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I did this last night and thought I'd throw up a little how-to.
I had 2 that were fully stripped and 3 others that looked like they were on their way out. Such is the caveat of buying used parts sometimes. Luckily, the fix is fairly easy.
Step 1: Buy a 12-24 Helicoil kit. I bought mine at NAPA, but they can be purchased online or other places as well. The NAPA one comes with 12 inserts so you have plenty for all 8 bowl screws.
Step 2: Assuming the carb has been removed from the vehicle, pull the bowls and metering plates off the carb.
Step 3: Mask off the entire metering plate area and anything else that you do not want metal chips in.
Step 4: Locate holes thru the tape and carefully drill out the holes with the recommended 15/64" bit. It drills really easy, so if you go slow and you can control the metal chips much better.
Step 5: Tap the holes. Go slow and keep the tap lubricated with something like WD-40. This promotes cleaner cutting and also helps the chips stick in the flutes of the tap. Turn the tap 3/4 turn at a time, and then a 1/4 turn back. Repeat until tap reaches the bottom of the hole. Resist the urge to just screw the tap straight in as this can lead to galling and possibly a broken tap.
Step 6: After tapping all the holes you need to repair, thoroughly clean the holes and remove the tape. Insert the Helicoil using the provided tool. They can be a little irritating to get started sometimes, so be patient. Screw them in until the top of the coil is at least a 1/4 turn down into the hole to prevent them from pulling out. Take a small punch that will fit inside the insert and with a sharp tap, break off the installation tab from the bottom of the insert.
Step 7: Sometimes, the holes will have a slightly raised lip after drilling and tapping. Take a small file and gently smooth this lip off.
Step 8: Put the plates and bowls back on and you are ready to run!
I had 2 that were fully stripped and 3 others that looked like they were on their way out. Such is the caveat of buying used parts sometimes. Luckily, the fix is fairly easy.
Step 1: Buy a 12-24 Helicoil kit. I bought mine at NAPA, but they can be purchased online or other places as well. The NAPA one comes with 12 inserts so you have plenty for all 8 bowl screws.
Step 2: Assuming the carb has been removed from the vehicle, pull the bowls and metering plates off the carb.
Step 3: Mask off the entire metering plate area and anything else that you do not want metal chips in.
Step 4: Locate holes thru the tape and carefully drill out the holes with the recommended 15/64" bit. It drills really easy, so if you go slow and you can control the metal chips much better.
Step 5: Tap the holes. Go slow and keep the tap lubricated with something like WD-40. This promotes cleaner cutting and also helps the chips stick in the flutes of the tap. Turn the tap 3/4 turn at a time, and then a 1/4 turn back. Repeat until tap reaches the bottom of the hole. Resist the urge to just screw the tap straight in as this can lead to galling and possibly a broken tap.
Step 6: After tapping all the holes you need to repair, thoroughly clean the holes and remove the tape. Insert the Helicoil using the provided tool. They can be a little irritating to get started sometimes, so be patient. Screw them in until the top of the coil is at least a 1/4 turn down into the hole to prevent them from pulling out. Take a small punch that will fit inside the insert and with a sharp tap, break off the installation tab from the bottom of the insert.
Step 7: Sometimes, the holes will have a slightly raised lip after drilling and tapping. Take a small file and gently smooth this lip off.
Step 8: Put the plates and bowls back on and you are ready to run!
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