on my honda rebel engine, there are two large (6x145) flange bolts that pass through the head, cylinder, and screws into the crankcase (#10 on the diagram below)...one of them is fine, but the other has stripped out the hole in the crankcase (when i pull it out after trying to tighten it, small aluminum shims are wrapped around the threads of the bolt)...so one option is a helicoil insert, but i don't really want to do that (for both reasons of cost, which isn't bad, but also for reasons of time and effort)

i can't quite figure out what the purpose of the bolt is, except perhaps as a backup (see the diagram)...there are only two and they're only torqued at 7lbs/ft...is there any alternative to a helicoil (other than buying a new crankcase, obviously...i'd love to find a replacement engine, but no luck at the moment)? something i can wrap around the bolt that might keep it more tightly in the bolthole?

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/honda-motorcycle-cmx250c-rebel-1986-cylinder-head/o/m10724sch30464

thanks

9/10/2009 8:56:25 PM

Quote :

"for reasons of time and effort"

putting in a helicoil is both quick and easy

9/10/2009 11:43:35 PM

if there is still some thread there, steel wool wrapped around the bolt may help. I did that on a tractor motor once when some fuel pump threads were partially stripped out. If I ever take it off again, I'll have to drill it out bigger and cut some new threads though.

9/11/2009 12:16:38 AM

^^ for real.


Option 2 would be to JB Weld it and sell it to an illegal immigrant.

[Edited on September 11, 2009 at 12:31 AM. Reason : l]

9/11/2009 12:17:19 AM

solder that bitch in
wrap with heat tape
.............wash bike
sell that mother fucker

9/11/2009 1:13:47 AM

Quote :

"putting in a helicoil is both quick and easy"

not when you have to tear down the whole motor...again

someone mentioned time-serts as an option, as well, but that looks like as much work as a heli-coil

reading up on some of the rebel forums, it seems that these bolts aren't necessary, per se (in that, assuming that the 8 main head bolts are in correctly and well, these serve very little purpose other than one more line of stability in case something goes wrong)...i might just leave it out and see how that works out (or perhaps try the steel wool idea)

thanks!

9/11/2009 7:41:51 AM

I 2nd the JB weld ideal.

9/11/2009 8:45:32 PM

belzonia

10/15/2009 3:35:37 PM