I bought some Twisted wedge heads, and before I install them, I want to get helicoils put in the intake and exhaust bolt holes so I feel more comfortable with not stripping them out. How much should I expect to pay to have this done?
just go to autozone and pick up a helicoil kit for like 10 bucks, they come with instructions and its really not that hard, did it my first time last week on my crank because i stripped one of my flywheel bolts, found out the hard way that its only one way they go on, and why do you think youll strip them, just take your time and you should be fine.
From a industrial mechanics perspective, helicoils are a repair item and not a fix all for a poor install. Personally I felt the same as you and just studded the dang heads with ARP hardware. The original owner of my AFR 185's mangled two exhaust threads so I helicoiled the damaged threads and then studded all of them.
Hey Jamie, any other info on studding the heads? its an intriging (sp botched bad lol), idea to me. it appears as if i really only have one jacked up hole, and its on the intake. it appears as if it has 3 threads left at the bottom. will this hold a stud without pulling out when torqued from the top? Studding the whole thing sounds like a different alternative and almost seems easier in a way.
I'm with Ranchero, I am an industrial maintenance supervisor and a helicoil is for repair, not for "insurance". Torquing(sp?) a bolt into an aluminum part takes a learned feel. The studs sound cool.
if you need to repair one with the heli coil go ahead. I have set of victors and some al neal 293's and they have heli coils in all the bolt holes. come that way.
Iv got twisted wedge heads and havnt seems to experienced any problems with the exhuast or intake bolts. There is plenty of thread to get a good tourqing out of them. I woud however recommend heilicoiling the valve colvers bolt holes.
Since the intake holes are through holes they really should have a threaded insert not a heli-coil. I'd take a tap and run it through all the holes first to clean up the threads. (you could use a undersize tap for this so you are not cutting new threads, just cleaning them up)
Make sure you use some anti-seize on the threads when installing, and if you remove the spark plugs while the motor is hot becareful not to cross thread on re-installation.