So Merry Christmas to me. Got my engine put back in the car and last thing to do was put the starter back in and starter bolt threads pulled out when I tighten them.
This is an aluminum block. Found a Timesert starter bolt repair kit online and ordered it.

Anyone have any tips trying to do this with the engine in the car? Midplate to the back, frame rail on one side and oil pan on the other so space for a drill is limited.

Sucks because 2 days ago the engine was on the stand

Any help from someone who has done this would be appreciated.

Obviously you need to buy a long drill bit or an extension. I would buy the long bit.

There is a long tap extension and I’m sure you’ll probably need that.

I had a stripped valve cover hole and I used a helicoil since I already have them . I had to cut the ears off the driver tool so it would clear. I don’t know what the Timesert tool looks like. Good luck

This is the repair kit I ordered

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...le_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just drill STRAIGHT….

I guess it would depend on how much room you have to fit the tool. I've done inserts in tight quarters like that before. What I did was manually drill it out using a pair of vice grips and hand pressure. Sucks, can only turn drill bit, tap, and tool a little at a time, but it works....

Other option is to unbolt the trans/converter and see if you can slide the engine forward a little to gain more room....

A quick fix I did in the pits a few years ago was tap to hole to m12 and use a metric (m12) bolt. This is when I was running Comp Elim so I knew the engine would be back on the stand after the race to do a permanent repair.

I prefer Keenserts but the Timeserts will work for you. You can take a piece of square stock and drill two holes in it. One close to the bolts diameter and the other close to your drill diameter. Bolt it to the starter pad as a guide to drill straight. Then you can open it up to use the same way as a tap guide. Easy peasy.

Did you try removing the old insert and putting in new double or triple deep with longer bolt before making a larger hole and in the field upside down with trans, midplate and chassis in the way?

quote:

Originally posted by adv ET 266:
Did you try removing the old insert and putting in new double or triple deep with longer bolt before making a larger hole and in the field upside down with trans, midplate and chassis in the way?

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There is no old insert, block itself is threaded

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:
I prefer Keenserts but the Timeserts will work for you. You can take a piece of square stock and drill two holes in it. One close to the bolts diameter and the other close to your drill diameter. Bolt it to the starter pad as a guide to drill straight. Then you can open it up to use the same way as a tap guide. Easy peasy.

I actually ordered 3 different Keensert kits from Zoro a few weeks back, they are on backorder right now.

It has been the off season of stripped out aluminum threads, converter bolts were loose and damaged the threads in the converter cover, I sent it back to Abruzzi for repair, he used Keenserts.
When torquing my heads the inner bolt threads pulled out of the head and had to take the head back off and have Reher Morrison fix it, it is really shallow and goes into the intake port at a angle they used a timesert. Now this

I like the idea of the square stock pre drilled to make a guide. Thank you

pull the engine....

Agree

quote:

Originally posted by seabass:
pull the engine....

This

Goodson shop supply sells a drill jig to guide your drill bit when drilling out broken bolts or stripped threads. It’s a group of three plates that have various holes drilled into them. Plates can be flipped and turned as needed. That allows you to bolt the plate down to two starter bolt holes and drill the third. Plate holes are sized for a smaller center drill then a larger drill to size. That may help you get the hole drilled straight. I bought one years ago and am glad I did

BB Chevs often pulled the head bolt threads in the holes at the dowels.

I used old main caps as a drill guide and tap guide and did it in the car a number of times

I would make some sort of guide as has been described and it should be doable

Aluminum is way easier to drill and tap

Use some lube or WD 40

A long helicoil would work fine

Don’t try to use 2 and if installed right and use anti-seize on the starter bolt everytime you install it, should work

I’d at least try it before I pulled the engine just to fix one hole !

Before going through all that can you use studs ang I would take old starter to use as a drill guide

Perfect idea.

Remove starter mounting block from a Hitachi style starter

Bolt to good hole.

Drill existing stripped hole deeper and tap

Install a long stud.

You could tap hole fine thread for a little better holding strength

Next time engine is out and apart fix hole in a Bridgeport with a solid insert

quote:

A quick fix I did in the pits a few years ago was tap to hole to m12 and use a metric (m12) bolt. This is when I was running Comp Elim so I knew the engine would be back on the stand after the race to do a permanent repair.

that looks like a good fix

quote:

Originally posted by SCDIV1:
Perfect idea.

Remove starter mounting block from a Hitachi style starter

Bolt to good hole.

Drill existing stripped hole deeper and tap

Install a long stud.

You could tap hole fine thread for a little better holding strength

Next time engine is out and apart fix hole in a Bridgeport with a solid insert

I do have an old Hitachi stater so that is a great idea to you as a guide.
I thought about putting in studs a couple of years ago to prevent this from happening but I could not get the starter on with studs because of the oil pan being in the way preventing the starter from going straight up

Put the stud in the starter loose and the stud already in the starter
but not in the block. No longer than necessary to get a nut and washer on it.

Maybe enough room to slide it over into position and get the stud threaded into block while it’s already loose in the starter

Might work.

Can’t sleep and my flat rate mind wheels are always turning....lol