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drivers side intake manifold studs?

FM Former Member
ok what I am talking about is the piece between the carb and the engine. the car started running like s**T the other day on my way to work. At work I opened the engine bay and say that my left carb was loose, this has happened before so I was not surprised (has it fixed one time already) only that was not the prob, the carb was still firmly attatched to the manifold and the manifold was about to fall off. one nut was loose and the other stud had worked it's way out and would not go back in, after work I got my tools and in the parking lot manged to rip off a spark plug connector, but finally got it tight enough to get me home. now the stud would only go in about a third of an inch even though I could see that it was supossed to go in much more than that. I got it as tight as I could and put the nut back on. As I was tightening it I felt it get tight and then in a quarter of a turn it went slack I pulled out the stud and the threads from the block were still on the stud!!!!!!! At this point I am cursing and yelling and throwing things and contemplating setting fire to something very shiny. (only thinking) because I do not know how to drill and tap a friggin stripped hole. so now the car will start but runs like shit (sucking air from the wrong side of the manifold) So now I have to resort to driving my GAS HOG Ford Explorer, untill I can find the time to get the car to the mechanic. FIRST moral of the story: when you fell something get tight...STOP TURNING. SECOND moral: if you can't get something to go into the hole either grab some lube or let someone knowlegable help. Thanks for letting me rant
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FM Former Member
ok what I am talking about is the piece between the carb and the engine. the car started running like s**T the other day on my way to work. At work I opened the engine bay and say that my left carb was loose, this has happened before so I was not surprised (has it fixed one time already) only that was not the prob, the carb was still firmly attatched to the manifold and the manifold was about to fall off. one nut was loose and the other stud had worked it's way out and would not go back in, after work I got my tools and in the parking lot manged to rip off a spark plug connector, but finally got it tight enough to get me home. now the stud would only go in about a third of an inch even though I could see that it was supossed to go in much more than that. I got it as tight as I could and put the nut back on. As I was tightening it I felt it get tight and then in a quarter of a turn it went slack I pulled out the stud and the threads from the block were still on the stud!!!!!!! At this point I am cursing and yelling and throwing things and contemplating setting fire to something very shiny. (only thinking) because I do not know how to drill and tap a friggin stripped hole. so now the car will start but runs like shit (sucking air from the wrong side of the manifold) So now I have to resort to driving my GAS HOG Ford Explorer, untill I can find the time to get the car to the mechanic. FIRST moral of the story: when you fell something get tight...STOP TURNING. SECOND moral: if you can't get something to go into the hole either grab some lube or let someone knowlegable help. Thanks for letting me rant
FM Former Member
It's not such a big deal.. Remove the intake manifold completely from the cylinder head. Go to the store and buy an 8mm 1.25 pitch tap. start the tap into the stripped hole and continue until it stops at the bottom of the thread hole. (With your gorilla grip, I'd suggest you stick a small screwdriver or a long nail into the hole and measure how deep you need to thread the hole. As you turn the tap, consider turning the tap 360 degree's then backing the tap out of the hole about 1/4 turn, continue in this fashion until the hole has been re-threaded. Buy a small tube of Loctite and put a few drops on the stud and re-thread it into the hole. Let it sit for a while then re-assemble the carb/manifold.
FM Former Member
DO you need to buy a new stud?? Totally up to you, and best determined after you clean up the existing stud. Don't worry, the aluminum will usually flake off the stud. Aluminum and steel don't mix so no chance of it welding together but if it becomes so stuck that you can't chip it off them go buy a new stud for a dollar.
FM Former Member
To hitchhike off what Larry said, if you get a new stud then try to get one with at least 1/2" longer threads on the cylinder head end than what you have now. Also buy a nut to fit the threads.

The idea is to have a longer stud to sink deeper into the cylinder head to reach undamaged threads.

After you have rethreaded the hole with the tap as outlined several posts above, then screw the longer stud into the head, all the way to the bottom. Now, note how much too long the longer stud is. Remove the stud and cut it shorter (with a hack saw) by the amount it is too long.

Clean up the threads on the end of the stud where you cut it. After you can easily spin that nut you bought on and off the threads of the stud you just cut, then screw the stud back into the head to check final fit. If ok, back the stud out, Locktite the threads, and sink it all the way back into the cylinder head again.

Mark
FM Former Member
I feel your pain. I have a 1980 Evinrude outboard with two (two different times) stainless steel thread inserts, for two different spark plugs, where only an aluminum block should be. That sudden "no torque" feeling sticks with you, in the pit of your stomach, for a long time - and I was 1000 miles from home on vacation when one happened. I put spark plugs in really loose when no torque wrench is handy these days - Chain saws, weed wackers, VW engines - all those aluminum things.
FM Former Member
ok I fixed the intake manifold, it was actually really easy. made sure to put red thread locker on the stud so that does not happen again. took the car out for a good test drive. everything was fine. untill this morning on my way to work, i felt something happen after a mile or so and glanced in my rear veiw mirror. my car was billowing white smoke out the back, looked like I hit the smoke screen button. I pulled over and popped the deck and my oil sending unit is just laying there and oil is spraying out of its hole. I must have lost about 2 or 2 and 1/2 quarts of oil I could have followed the trail all the back to where it happened. The unit was loose before (was leaking oil) when I tried to tighten it, it never got snug. i figured something was srong but i figured if it ain't broke don't worry about it. Well I should have worried about it, the unit came out grasping all of it's threads still and my mechanic will not even touch it, says it is a pipe fitting and to find a machine shop to see if they can put a heli coil in it or something. Now is there such a thing as a pipe thread tap and can I just tap the hole with one and reinstall it? thanks for your help guys
FM Former Member
yep, helicoil "should" work as long as its sealed properly during install. It will also change the type of fitting it will accept and there is the concern of shavings in the oil supply. Find a "good" VW mech who's not afraid of a little challenge. If drilling I would supply a positive oil or air psi to blow out any debris while the hole is worked.--good luck.
FM Former Member
well I haven't posted in a while, been really busy with work and all. but how about an update...I fixed the oil pressure sending unit problem, I used larry,s idea and tapped the hole but I tapped it to a 1/4 pipe thread instead of a 3/8. The three eighths just looked to big, but I put the reducer in with a little lock tight got everything put back together and it fired right up, after an oil change and cleaning up all of the oil that sprayed out. I had my wife start the car (big mistake car hates the wife, it will rarely start for her, I never have a problem) The car starts one time and then will not start again turned over fine but would not fire, so i figured I either blew a fuse or the coil. starting with what was easier, it was the fuse, fixed that and now the car is running better than it has in a year or so.
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