Head bolt stripped

[hank mamzer]

Howdy
Cannot I just re-tap stripped 3/8-16 with a 7/16-16...and save block metal of heli-coil insert???
Easy peasy or dumb???

[Gary Dotson]

You could do that but the Heli-coil method is much preferred. I’m not sure what you mean by “save block metal” the coil insert isn’t much bigger than 7/16. If you enlarge to 7/16”, you also have to enlarge the hole in the head.

[ricky racer]

A 3/8-16 Helicoiled hole will be stronger than a 7/16-14 and less likely to strip again. When I rebuilt the engine in my '53, I Helicoiled all of the threaded holes for the head bolts, just because...