Big Sky Euro

Putting the exhaust on, and an exhaust stud pulled out - it was helicoiled, which is just stupid of the PO to do. So I had to fix it. I used a carbon steel insert called E-Zlok with a little info from a well known Samba member.

Progress, and possible success:

Here's the hardware I picked up at the store:



Here's what I have to work with, and I'll explain. The red is high temp copper RTV to help the exhaust seal up on these heads, and it got all over when I pulled the heat box off after the stud pulled. It's a pain to get off, so I'll most likely just leave it.

If you look closely, you will see that the boss for the stud has been ground down by the PO to a point where I thought the head was not usable, but with a longer bolt or stud I think it should be OK, I guess we will see.



First I measred the depth of the thread insert, added a little to that length and marked by drill bit. Then, using my big 1/2 drill with a handle, I closely (eyeballed) matched up the angle of the other manifold stud and
drilled to that mark on the bit:



Here's a not very good close up:



I've tapped a few threads before, but always by hand, so I took the handle from my tap and dye kit, but it was too short on the tap. So, I improvised by using a 1/4 deep socket (9mm?) and a drill/socket bit that I normally use on my drill to run sockets, then attached the tap handle to that, which gave me plenty of extension:



From there, using plenty of cutting fluid, I slowly tapped the 27/64 hole and it threaded about 6 threads or so (hard to see in the pic):



Then I was able to thread the insert in. I didn't have a wide enough flat blade screwdriver, so I improvised with a small cold chisel and threaded the insert down until it hit the end of the threads. I have a small amount of the top of insert sticking up, but it is in the threads solid - it's not going anywhere. This also gave me some room underneath the insert for expansion:



Here it is all buttoned up and ready to attach the lower tin:



Here's a small preview of what it will look like when it's all ready to go:

That sucks that the stud broke off. Make sure that the metal shavings didn't get in the exhaust port!

A+ would buy again.

Nice job Mike, that would have bogged me down for a week.

Thanks guys. Lots of work to get this bad boy running but it will be worth it in the end. Yasha, that stud pulled out, taking the aluminum threads with it (ouch). New heads run about $800 a pair so I sure hope this works.

Go Mikey go! Regardless of the project there is always some kind of snag. Well handled.

so when do we get to see that thing layin in the weeds?? Are you gonna take that on the cruise next year??

Sure hope so! It all depends on how reliable the motor ends up being - I bought it sight unseen and was told it ran when it was pulled for a water cooled motor swap on a '77 bus. Also, I have yet to fire it up, and only the longblock was assembled, so this is the most complete it has been in a long time. Plus, I am transplanting this F.I. motor into a bus that had no F.I. (1st year was 1975 for type 2) so it should be an experience. Oh, and the bus hasn't seen 12V in roughly 23 years...and you know how reliable VW electrical is

Anyway...yes, I hope to bring it out next year for the cruise but it's hard to beat the comfort and speed of the Audi on longer trips!

Youll have alot of hard work into that thing when your done!! I cant wait to see it!! And if me and kory can drive a chopped vw bug with no windows and heater from Great Falls to Bpzeman youll be fine drivin ur bay window!!!

i agre with hotrodkid on this one lol.... but i konw what you mean by nice comfy seats an i bet you can do that in the bus lol