoxy liquid metal?

[Pembo]

This one.

[firstone]

Seems like there's enough material to helicoil. 

[Peter M]

On 09/09/2020 at 19:47, Pembo said:

Hoping to attempt a helicoil with access through the bottom plate with the inserting tool through the stud hole. Tell me i'm dreaming.

Pembo,

Unfortunately I think you are dreaming.

You won't be able to access the damaged thread through the bottom plate because there is the web cast into the other crankcase half that holds the other side of the  IMS bearing.

With the engine assembled, you can only access the damaged thread through the hole in the other crankcase half which would mean that to helicoil you would have to drill the hole in this crankcase through the stud hole in the other crankcase.    There are some good photos here of the "other" crankcase side here:

I think that would be a pretty epic adventure with the engine in place.

I suggest just drive it how it is and do the thread repair properly when the engine is stripped at a later date. 

[Pembo]

Of course, thanks Peter. I had not removed the bottom plate to have a squiz yet. My concern is the case flexing there under high rpm and destroying that bearing. The engine is a complete unknown apart from being told it was rebuilt as a 2.7 in the late 1990's. It was very rarely driven over the last 22 years. The original person who had the job done is non communicative. It runs well and loves to rev and sounds very good. I haven't been past about 5000 rpm but it really wants to. (or is that just me?) If it goes then at least i'll have the excuse i need to pull it out. At the moment it appears and sounds ok to go for many more miles.

[Peter M]

5 hours ago, Pembo said:

 My concern is the case flexing there under high rpm and destroying that bearing.....

Pembo, when you consider there is total of about 35 studs and bolts holding the cases together and you still have the crucial primary crankshaft studs in place, the effect of missing a secondary one wouldn't cause me to lose too much sleep.