Operation save little dog (Albert).

You might consider a long self-tapping / thread cutting screw. I am not sure what diameter will fit your stripped hole. You might have to do some trial and error to determine what fits/holds....
First put an appropriate nut on the screw and spin it up all the way to the head of the screw. Insert the screw (with nut) into your stripped screw hole until it bottoms out or is so tight that it won't go further. Spin the nut down towards the head. Use a hacksaw to cut the head off the screw, leaving it long enough to use as a stud. Take the nut off the now headless screw to restore the threads. Use the headless screw as a stud with your nut.

Something like this, only longer, and the correct diameter for your stripped screw hole:
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7A5B3 said:
Could you bypass all that stress with a 90 degree drill attachments?
like this thing
Click to expand...
Maybe make a short section of bar, threaded to suit the portion of the thread above the shear point. Drill, (in a lathe), a hole in this "stud" to act as a guide to a drill bit to make a central hole in the stud. Finally, use an eezyout extractor to remove it.

Mac
 
I hate to say but i think you already know, a replacement head is the only correct and peace of mind repair ?
 
I would imagine that it is possible to do this without drilling, aluminium is nice and easy to tap, your bolt holes sound like the threads are just about stripped out so with a tap socket to fit the helicoil tap gradually working it back and forth may well win the day but i also would imagine the inlet manifold may need to be removed to allow you to get square on the holes. Inlet manifold looks like a battle but you can then clean out the manifold before refitting!
 
Thank you all for your suggestions, Ill respond with pictures tomorrow.
One thing has been suggested that would possibly make this fixable without removing the head. Removing the inlet manifold.
Has anybody removed the inlet manifold without first taking the head off?
 
philward said:
Thank you all for your suggestions, Ill respond with pictures tomorrow.
One thing has been suggested that would possibly make this fixable without removing the head. Removing the inlet manifold.
Has anybody removed the inlet manifold without first taking the head off?
Click to expand...
Without a doubt its doable!
 
When i helicoil into aluminium i dont use the drill bit from the kit but use the a rounded down one, so if its 6.2mm for M6 Helicoil i would use a 6 mm drill bit.

Might be worth getting a piece of aluminium with a M6x1 threaded hole, overtighten a bolt to purposefully strip out the treads (to create the issue you currently have) now practice with the helicoil tap to see if this is a practicle repair without using a drill
 
Howey said:
When i helicoil into aluminium i dont use the drill bit from the kit but use the a rounded down one, so if its 6.2mm for M6 Helicoil i would use a 6 mm drill bit.

Might be worth getting a piece of aluminium with a M6x1 threaded hole, overtighten a bolt to purposefully strip out the treads (to create the issue you currently have) now practice with the helicoil tap to see if this is a practicle repair without using a drill
Click to expand...
Good suggestion ?
 
philward said:
Not sure they will crack this one, the inlet manifold is a problem.
I can see them being useful though and just now ordered a set. Thank you.
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With the air scoop off and engine dropped forward a bit it has to be possible with enough will power!

Failing that front bumper off and Rad pack ect

Personally i would much prefer to remove engine and gearbox rather than start removing a cylinder head! Throw a clutch in and maybe a JDD gearbox lol
 
I'm not sure what size thread it is, but if it is M6 it can be tapped out M7 as they have the same pitch. The stripped M6 is just about the tapping drill size for M7 and as there will be a remnant of thead the M7 tap is easy to work in. In the restricted space the tap could be turned with a spanner. Of course if they are not M6 I'll just go get my coat.
 
Thanks again for more to consider. Ill respond to the range of suggestions later.

Woke this morning and thought I'd investigate what I think is the key to fixing this with minimal fuss; removing the inlet manifold. The job looks like just 4 screws that are torqued to just 20Nm.

Little Dog.jpg


Hardly confidence inspiring that the picture appears reversed. However it is still just 4 screws. Anybody got a trained octopus that could get to them? Probably not, Ill try later.

Edit, look how simple the instructions are; Unscrew bolts and remove intake manifold. I need to check but I'm assuming this is on car and not bench?
 
philward said:
Thanks again for more to consider. Ill respond to the range of suggestions later.

Woke this morning and thought I'd investigate what I think is the key to fixing this with minimal fuss; removing the inlet manifold. The job looks like just 4 screws that are torqued to just 20Nm.

View attachment 91763

Hardly confidence inspiring that the picture appears reversed. However it is still just 4 screws. Anybody got a trained octopus that could get to them? Probably not, Ill try later.

Edit, look how simple the instructions are; Unscrew bolts and remove intake manifold. I need to check but I'm assuming this is on car and not bench?
Click to expand...
the inlet manifold casting is a mirror image on left-hand drive A2s as the return pipe from the intercooler runs up the belt covers end of the engine similar to the pipe going to it from the turbo unlike UK cars where the return pipe does that L-shaped dog leg around the tandem-pump end of the engine. One reason for being really careful buying inlet manifolds from Ebay. The workshop manual won't be an rhd-specific diagram.
 
philward said:
Got myself a problem with old Albert (TDi 75), I've stripped out two of the tapped holes that take the screws to secure the cylinder head cover. Worse still it is the two obscured by the EGR valve on the right / rear of the cylinder head. Many years ago, before I had a manual I had a persistent oil leak in that area and those two screws were tweaked many times in an attempt to stop the leak. I suspect they fatigued and clean lubricated screws were too much for the female threads at just 10 Nm.
So now I have a problem, unless the engine can be tilted forwards and I extend taps and drills I can't see how to fix this short of removing the head. Anybody got any great ideas?
I toyed with the idea of recovering him to my lockup but he is a bit too good to abandon to collect dust. I need to save him, if the head has to come off I can't start utill March.

View attachment 91035
Click to expand...
Lovely looking car, deserves all you can do for him.
 
Hope inlet manifold removal goes well.
I would like to share how I usually do this job. It's easy if room is created for your hands and arms. You don't need an octopus.

I remove the wiper arm, scuttle, intercooler metal & rubber air pipes and the egr.
Undo the one 10mm nut holding the coolant tank and drop that out the way.
Then unplug the 3 electrical leads on the N75 etc vacuum controllers, dismount electrical wiring from the metal frame and undo the 2 x10mm nuts holding it to the underside of the scuttle then swing the whole lot out of the way to the LHS of the engine bay.
For peace of mind remove the nut from the RHS rain water drain and place the drain out the way, no need to remove it, this will stop it snapping if you accidentally lean on it.

They are hex key bolts round the back of the inlet. I use a ratchet, short extender bar and hex socket. Plus a small mirror and a torch.

All the best
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