AuroraGirl
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2019
- Posts
- 9,256
- Reaction score
- 6,252
- Location
- Northern Wisconsin
- First Name
- Taylor
- Truck Year
- 1978, 1980
- Truck Model
- K10, K25
- Engine Size
- 400(?), 350
So, some of you may know my intake manifold has about 3 bolts that are either not all the way in, snapped off, or i stopped turning because it felt like it was gonna snap.
I would like to tackle this problem, as im finally tacking my heater hoses and gonna put some new belts on, it would be a good time to handle this. I can extract the sheared bolt, no problem, but what should I do to fix this? Should I buy new bolts(are they sold in a kit?). The three that arent all the way in, im not sure if the previous manifold installation cross threaded them or perhaps the bolts were weak from my impact removing them? Id hate to buy new bolts just to be in the same situation. Maybe threads are dirty? Im not sure if the bolts bottom out in the block or what, but maybe find a tap set and see if the threads go down nicely?
If using a tap to check the threads, can anyone tell me a size or recommend a good tap set? Never done this before.
Or, perhaps, I should tape the hole to the next size bolt? I havent done that before either but no better day to learn than today, I guess.
And, in the end, should i use PTFE on the threads? Two of the three bolt holes leak coolant, and if they still leak after i fix the bolts ill live with it, but maybe thats causing the leak(the bolt not being all the way in). If anything apply the even pressure on the manifold, since 2 bolts are near eachother.
As seen here, one bolt i never went all the way in. The bolt hand threaded real nice, and it got very very difficult to turn anymore quickly, so i never finished turning the bolt. I didnt want to repeat the one i broke the head off. This side never seemed to have a leak problem.
The coolant present in this picture is not actually from the bolt, it was from when i had to tighten the thermostat housing because it was loose, so some coolant spilled. However, you may notice the missing bolt, well its there just not applying any force on the manifold. The one with coolant around it was the one i could not comfortably tighten without it feeling like the bolt was gonna give. Its mostly down, but its not applying much force down.
All other bolts went in nice and tightened nice.
I would like to tackle this problem, as im finally tacking my heater hoses and gonna put some new belts on, it would be a good time to handle this. I can extract the sheared bolt, no problem, but what should I do to fix this? Should I buy new bolts(are they sold in a kit?). The three that arent all the way in, im not sure if the previous manifold installation cross threaded them or perhaps the bolts were weak from my impact removing them? Id hate to buy new bolts just to be in the same situation. Maybe threads are dirty? Im not sure if the bolts bottom out in the block or what, but maybe find a tap set and see if the threads go down nicely?
If using a tap to check the threads, can anyone tell me a size or recommend a good tap set? Never done this before.
Or, perhaps, I should tape the hole to the next size bolt? I havent done that before either but no better day to learn than today, I guess.
And, in the end, should i use PTFE on the threads? Two of the three bolt holes leak coolant, and if they still leak after i fix the bolts ill live with it, but maybe thats causing the leak(the bolt not being all the way in). If anything apply the even pressure on the manifold, since 2 bolts are near eachother.
You must be registered for see images attach
As seen here, one bolt i never went all the way in. The bolt hand threaded real nice, and it got very very difficult to turn anymore quickly, so i never finished turning the bolt. I didnt want to repeat the one i broke the head off. This side never seemed to have a leak problem.
You must be registered for see images attach
The coolant present in this picture is not actually from the bolt, it was from when i had to tighten the thermostat housing because it was loose, so some coolant spilled. However, you may notice the missing bolt, well its there just not applying any force on the manifold. The one with coolant around it was the one i could not comfortably tighten without it feeling like the bolt was gonna give. Its mostly down, but its not applying much force down.
All other bolts went in nice and tightened nice.