I hope i posted this in the right section, if not Im sure il hear some flack. I have a 1989 4Runner 22re that is in the midst of a SAS, gears, locked, etc. I brought the truck a year ago with the intent of fixing the exhuast leak that is right off the head to the headers since their is no bolt, a year later today i noticed the hole in the head is a disaster. No threads and the hole is going in on an angle, looks like someone tried to pound in a bigger size bolt.

Im wondering what would be a better PERMANENT fix, and if anyone has used a Key Locking Insert on an aluminium head?

thanks

 

Iam planning on going the helicoil route myself, when i get off my butt and do it.. lol I have used them before and they work well, and the kits are cheap at napa.. Good luck

 

I had a similar issue with my 88. I used a heli-coil kit. I first drilled the stripped bolt hole with a pneumatic drill (because it is small and fit into the tight space, cylinder #4 top right hole). Used the heli-coil kit as directed and my problems were solved. Drilling was the worst part because it obviously has to be straight. It was technically easy but very unnerving. Good luck

 

Well, I haven't used either of these products, but one of my truck's PO's sheered off one of the thermostat housing bolts. It's working fine, held together with the one bolt right now, but this is something that I'll have to fix eventually. Thus, I started doing some reading.

First, I found this: http://www.acmeindustrial.com/heli-coil_comparison.html
And this: http://www.acmeindustrial.com/keensert_comparison.html

In both off those, someone from Acme describes why a solid threaded insert might be better. Then, I found a thread on another forum that was very similar to this one. The same question and only one person weighing in: http://forums.subdriven.com/showthre...Locking-Insert

That guy recommended Time-Sert. He said that he knows an aircraft mechanic who swears by them, so I checked out the Time-Sert website. It appears that Time-Serts are approved by GM, Ford, and (the best part!) Toyota for use in their heads. I'm going to try those.