Hello all-

I went with the helicoils.  The timeserts do look better, but there was
no way I was going to try to both tap and counterbore.  Given my track
record with tapping, I figured it was going to be challenging enough.

I've never seen a Timesert break, come out with the screw or back out
from vibration.  I've seen all of the above with Helicoil, especially in
aluminum.

I distrust Helicoil so much, I once walked for a week (waiting for the
Timesert kit over a Christmas holiday) rather than using a Helicoil that
was at the auto parts place two blocks away.

Keith Wood

Obviously Keith just doesn't like Helicoils. <g> But, I think we can all see
the source of these problems. When you break these bolts in the cast
portion, you are just twisitng too darn hard. For me, the solution many
years ago was using a speed handle to run up and tighten with one hand just
twisting on the crank part like a big screw driver. This put out just the
right amount of pressure to compress the gasket. It also didn't break off
any more bolts. Cleaning bolt holes and learning the proper amount of twist
(torque) solves a lot of these kind of problems. It ia sort of one of those
ounces of prevention, pounds of cure things; and, it also doesn't require
too many coil/thread replacement repairs.  This stuff can actually be more
fun sometimes with out self induced extras.

jofarr, soddy tn


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