helicoils and timeserts?

aqua

the taco
I have heard that the timeserts are better but why. I am not too familiar with either on of them. What are the strengths of these compared to the original bolt holes? Is it bad to have a helicoil in a strength sensitive place like the bolts that hold a cyl to a case? How hard is it to replace a helicoil with a timesert.

thanks
 
IMO time serts are the only way to go. The timesert is a solid piece of metal where the heli coil is just that "a coil". I may be wrong but I think once you drill out the hole for a heli coil I don't think you can use a timecert because there wouldn't be enough metal left to tap good threads for the timecert to thread in to
 

yamanube

This Is The Way
Staff member
Location
Mandalor
I have heard the same about timecerts being stronger for the same reason hooka stated but I dont think they are always an option. You have to have a reasonable chunk of material to put on in. They guy that does my machine work put a timecert in for one of my manifold bolts, he said it would be stronger than it was from the factory.
 
http://www.timesert.com

Here is the web site .I have never used this brand but have used keenserts(very similar) ,helicoils and a brand out of germeny which are supplied by the machine manufactuer as a part of a recall.These latest ones I have used I think are the best because the insert actually cuts the last .010 of thread which makes the tightest fit possible.I have yet to find out who makes them yet.
The timeset looks like a better way to go then the helicoil but I have never had a helicoil come out
 

Watty

Random Performance
Location
Australia
I use timeserts on all my cylinders as I have the head off all the time. I've never had one fail, and they feel a lot better when you are torquing them up. Personally, I've never liked helicoils and the inserts have worked great on the last 3 cylinders I have done.
 

Mouthfulloflake

ISJWTA member #2
Location
NW Arkansas
bump!

Where to order timeserts to put a 61x EX manifold on a 62t cylinder.

Need to at least price them, and see if its worth drilling the manifold out or not.
 

keefer

T1
Location
Tennessee
bump!

Where to order timeserts to put a 61x EX manifold on a 62t cylinder.

Need to at least price them, and see if its worth drilling the manifold out or not.

I thought you could just use the helicoil for this and not have to drill or re tap because the OD of the helicoil is the same as the existing hole in the cyl.
 
that has been brought to my attention since posting this!

Ill install some Helicoils with the red loctite stuff and forget about it.

if you were to use timeserts in that situation, youd have to "countersink" the holes to allow for the flanges on the timeserts.... or grind/machine them off... just a fyi.
 

wetwolf

X this :) :)
Location
Spokane, WA
timeserts are the shiznit, helicoils are stone age technology. the timesert has a shoulder on the top which sets against the lip made by the cutting tool. the bottom of the timesert is designed so that once it is installed properly, the bottom swages out against the threads. this provides a positive lock between the top and bottom of the insert................ it aint going anywhere. timesert also make stainless serts for use in the marine industry. I have been using timeserts for 20 years and swear by them.
 

dbrutherford

Parts Whore
Location
Fairmont, WV
I have seen helicoils come out. They suck compared to timeserts.

A friend bought a remanufactured engine from PMC once and it had some of the holes done with them. Apparently they mahined the cylinder after installing them leaving a nice flat surface.

He ended up stripping out a bunch of the other holes and just helicoiled them himself.

I cringe every time I take a stud or bolt in and out of an engine for that very reason. I remember him having a fit over his engine being full of helicoils.
 

Mouthfulloflake

ISJWTA member #2
Location
NW Arkansas
they may suck compared to timeserts, but either is better than a hole tapped into aluminum.

and the install process is much simpler for a helicoil too right?

remember my specifc question about the exhuast manifold, the helicoils will fit right into the 10mm holes. no drilling, no machining required.

How hard would it be to install timeserts in those same holes?
 

crammit442

makin' legs
Location
here
I have seen helicoils come out. They suck compared to timeserts.

A friend bought a remanufactured engine from PMC once and it had some of the holes done with them. Apparently they mahined the cylinder after installing them leaving a nice flat surface.

He ended up stripping out a bunch of the other holes and just helicoiled them himself.

I cringe every time I take a stud or bolt in and out of an engine for that very reason. I remember him having a fit over his engine being full of helicoils.

Timeserts work fine when they are installed properly. Helicoils are easier to install properly and also work very well. An added benefit to helicoils is that they are easily removeable if there is a problem. I got a 760 cylinder from a popular builder on this site a couple of years ago that he had used timeserts on. Three of eight pulled out of the cylinder and it was a MAJOR pain in the ass to deal with. If a so-called "pro" can't get it right it stands to reason the average weekend wrench may have issues with them. A lot of guys here are not very experienced and many have difficulty with even very basic mechanical techniques.
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
Bingo.
Thank you Charles.

I have installed both Helicoils and Timeserts.
I will go with Timeserts EVERY time in critical applications (cylinder being one of them).
Use the right tools, read the f'n instructions, and take your time.

Alternatively, swallow your pride and pay a shop twenty bucks to do it.
 

Mouthfulloflake

ISJWTA member #2
Location
NW Arkansas
the 3 of eight that pulled out, Charles. they were helicoils and were hard to deal with?

did you mismatch terms? or am I simply not following your logic here.



Timeserts work fine when they are installed properly. Helicoils are easier to install properly and also work very well. An added benefit to helicoils is that they are easily removeable if there is a problem. I got a 760 cylinder from a popular builder on this site a couple of years ago that he had used timeserts on. Three of eight pulled out of the cylinder and it was a MAJOR pain in the ass to deal with. If a so-called "pro" can't get it right it stands to reason the average weekend wrench may have issues with them. A lot of guys here are not very experienced and many have difficulty with even very basic mechanical techniques.
 
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