AWW s@*t IM SCREWED!!

[kouki_monstor]

dude i just accidently stripped two bolts on my valve cover while changing the valve cover gasket. IM SCREWED!! WHAT DO I DO?!? HELP PLEASE!!!

[elwesso]

next time put the bolts in straight...

when you say the bolts, do you mean the studs coming out of the head?? if you didnt break them, you can likely get a thread tap on there and retap the threads, thats assuming you didnt cut the threads, but just fubarred a few..

Dont worry about it dude, ive done this a million times, a good tap and die set is your friend.

[kouki_monstor]

by bolts i mean the bolts that hold the valve cover down. when i pull them out, i can see some alluminum stuck the bolt where the thread was stripped. it was only a small section, so not a big problem. the thing is, a tap and die set isnt realy in my budget right now. some told me that the bolts on their valve covers are stripped also, but it doesnt really leak any oil, so im hoping thats the case with mine. thanks for the help

[benemorius]

Unless it's two right by each other, you _probably_ won't leak any oil. Just start it up and find out. Worst that will happen is you leak some oil and have to do something about it after all.

[kouki_monstor]

yea its actually the two very front bolts on the valve cover... =\

[BlAcK95sE]

i think you can get the tap and die set from auto zone. you just put down a deposite, and when you return the tap and die they will refund the money.

[elwesso]

if you cant spend $50 on a tap and die set, im not sure what to tell you!

it is a good thing to have for any DIY.

[420sxse]

That front cover is a *****. Those holes are easy as hell to strip. Go get a bolt that's smaller diam. and longer with a nut to hold it down till you can fix it right.edit: this may be bad advice if you DO plan on fixing it right as you may further damage the threads.

[mike1969]

You may be able to buy a couple of helicoils, these are small spring like objects that can be threaded into the holes and will act as the original threads did. You may have to do some further modification to the holes to make them work but they will work. If you are wondering what I'm talking about they also make these for stripped sparkplug threads, just in case the parts guy you talk to doesnt know what you are talking about.

[Silvia2NR]

small bolt with washer and nut. don't waste time doing anything else.