Stripped oil pan bolt threads

[Junder28]

I was replacing the rear main seal and oil pan gasket today and after 6 hrs under the Jeep I am finishing up putting the oil pan bolts in and I stripped two threads. I really do t want to have to take the pan off again a new start over. Any tricks of the trade or helpful suggestions?

[Jesse J]

helicoil? https://www.helicoil.in/

[ghetdjc320]

Yep, either Helicoils or size up one bolt size and tap the threads. Both require about the same amount of work

[Jesse J]

helicoil would be better for if your block is stripped but going a bolt size up is better if your bolt is stripped

[MiNi Beast]

2 hours ago, Jesse J said:

helicoil would be better for if your block is stripped but going a bolt size up is better if your bolt is stripped

if bolt is stripped why not get a new bolt...?

[ghetdjc320]

6 hours ago, MiNi Beast said:

if bolt is stripped why not get a new bolt...?

[Jesse J]

8 hours ago, MiNi Beast said:

if bolt is stripped why not get a new bolt...?

good point

[Junder28]

So the block is stripped not the bolt. Can I rethread it with the pan still on?

[Jesse J]

1 minute ago, Junder28 said:

So the block is stripped not the bolt. Can I rethread it with the pan still on?

maybe how hard is it to take the pan off?

[MiNi Beast]

13 minutes ago, Junder28 said:

So the block is stripped not the bolt. Can I rethread it with the pan still on?

you can try to turn a tap in it. but don't be lazy. pull tha pan and get it resolved. take the extra time now and ensure a quality job. you started this to fix the oil leaks so fix it right and thank yourself later when it all tightens down and no more leaks. 

 

 

[Jesse J]

Just now, MiNi Beast said:

you can try to turn a tap in it. but don't be lazy. pull tha pan and get it resolved. take the extra time now and ensure a quality job. you started this to fix the oil leaks so fix it right and thank yourself later when it all tightens down and no more leaks. 

 

 

we do it right because we do it twice

[Eagle]

17 hours ago, Jesse J said:

helicoil would be better for if your block is stripped but going a bolt size up is better if your bolt is stripped

 

If it's the bolt that stripped, a larger bolt won't fit. If it's the bolt that stripped, you just buy a new bolt of the correct size.

[Jesse J]

3 minutes ago, Eagle said:

 

If it's the bolt that stripped, a larger bolt won't fit. If it's the bolt that stripped, you just buy a new bolt of the correct size.

yes my bad

[MiNi Beast]

1 hour ago, Jesse J said:

yes my bad

thats as @Pete M said is a step on the knowledge ladder. 

[Jesse J]

Just now, MiNi Beast said:

thats as @Pete M said is a step on the knowledge ladder. 

thanks

[ghetdjc320]

The reason I’d recommend going up one bolt size is because those oil pan bolts do strip very easily. A helicoil will still require you to tap and thread a larger hole. The oil pan as you know has two thread sizes and I’d be willing to bet that you stripped out one of the smaller threads. Don’t get me wrong, helicoils are very handy but I would normally use them on softer metals when I need a specific bolt size. They work great on aluminum parts. For iron, just drill and tap the appropriate size

[Pete M]

did you damage the threaded hole? 

[MiNi Beast]

35 minutes ago, Pete M said:

did you damage the threaded hole? 

i always damage the hole. 

[Jesse J]

1 minute ago, MiNi Beast said:

i always damage the hole. 

might be something to do with the hole being cast 

[Junder28]

Yes I stripped the threaded hole. The bolt went in at and angle and I didn’t notice

[Jesse J]

3 minutes ago, Junder28 said:

Yes I stripped the threaded hole. The bolt went in at and angle and I didn’t notice

helicoil is the way to go

[Pete M]

4 minutes ago, Junder28 said:

Yes I stripped the threaded hole. The bolt went in at and angle and I didn’t notice

 

did you start each bolt by hand?

[ghetdjc320]

2 hours ago, Jesse J said:

helicoil is the way to go

A helicoil gains you nothing in an iron block unless you need to keep the same original bolt size. Thread by hand as Pete mentioned and you won’t have a problem going forward.

[AZJeff]

13 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

A helicoil gains you nothing in an iron block unless you need to keep the same original bolt size. Thread by hand as Pete mentioned and you won’t have a problem going forward.

SIde bar here:  One of my caliper mounting bolts was "almost" stripped out, and I finished the job when I installed a new caliper.   Of course, because the caliper bolts are special, I needed to keep the original size/pitch of the caliper mounting holes.   Helicoil to the rescue!!

[ghetdjc320]

4 hours ago, AZJeff said:

SIde bar here:  One of my caliper mounting bolts was "almost" stripped out, and I finished the job when I installed a new caliper.   Of course, because the caliper bolts are special, I needed to keep the original size/pitch of the caliper mounting holes.   Helicoil to the rescue!!

Yep, that’s a good application. I use them in aluminum parts also. Even used one for a spark plug hole repair in an aluminum head once. The oil pan bolts are 1/4 with only a few being 5/16.