Which bolt goes..here ?

[JohnW63]

This seems rather lame, but...when your stuck you have to ask.

I'm putting my 3.2L top back together. The covers are on, and I'm trying to put a bolt back in the back side of the engine, on the drivers side, that holds two brackets on. One is a bracket for a heater core line. What size IS this one ? I have two bolts, that the thread seems to be the right size. One seems to "hand" thread in, but bottoms out before things are tight. The other goes in, but I can't get it started, due to the other CRAP at that corner of the engine that is ALWAYS in the way. One is a 13mm and the other is 14mm head on the bolt.

 

[JohnW63]

Further info...and not good info.

I have been trying to just thread these by hand, or with a round **** that goes on the back of the socket or the extension. It gives you a bit more and control and twist ability. Still, it's not bigger than an apricot in size, so you can't get much torque. At one point, I was able to thread the longer, but bottoms out bolt all the way in, by hand, until it stopped. I could never get the shorter bolt to go in the hole and actually thread in more than a turn. Because it was shorter, and I was fighting the two brackets not wanting to line up, getting it dead straight was hard to do and determine. Well, I think it may have messed up a thread. I gave up and took the second bolt out of the bracket, which just holds the large bundle of wrapped wires up, and pusher the heater hose out of the way and tried finger threading. Not go on the shorter bolt, but...to my frustration, I can only go about a full turn on the longer one I had all the way in before. Even with the **** on the end of the socket, it stops. What the heck ! With nothing directly in the way, and this longer bolt matches the second bolt holding the wire loom bracket, I pretty darn sure this is in straight. But, I'm very hesitant to put a wrench on it.

What should I do ? Find a tap tool the same size ? It's aluminum, as it goes in to the firewall side head, right ? The bolt is steel. Should I try to convince it a bit more ?

This sort a crap is why I really DON'T like working on this car !

 

[SHOtimer]

I personally hate that bolt. FYI...it is the larger 14mm bolt that fits in there. When I did my first upper 60k I couldn't get it in right either. Mine has been partially installed for the last 60k miles - I just did my second 60k and I just left it how it was. It is also really easy to strip the threads out of that hole...since it is aluminum. Find something that works....and leave it. I really isn't that important - just make sure the brackets are secured somewhat to hold them in place.

Doug

 

[pjtoledo]

Those can be a real challenge, especially if you have big hands.
I would not force anything into aluminum, and don't try to tap them yet either.
You can try to run a bottle brush in the holes a few times to clean them, twisting, not thrusting. Rifle bore cleaning brushes work good too.
The holes should be 10 x 1.5 mm. The "hole" that is directly above another is an oil gallery plug, don't take it out.


Perry

 

[JohnW63]

OK. Just to be clear...

The 14mm is the slightly shorter bolt that I just never could get started. The bracket that holds the wire harness up has two bolts. One I left in, and this one that has caused me trouble. The one that was still in use is a 13mm and it slightly longer and has a different nose on it. The long bold had previously been hand threaded in this hole, but stopped before things were tight. it was too long. The 14mm bolt has a normal blunt end and is a little shorter.

Do I have this right ?