Opened My Own Machine Shop

[joemathews]

You have to love the man-machined threads on these turbo bolts! Remember how my exhaust gasket (turbine housing to manifold) was blown? Well, I tried to pull the 4 bolts (after soaking them in PB Blaster and easing them out gently). Then I realized that a few of them were no longer coming up Not good. I just tackled the project again today with some buddies because it was nice weather--we got all of the bolts out.

[97_3clipse]

i can see it now , you specialty will be bolts and nuts, you can call yourself ...."ACE HARDWARE"....lol good job anyways at least you tried....

[1stGenRocks]

I wouldn't run it too much without any turbo bolts. It will make a massive exhaust leak in the front there that could possibly melt your radiator fans and could definately let exhaust into the cabin of the car.

[96spyderman]

I'd say to drill out and retap them if ya can....use a little bigger boltx4.... it just might work...

[joemathews]

Don't worry, the car won't be run until everything is in good shape again. I am going to try to figure out the best way to get the housing retapped, if necessary. I need some more nice weather and a jack to pull the exhaust manifold and see if there is anything left of the threads in teh turbine housing.

Or, shoudl I scratch that idea, drop the turbo, get it retapped or helicoiled, and put everything back together?

[96spyderman]

Drilling out the bolt holes and retapping with some bigger bolts would probably be the easiest thing to try... but once it is done... it's done whether it works or not....
This idea I have used on thermoform machinery and has worked great... the only difference is that is was mostly aluminum that I had to do it to...clamp frames and shit... but I have done it succesfully on hardened steel... it's a bitch but alot easier/cheaper than to replace stripped out unit... the other fun thing is finding the next size up bolt without going to big and taking away from it's structural integrity.... wow that sounds like a startrek phrase!!! lol

[kjewer1]

That is surprisingly common on the EVO16Gs. SInce it left the bolt threads in the hole rather than pulling the housing threads out, there is some hope that it can be retapped with the same size (M10x1.25 most likely). If you dont synchronize the new threads with the old it probably wont work or wont last long though. If the new threads pull out you'll have no choice but to go to the next size. I've never seen m11, and m12 is massive (17mm head bolts, like the flywheel bolts, some of the tranny to block bolts, tranny mount bolts/nuts, etc). And you would have to also enlarge the holes in the cast manifold. Sounds risky. Might be easier to just get a new housing if they are available yet. PRobably 150-200 bucks though.

[97_3clipse]

could you just drill the hole out and use a heavy duty nut and bolt,maybe even use some washers and lock washers?

[kjewer1]

Only 2 or 3 of the holes go all the way through. The others are blind. I've seen this done on the through holes. I would use a flat washer on the bolt head, and the 2g cupped washers on the nut end.

[joemathews]

Actually all of my holes go all the way through--we removed the single stud that was on the turbo and replaced it with a bolt. I think I'm going to have the housing helicoiled if I can find someone to do it.

Then I can use new OEM bolts of the same size. Kevin, do you know anything about the FFWDconnection.com SS 300 grade ARP turbo bolts? Would those be significantly better than new OEM ones?

[CBURKE]

Well this thing happens when you are putting them in not taking them out. It looks like you have no threds left. That would have heppend when they got put in. Who put them in? I have about 10 of these bolt so if you need the let me know. You live in Tampa right?

[kjewer1]

It definitely happens on the way out. I've seen it personally. They go in by hand, then leave all the threads in when you take it out. The threads get all galled to shit and eventually the heat welds the bolt to the part. You can put enough torque on the bolt to just remove the narrow thread peaks from the shank. Its more common with the EVO3 housings because of the high nickel content allegedly. Joe, interesting that they all go though on that housing, I'm pretty positive that that's not the case on regular 6 and 7cm housings. That might be your saving grace, but its still a pain in the ass to use through bolts.

NEver saw those bolts before. In fact, I completely forgot about fast forward. That is one funny site, those guys crack me up. The bolts look the tits. Consider that stock bolts are 5 bucks each unless my memory has failed me again, or 20 for all 4. These bolts are only 10 bucks more, its a no brainer. But I wouldnt douche them on that banjaxed housing, I would use them with a new housing in hopes that this problem will be behind you forever. I would ask them if this product will specifically help with the EVO3 housing problem.

[joemathews]

I actually ordered some new OEM bolts before I saw the FFWd ones--and yes, I love the website too . They really look like a nice set, and they only charge $5 for shipping, which makes me really want to buy from them. Too bad I already have the OEM ones coming

I'm going to have to get the housing helicoiled, and I'm going to use some copper-based antiseize (which RRE apparently suggests). Hopefully that will solve the problem. If this doesn't work, next time it will be a new turbine housing and the FFWD bolts.

[beatdown944]

wait! so the bolts came out and left the threads in the housing? would'nt it be possible to chase the threads out and use new bolts of the same size?

[beatdown944]

Originally Posted by beatdown944

wait! so the bolts came out and left the threads in the housing? would'nt it be possible to chase the threads out and use new bolts of the same size?

using the proper size tap of course.