L1801dt stripped head bolt

benpete08

New member

Equipment
Kubota L1500
Sep 17, 2014
11
0
1
Ovett, MS
This past weekend I was putting the head back on my L1801dt after changing the head gasket. It was the 6th bolt of 10 on the final stage. All of the other bolts torqued fine. My questions are can I get buy with putting in a helicoil and if so is there any way to drill and install it without taking the head back off and ruining the gasket?
 

Tooljunkie

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L1501,home built carry all, mini plow blade.
May 13, 2014
4,150
27
48
59
Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba,Canada
To do it right, head has to come off. Firstly, oversize drill bit, then tap.
Its odd that a block would strip before bolt fails. Bolt holes were clean and bolts lightly oiled? Too much oil and they can hydro-lock in the block.had it happen on a ford v6 once. Twisted the bolt, didnt strip the block fortunately.
 

benpete08

New member

Equipment
Kubota L1500
Sep 17, 2014
11
0
1
Ovett, MS
Yes they were clean. They all had a little oil in them but I ran a bolt down each hole by hand prior to installing the head and didn't have any problems. Will a helicoil be ok for a head bolt? I already have the correct size kit on hand from another project. Thanks for your help.
 

Tooljunkie

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L1501,home built carry all, mini plow blade.
May 13, 2014
4,150
27
48
59
Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba,Canada
Im sure a helicoil will work, if its suitable in aluminum then why not cast. Only other option would be oversize bolt.good luck, let us know how it works out.
 

meanjean

Member

Equipment
Kubota MX4700
Aug 10, 2010
922
2
18
Hazelridge, Manitoba
Gasket should be fine for re-use as well.
I've torqued all bolts down and had to remove head for some reason or another.
I asked the same question prior to re-using the gasket.
Local Kubota owner told be if be fine and he was right.
 

benpete08

New member

Equipment
Kubota L1500
Sep 17, 2014
11
0
1
Ovett, MS
Update - I managed to get the helicoil installed. It wasn't bad, I drilled the hole with the head still on to use as a guide. The only problem I had was starting the tap straight. I got everything back together and managed to crank it last night. Thanks for all of the replies.
 

ShaunRH

New member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3200
May 14, 2014
1,414
6
0
Atascadero, CA
Good job.

If you didn't like the helicoil option or it fails, you can always do a brazing job and retap the hole.

There are some other modern versions of helicoil type fixes as well.