Hey guys I just rebuilt my motor and I stripped two motor bolts on the upper top right hand corner. I was wondering if anyone knows how to fix this with out taking the motor apart. If I can just rethread the holes or somthing. if not then I will have to take out the motor and replace the front iron. But any suggestions will help. I had it all together and tightened the bolts to where it would stop coming loose and then I siliconed over them and one of the bolts is pissing out coolant.

 

Two choices:

1. Re-thread the hole for a slighter larger bolt
2. Use a helicoil

 

I'm assuming you're talking about the tension bolts--I've *never* heard of one stripping out of the front iron. Did you torque them down with a torque wrench to the factory specs? Did you torque them in the proper order? Please don't tell me you you just cranked down on them .

 

or maybe a front cover bolt? If the hole is accessible, I would tape up the ports and take the block to a machine shop and have them do it.

 

thats what I was thinking of doing pretty much to see if it'll turn out good or not. Yes I did it in the right order and with the right torque spec's. I finger tightened down all the bolts and then torque wrenched it in the mazda book toruque specs and I was torqueing it to here the click it didnt and just got loose then I stopped and try to tightened it down with my fingers it was loose. so I am still puzzled on how it got stripped. I am a person who hates to brake and strip nuts,bolts, or clips and I always tighten things down with my hand then the wrench or ratchet. I dont know how it could of gone wrong. The motor was rebuilt before I did it and one of the bolts was already stripped when I took the motor apart. He siliconde it down and I guess I had never had any leak problems so I think when he rebuilt it he much have threaded them in bad or something thats my best bet. I had this motor for a year now and I have all sorts of problems from this reman guy. He sucks thats why Im rebuilding it my self. cause no one does a better job than yourself because so always make sure you do things the right way cause its your car. But my lost. I will be taking out the motor and just probably replace the front iron. Do it and do it right the first time. you pay for what you get. So thats my route for now. thanks for your help guys

 

Wow, that sucks! Well, the good thing is you should only need a front iron, gasket set and tension bolts. I would probably buy a whole set of used tension bolts from a reputable foum member and builder. You don't know if those other ones were abused too.

GL