I just can't get any luck with this thing

[dhen]

OK, to make a long story short, one of the bolt holes in my engine block is now stripped. I'm using ARP head studs, and I was torquing the bolts to spec when I heard a pop and now I can't get the bolt to tighten at all.

I can thread the head stud into the block, but once I try to torque the bolt, the bolt will continue to thread but the stud will come up making it impossible to torque it properly.

I know I could take the head off and helicoil it, but that is a total PITA.

Is there anyway to fix this with the head still on? I was thinking about trying to clean up the hole by wrapping a rag soaked in brake cleaner on the end of a rod and then installing the stud with Loctite.

Would this hold or do I have to do it the hard way? Removing the head on this car is much, much more work than in a Nissan...

[float_6969]

The head needs to come off and helicoil it. Sorry man. Any other method will probably earn you a warped head, or a leaking head gasket.

[dhen]

The head needs to come off and helicoil it. Sorry man. Any other method will probably earn you a warped head, or a leaking head gasket.

Yeah, I thought about it some more today and I agree with you. Well, at least I can't say I'm bored.

On another note, and I still have that knocking noise from before.

post6216622.html#p6216622

This only good thing is that my machinist believes that the noise is probably something on the outside of the engine from my description on the phone since oil pressure is good and performance is fine. It's no longer under warranty, so he has no incentive to lie. Besides, my knock sensor doesn't detect knock.

Someone at my MG club said the sound makes my old car sound more authentic.

I do appreciate the honesty, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear.

[bentvalves]

consider a time-sert instead of helicoil for something along these lines.