Cleaning turbo housing threads with tap and die video
 

I hit a snag while installing a new exhaust on my 2002 996tt last weekend. I decided to replace the studs and nuts as they were looking a bit ratty. Soaked everything in PB Blaster and let it sit overnight. Successfully pulled 6 of the 8. I used heat from a torch to heat up the turbo housing, but these 2 studs were very stubborn. Finally got them loose, but they left bits of their threads behind. Rented a thread repair kit from Autozone and ended up flattening the threads on their tool. Turns out that what I thought was a tap and die set was a thread chaser set. Went to the trusty Harbor Freight and picked up a tap and die kit and then went to work on my threads. Ended up pulling out a nice coil from the threads in the housing.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...c01f32e759.jpg

I made a video in the hopes that it would help others that may face similar issues working on their own cars.

My kind of reality TV. Nice work.
-V

Nice video, successfully fixing something like that is always a big relief. I got pretty lucky when I did this a while back, only had two studs that took a couple days of soaking and twisting to get out but they finally let go.

Nice job. Watched the whole video to see how it turned out.

Thanks for the kind responses. I just hope that this will help someone in the same predicament. Don't fear the tap and die!

Does help! I've been putting off two different thread repair projects involving a tap and die.
I have to do a Timesert for the Rovers heads one on each side, was nervous about messing it up, :)

Nicely done!

Way back when I was a poor student, I broke off a stud in the head of my Mini. My attempt to get it out with an easy-out resulted in me breaking the easy-out! That turned into quite an expensive shop visit as they had to use a plasma based tool to clean out the stud void and then redrill and retap with a bigger stud.

I'm very glad your experience was much more successful! :)

z06801, just make sure to use the first few flatter threads on the tapered end of the tap to get nice and square

Highlander, that sounds like a nightmare and what I was afraid of having to do. Adds to your experience, though. I am not sure if helicoil/loctite red would hold up to that application. It probably would be off and out to a shop.

Right, that was one of my concerns keeping everything square as I have to free hand it with a hand drill, this Timesert kit came with its own special tap. It's kinda do or die for this motor and not really looking for it to go much further. Really just want to see if I can put it back together and have it run for awhile.
Well just went to garage and did the first step, drilled out the old threads then cut the seat for the Timesert, seemed like it went pretty smooth the tap wouldn't fit into the tap handle I have so I'll stop there for tonight. Still think it is weird that the same hole pulled threads on both sides.Attachment 472932

good luck z06801! There's no turning back now.hilarious Keep me posted on how it goes.

For sure, do or die for this motor! Would like to get another year out of it if I could, this is going to get a restomod of sorts with a Ls3 and GM 680le trans but I would like to wait till next spring to do it. Thanks for the inspiration I stared at it all winter lol.

Jinxed the hell out of myself by looking at this thread. Replacing studs that were a little tired I broke a stud with about 3-4 threads left in the turbo housing lol all you can do is laugh it out.
Shawn

Can you use an extractor to get it out? Its reverse threads bores into what's left of the stud and should get it out of there.

First side went great, new threads installed these Timeserts seem to work pretty well. Going to see if I can get the head torqued down today. Attachment 473018

Hell yeah! That's awesome Z06801! While I never had a Corvette, I did have an 04 CTS-V that had an LS6. Love those SBCs