I was installing my new water pump, got to the last one only to discover it was stripped, and apparently has been this way a long time. I was pissed I had to pull off a brand new pump and destroy a new gasket, but I supposed it's good I found the problem. So what's the best way to repair the threads, helicoil, timesert?

 

How stripped are they and for how far?

If the threads are truly unrepairable timesert is your answer.

 

Timesert. Better.

 

slightly longer bolt will work. Or, just put a bunch of RTV on it and shove it in there.

mk

 

Oh, its off already, well, timecert is the best way. Its stronger than the original. Next time try a longer bolt, as that seems to usually work.

 

Mark,
Need another gasket?
Roger

 

I hope that your using new WP bolts, use sealant on the threads so they dont corrode in the block .
I use loctite pipe sealant on the threads.
time cert will work the best make sure that you use the correct bolts if you put in a longer bolt you can possibly damage the block by having the bolt bottoming out

 

You can always stick something thin down the hole first & measure how long?

Marton

 

Roger that Marton

 

Yep it's already off, threads totally stripped all the way down. So it sounds like a timesert, yay. My back is killing me, I was so pissed I had to pull the pump off, I just want to drive my car again.

 

ummm....yeah.

 

Oh, and Ken's Porkensioner is a very cool piece of kit. I'm installing that at the same time, sweet design. I only want to do this stuff once.

Roger - I'll give you a call in the morning.

 

Mark,

You may be able to go to a US sized bolt that is slightly larger than the metric bolt. You may be lucky and not even have to enlarge the hole in the water pump. For some reason Porsche uses fine thread bolts in aluminum. US course thread bolts are normally used in US made aluminum parts. It seems to me that a course thread would hold better in alloy parts.

 

I'll be going with a time-sert, if it's worth doing it's worth doing right. Here's a question. When I removed the old pump of course a bunch more coolant burped out. I had the timing belt 1/2 off, but it was still on the crank gear, and coolant got on it. Will that harm the belt? My timing belt is ~1.5 years old, maybe 5k miles. I'm thinking I'll replace it anyway, what the hell. I'm here and installing a Porkensioner too, in for a penny in for a dollar.

 

Use the Time-cert Kit, took about 10 Min to get it repaired and you don't have that nagging feeling its not right! Clean the belt have you ever seen what gets on those things?

Get new bolt(s):
Measure the length:
Time-Cert:
Lock-tight:
Torque it down: