Installing new header gasket drivers side - help needed?

[t1971Chally]

Brads70,

How would you do it?  The space is kind of tight to get a drill in and square to the head.  Would you use a t-handle to do it.....I am not sure?

Ted

[moparmaniac59]

Do you have any pnuematic tools?? They tend to be smaller than electric. Try using a 90 degree drill motor. You should be able to get it in with the header off and out of the way.

                                           Matt B.

[brads70]

If it's the back one take out the steering column . Takes 5 minutes! That will give you more room? I have a 90 deg air drill that gets into tight spaces.  I'd leave the header on to act as a guide and clearance it later. Yes a t-handle should get in there? Hey I figure you have nothing to lose? You have to make the hole bigger anyhow to put in some type of insert? That most likely will leak?

[1black71rt]

If it was drill and tapped for a helicoil it mite be to big for the next size bolt. Try redoing the helicoil with         hi temp. loctite.

[brads70]

   That's true. The tap dill size for a 3/8 helicoil is 25/64 =.390"
The tap drill size for 7/16 is letter U=.368"
I'd try to fish the helicoil out by bending( small screwdriver) the helicoil a bit so you can grab it with needle nose pliers and pull the insert out. Then try a 7/16 tap in there. 7/16 is a courser thread than the 3/8 helicoil tap ( I have then both in my hands now)
Failing that I don't know if there is room but the tap drill size for 1/2 is 27/64?
I'm no expert but that's what I would try before I ripped off a head?

[t1971Chally]

Hey guys,

I have been reading your suggestions and I appreciate your help!

Here is some more information:

I removed the bolt from the hole that has the helicoil in it.  Using a thread template gauge, the threads on that bolt measure 18 and the OD of the bolt measures 5/16 or .3125

A regular header bolt measures 16 - 3/8. 

If I remove the helicoil that is currently in the hole, what size of helicoil do I put back in it (before I try drilling and tapping a new one)?

Thanks again for your help....

[brads70]

Does a 3/8 bolt fit in the Helicoil? Maybe it's just thwe wrong bolt got put in there? Something screwy going on here?

[t1971Chally]

Ok guys,

I have the header off again, both header and head surfaces clean.  I pulled the helicoil out and I am ready to move forward with tapping the hole again.  I am going to start with the 3/8 size tap.  However, I need to remove the steering column.  I have the bolts out from the bottom of the dash and floor board.  However, I cannot figure out how to disconnect the steering column shaft from the coupler by the steering box.  What am I missing here?  Please help as I am stuck until I can get the column out of the way.  Thanks for all your help!!!

Ted

[brads70]

Mine is a power box. I just drove out the split pin with a punch and tapped it off the splines.

[t1971Chally]

Well, some good news finally.  Dropping the steering column gave me just enough room to run the 3/8" tap in the back hole.  I then installed a new helicoil and decided to test it.  I re-installed the header and all the bolts torquing them to 35 ft lbs to see if the helicoil would hold and to see if it pulled out any.  I was able to achieve 35 ft lbs and when I removed the header the helicoil was still in place.  I have since installed the new gasket using some gasket sealer and thread sealer on all the bolts.  Torqued them down slowly in stages.  So, I will let the gasket and thread sealer set up over the next couple of days and will try it out on Tuesday or so.  I will post the results then.....man am I hoping this works.  Thanks to everyone for your help!!!  This is one awesome forum with awesome members. 

Thanks Ted.

[brads70]

  Good to hear it worked out for you! So you have 5/16 bolts holding in your headers? I ask because mine is 3/8? If you ran in  a 3/8 tap  ( which is NOT the same as a Helicoil tap ) then why didn't you just use a 3/8 bolt? I would worry about sealing it around the helicoil insert?

[t1971Chally]

Brads70,

First, Thanks for your help!  The header bolts were all 3/8 except the one in the rear, it was a 5/16 that the previous owner had installed.  It appears this is where he made a mistake by installing to small of a helicoil and bolt.  I simply pulled the old one out, ran the 3/8" tap in and out, installed the 3/8" helicoil, then install a normal 3/8 inch header bolt (like the other ones).  I failed to mention that I installed the normal 3/8" bolt in the previous post.  So once the sealers have time to cure, I will put all the pieces back together and give her a try.......I hope it works!!!  Thanks again!!!  I will keep you guys posted.....

Ted

[t1971Chally]

    Woooooooohooooooooo,

I came home today and finished putting the car back together.  Started her up and no leak!!!   Drive it around the block (about 5 miles) came home and NO LEAK - WoooooooooHooooooo .

So, I will re-torque the bolts again after a few additional runs and hopefully everything remains good. 

Thanks for everyones help!!!

Ted