2002 GMC Yukon XL, 6.0L. So, today I found the rear bolt that holds the oil cooler lines to the oil pan above the oil filter is stripped out in the oil pan. Has anyone installed a heli coil or maybe put a longer bolt in? Are these holes drilled through into the pan or are they blind holes? I'd like to try and fix this without pulling the oil pan if possible.
6.0L oil cooler bolt stripped in oil pan
- Thread starter 56napco
- Start date
Mooseman
Moderator
Not familiar with that setup, one thing I might suggest is to tap the hole for a slightly larger bolt, maybe an SAE bolt instead of metric. I've done that on several occasions.
So far I've found the holes are not through holes into the pan sump. Going to a larger bolt may not work since the gasket (aluminum with molded rubber around each bolt and cooler port) for the cooler lines also seals around the bolts and using a larger bolt to get enough thread engagement would be too large to pass through the gasket. I haven't pulled the lines off the engine yet but if I can find that the bolt holes are not in one of the cooler line oil passages then I will put a helicoil in. Just trying to avoid getting any chips in the oil passages or doing further damage.
Found out both bolt holes are blind holes with no access to the oil passages. Went ahead and installed a heli coil last night, seems to be holding but I still have to go for a ride and warm it up to see if there are any leaks there.
Blackwater
Member
Helicoils work great if you know how to use them. I used them on cast iron gear box housings on military equipment. you have to drill and re tap the threads to the outer diameter threads of the helicoil. use the special tool to insert it and then break the install tab. then your good. if you strip the helicoil out then you drill out and re tap the threads to clean them out and re-helicoil them. done this numerous times.
