Stripped engine bolt threads during installation
Threads often strip or catch under minimal force during installation or removal, trapping metal shavings and preventing bolts from seating fully. This leaves hardware loose or cross-threaded, making components like headers and alternators impossible to secure properly.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using a thread chaser with grease
- 2Blowing out the hole with compressed air before installing a new bolt
- 3Welding the broken stud (though advised against)
- 4Using thin copper wire as a temporary thread filler
- 5Using JB Weld
- 6Using a longer bolt if the hole goes all the way through
- 7Removing surrounding components like the ABS module to gain clearance for a right-angle drill
- 8Pulling a replacement bracket from a junkyard
- 9applying threadlocker and reinstalling without tapping
- 10tapping the hole to a larger size
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“It went in normal with a 1/4 wrench not a lot of force, and when I took it out, all these metal shavings came with it.”source ↗
“I think this thing made things worse, the bolts would go in my header holes just fine, except one where it would only make it half way.”source ↗
“i stripped out a bolt hole completely like a dumbass when replacing the main passenger side hydraulic motor mount on my 08 civic. its in a really tight spot i dont think i can drill it out to put in a heli coil. what should i do??”source ↗
“I tightened down the top nut that attaches the harness to the alternator and ended up stripping he bolt. What do I do?”source ↗
“I removed exhaust manifold bolts on my 01 f250 7.3L, managed to get all 8 bolts out but as you can see one of the exhaust manifold bolt holes in the middle of the head is missing material on top.”source ↗
“It’s my vehicle, but wouldn’t tapping it to a larger size just result in even less threads?”source ↗
“Now i have some cool ARp’s and they’re giving me a hard time.”source ↗
“that spot on the 08 civic is a nightmare, had same issue with my old one.”source ↗
“I stripped out the same mount on an 02 Odyssey.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 6How to remove a snapped bolt in a tight space?
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- 4How to get out a stripped or stuck seatbelt bolt