Hey all, I replaced my front and side engine mounts recently, and to make room to get the original front mount out, I removed the piece which connects it to the engine. Upon putting it back in, I find that the top screw threading was stripped somehow (it certainly wasn't from me trying to tighten it, I never got to tighten it at all, and it came out with some of the aluminum threading attached). So I'll be needing to re-tap the thing, but to get room to re-drill it, it seems that I need to remove some of the front of the car (grill and fans, etc.) to make enough room for any manner of drill. I'd love to get peoples suggestions for what likely needs to come off, and any helpful videos or guides in doing so, just to minimize hassle since I haven't had a reason to remove any of the front before, beyond the antifreeze container. The image is the screw which has somehow had engine threading damaged. Any suggestions, resources and input would be appreciated!

 

Start with the fan shroud(s) then go from there to get the room you need. Refer to the attachment:

 

Much appreciated! That definitely helps. And yeah, I'm going to measure the length of space I have and what I need and hope to not need to remove the radiator grill and beyond, but who knows. I tend to expect it'll take a whole day, and hope for less.

 

^
If you can, try and take a few pics along the way and post them up as you proceed.

 

If you happen to have a right-angle drill, you might get lucky and get by with just removing the fans.
If it's a regular drill you'll probably need to remove radiator, AC condenser and front bumper.

 

It sounds like you're plan is to tap to a larger thread size? I recommend against this. a threaded insert matched to the original bolt threads is the best thing to do. most of these (that i have used) are hand operated so you may only need to remove the mount bracket for access.

 

+100 to this.
The threaded insert will be much stronger and you won't need to open up the bolt hole in the mount.

 

I believe that's what I'm doing. I'm using a re-tapping kit matched to the size of the threading and bolt in question.

 

It looks like #33 (10X30) on the link below:

https://www.acuraoemparts.com/v-2008...gine-mounts-at

 

Off-topic: why are there vac lines running to the motor mounts in these cars?

 

because they're vacuum assisted depending on engine load.

 

Yup, part#33 going into part #5 on the top. I'm having lunch currently, radiator fans are out of the way and everything is taken off, just headed to borrow an adjustable angle drill from a friend, and get some oil to get this thing done.

 

Nice!
Just a few pictures as you proceed, if possible please, to share with the bro's.

 

Definitely snapping a few images. It makes me wish the first time I went to replace the front mount I removed the radiator fans while I was at it, it would have saved me a lot of time because of how 'age welded' all the bolts were around the mount. Sooo much easier to have that room to work, even if its a bit of a process getting the bottom bolts off because they put tubes riiight over them so it's hard to get the socket on.

 

^
Just curious.
Is it reasonable to assume that the bolt was stripped from the factory install of the mount bracket?

 

Yup, this is my assumption as it's the first time that part has been removed (isn't even normally removed during engine mount replacement, and this was the original). I removed it for more room. I wish I'd left it on and removed the radiator fans instead! The moment it was removed, it had threading in the bolt, so I never even got the chance to tighten it myself. It won't even hold 5 foot pounds, it just spins.


So I'm hoping you folk can help, however. The drill bit from the threading repair kit is too large for my drill, and the converter makes it too long without removing the radiator grill (my gods I don't want to remove that and deal with the draining right now). I'm also having a hard time finding the drill bit online: an M10 drill bit but with a quarter inch drive head. Amazon, home depot, auto parts stores, etc. I can't find one, except perhaps in large kits I can't spare the cash for right now. Any suggestions?

 

the thread repair kit- this is for repairing M10 threads correct? does the drill bit included with the kit have a size marked on it?

non-ideal as it's made for wood, but this would get you close maybe...

 

So a tap and drill bit table tells me these are what I'd be looking for" Tap: 10mm x 1.25, metric drill: 8.9mm, Imperial drill: 11/32." Can someone confirm that's what I'm looking for? an 8.9mm or 11/32" drill bit?

 

11/32" is 8.73mm so either one should work. Only 17 hundredths of a mm difference.

But yes. That should be the correct size. I'm seeing suggestions for 11/32" and 8.75mm.

 

Algavin, just to clarify.

Are you using a 're-tapping kit' like the one on the link below:
https://www.harborfreight.com/carbon...iABEgIWefD_BwE

Or, Are you using something like the Helicoil 5543-10 M10 x 1.25 Metric Fine Thread Repair Kit on the link below:


These type of kits have the size of the drill bit needed on the package. For instance, 13/32 for the Helicoil 5543-10.

 

I have a kit like the helicoil, but the bit that comes with it is a larger drive width than my drills can accommodate. I went to get an adapter, but that makes it too long without removing the radiator grill, which I'd really rather avoid doing right now, so just looking for the same drill size but smaller drive size.

Much appreciate the confirmation on sizing. I haven't had to drill before. Learning more automotive junk, year by year.

 

Removing the radiator and fan shroud opens up a ton of room in the front. Remove the two hoses on the radiator, the overflow tube, and the two 10mm bolts for the top radiator mount brackets and the whole radiator/fan/shroud assembly should come up as one piece. I just did it last weekend and had it in/out in under an hour, it would probably be easier to just remove than try to work around it.

I had the same thing happen only with the bolt for the timing belt tensioner, only the frame rail was in the way. Talk about a nightmare. Pretty sure the threads coming out like that are due to the last person cross threading the bolt, which in my case was a technician at the acura dealership that charged the previous owner $1500 to do it (timing belt).

 

I just don't want to drain the thing, and just removing the fans does give me quite a bit of room (I think about 10-11" from the bolt hole in question), just at a less ideal angle, but unless I remove the full front of the engine bay, it's not going to be a straight in front of me angle anyway. I may go grab the proper drill bit and finish this up today. Depends on how long my mornings activities take.

 

Meh, so the 11/32 bit that it says is equivalent, is not. It could be put entirely into the hole without touching the sides. Thinking of just grabbing a crappy harbor freight drill which can accommodate the intended drill bit shank size.

 

Apologies if i am misunderstanding what you are doing but if you are using a thread repair kit to repair m10x1.25 threads you are going to need a larger bit than the hole to accommodate the threaded insert. 11/32 is the bit size for if you are tapping new threads but not for a m10 threaded insert since the outer diameter is larger than m10. Most threaded inserts use sti taps which call for different hole diameters than the equivalent “regular” tap . Some quick googling shows a m10 helicoil/sti tap calls for a 10.3mm drill (or sae equivalent). I’d definitely check on what the kit you are using calls for though. Id also remove whatever is necessary to make sure you drill the hole straight, you’re going to have even bigger problems if it doesn’t hold.

https://www.thorintl.com/Drill-Sizes...s-Metric.shtml

 

Yup, you're quite right, the kit has a 10.3mm, it was my oversight. As I like to say, any time I spend not getting stuff done successfully is still an education. Working on it for a bit today, I have enough room that the angle of the drill feels as stable as I think it would be with the radiator off. May take it off anyway to remove extra variables.

 

So, I decided to just go buy a drill which accommodated the drill bit which came with the thread repair system. To make room for it without adapters, I went for a partial radiator drain so I could pull it out and get to work. The drill had some power out of the box, but apparently only technically enough for a test on the device, as it got maybe a mm of drilling in before it died, sooo this job hopefully ends tomorrow but I got a radiator drain in the process. I've been taking pictures as I go to show what I did. There are easier ways to do this all, but this worked. I'll post them all once I finish.

 

^
Nice!
Interested in seeing how it progressed for you.

 

Always another obstacle, and I haven't bothered mentioning most of them. I have a drill that fits the space and the drill bit, buuuut doesn't have enough torque. Anyone have any suggestions for a torque measurement I should look for to be able to take a steel + whatever coating 10.3mm bit into the aluminum block? I've no experience drilling into metal.

 

It takes either an extremely weak-ass drill or a very dull/chipped drillbit to not be able to enlarge an existing aluminum hole. Something is wrong here.

Also much respect for your patience on your journey of learning a difficult part of DIY mechanic'ing. Hang in there! We will help.

Can you post pics of damaged hole & bad drill & bad drillbit? I use Lensdump for pics, easy and free.

 

Drill may in fact be weak ass and lame. The drill bit is fresh and never used. I'll be switching it for a stronger one, or getting an adapter to use a corded drill I have on hand which should be much stronger, but just isn't big enough to accept the 3/8" drill bit.

It's an investment in being able to do this myself, and frankly, I would happily do this for work if I could do it slowly at my own pace, for reasonable money. Buuut that's not really how most auto work is done, so unless I find interest in restoring cars (which I generally don't, especially as I don't really want to touch anything electrical), so I'll do it as a way to have quiet productive time myself. When it saves you money and it's enjoyable, it's hard to argue with.

I have the car stored at a family residence as I don't have space to do work at my current property, so once I get an adapter I'll make sure to get a picture of the hole just in case. My expectation is that it's the lame ass drill.

 

This is the drill I was using. Because I was drilling aluminum I expected to not need much, the thing is admittedly a cheap peace of crap. https://www.harborfreight.com/18v-38...ngs-62873.html

Having a hard time finding 1/4" shank to 3/8" chuck adapters of any kind, so may be just returning that crap drill (planned anyway) and getting something more powerful, though the adapter would be nicer since I have some other drills which should do the trick. sigh.

 

HF sells trash / one-time use items

 

Yup, the plan was to only use it the once, more or less. But doesn't look good enough for that. The weather has been poor for working outside, so I've been delayed in swapping it and trying something else. I don't have the budget right now while not working to actually buy a nice drill, and all my friends and family's drills are 1/4" chuck, and all the adapters seem to make the damn thing too long without removing more, forward of the radiator. Hoping to find a 1/4 shank to 3/8" chuck adapter to let me use a battery powered right angled drill, and hope it's strong enough.

 

at this point, why not just drop the entire front end and bumper

 

I may just do so. What is the grill in front of the radiator, before the bumper? I couldn't find it even listed on any of the schematics, which I found very weird. It looks like if I remove the front end I can just swing it out of the way fine, but I was trying to look it up to see if I could remove it simply, or not. In the end...still need to get a drill/adapter. Le sigh. Talk about projects much longer than expected.

 

Have you thought about drilling it out by hand? Its aluminum so you are already dealing with a soft metal. Usually a tap kit comes with a t-handle for that purpose. Just keep the drill bit lubricated with oil. It will be time consuming but it may require less time than removing alot of parts to make room for a bulky drill.


I figured this video may help illustrate. At around the 1:30 mark where he is using the t handle to make the threads you could use the drill bit in a similar fashion.

Hope this helps!

 

Unfortunately my kit didn't come with a T bar, and the drill bit is a round shank, though I'm headed through Home Depot in a few and I may get myself a few options to see if we can just get this damn thing done today. I'd be happy hand drilling it if it got it done.

 

So, some successes and progress, but the saga continues. I grabbed an adapter and a Tbar today, (2 actually, for good measure). The Tbars can't tighten enough to hold the drill bit, and the adapter only kinda could (Ironically my drill bit is now stuck in the adapter. I'm curious what Home Depot is going to do about that during the refund process). By going just a little bit at a time, cleaning out the hole, and re-oiling it, I got the hole drilled. Tapping went pretty smoothy, though the new threading didn't go in well, and I had to remove it and reinsert the threading. Then it worked fine. During buttoning it back up, a second hole was stripped, I'm guessing from repeated removal and hand tightening, and sitting under load not torqued. That one was easy to drill, hard to tap, and was also iffy on the threading but worked out.

BUT both of these holes will only torque tighten to 30 foot pounds, instead of 40, then spins. I have to imagine that 30 foot pounds is not an acceptable compromise when it should hold 40. I'm hoping for input on how acceptable this is, and if not, what the hell to do about it.


Once this all gets figured out, I'll upload pictures that I think may be helpful for folk. I did take pictures of the hole and threading as I went along.

 

Any thoughts on if those torque levels are adequate on the front engine mount bracket? And why the helicoil isn't working adequately?