js86944

Whilst we were torquing down the bolts on the oil pan, one bolt would not torque, it just spun. We removed the bolt and found that the bolt hole was indeed stripped. What is the best solution to this problem? The bolt will thread in straight but it will not allow us to torque it. Here are pictures of what it should look like and what it does look like. Thank you.

normal bolt hole


stripped bolt hole

PorscheDude1

You might get lucky chasin the hole with a tap.
Best solution is to get a helicoil.

AlpharettaRK

Depending on which bolt it is you can sometimes get a longer bolt and grab the threads further in after cleaning the threads with a tap especially on some of those that are open in the top. This ended up being a nightmare for me once. One stripped, I pulled the pan back off and heli-coiled it. When I put the pan back on 3 more stripped, then 3 more. And I am obsessive about torquing to the right setting with a good wrench, so that's not it. I didn't have enough heli-coils to do them all but I plan to next time the pan is off.
Good luck!
Cheers
Randy

m73m95

At Napa, or Car Quest (or any "industrial" auto parts store) they sell oversize, self tapping oil plugs.

The end of it looks just like a tap, and the back is threaded regular with a brass washer to seal it. It becomes your new plug.

They work great!



EDIT --- sorry, I misread the OP. I thought it was his plug that was stripped.

Heli-coil time!