Topic: Is it possible to helicoil a rocker arm? 82 CB650 SC

[jeepster]

I was about to put my valve covers back on when I noticed little flecks of threads in the #$%*ing area under the tappets... The tappet SEEMS to be tight, but I have no way of knowing if it will last. Then I noticed that there were some flecks of metal in the hole in the cylinder head cover where the valve cover bolt goes...I guess I need to take it to a machinist?

Is there any way to avoid stripping threads??!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tomkimberly]

Can you pick up the chips with a magnet?


Tom

[BVCB650]

Only way I know of is to torque them to specs.

[jeepster]

That was the first thing I did...I don't remember these threads being all that bad, maybe 1/8 gone or so...There is another stripped hole in the cover...glopped sealant on the outside of the bolt, and hoped it held...(was one of the last bolts to go in...) Maybe I can clean the threads of the valve cover hole... I don't want to take the head cover off again then I will be basically forced to helicoil the rocker arm. It would be nice to helicoil the other two bolts but from the way this rebuild has been going I can pretty much guarantee another stripped thread...discovered when the cover is 75% on.

What's my worst case scenario if I leave the tappet as is, and maybe lose a few tiny bits of metal from the valve cover bolt into the cam area? (it's far from the cam, but right above a valve.)

I was thinking of taking the rocker assembly to a machinist and having new threads made. Maybe a time sert welded in?