OK so here is the story in a nut shell.

Motor is a normal GEN 1 block 386. There are 2 bolt holes in the lower DS area. These are normally used to mount PS and so on. Anyways, LONG ago, I broke a bolt in the upper hole and it didn't matter cuz I was not running PS.

Now I want to run PS. So I tried jamming 2 nuts on it, NO LUCK.

I tried welding a but to it and heating the block and using oil to loosen, NO LUCK.

So I cut it flush, drilled it, tapped it and helicoiled it.

All seemed to be fine, but then when I checked my helicoil for depth to make sure I went deep enough. The bolt was at an angle. F...CK!!! Ok... So anyways, I am at a loss of what to do at this point.

So I order a bracket from Cv Products that mounts to the head, the pump I would have to run would cost me near $400. So I am returning that today.

Back where I was before. I am NEED help. I have a pump from an old Camaro that I know works. It has a pully on it and I have a 2 groove V-belt pully for my crank.

What do I do now?

Should I try and get the bracket to attach, even if I have to oval one of the holes?

Should I try re working the hole/retap? (probably not)

Should I try to return this bracket and get one that mount to the water pump?

UGH.... sorry for the long post, just wanna get this done, Thanks.

-Dennis

 

Is the engine in the car now? Assembled on a stand? What's the status?

 

All of this was done with engine in the car. That is probably the reason that the drill went in at an angle. I was just leaning over the nose as I was drilling this.

Thanks for any help

 

Ugh, yea that's probably why. Ok, a few suggestions, if it were my car i'd want the hole in the block to be perfect, even if I wasn't going to use it now.

-Call up an industrial rental shop, and rent a magnetic base drill press. You'll need to remove the engine, or remove the front end from the car. Remove accessories, and magnetize the drill press to your engine. That will ASSURE it goes in straight. Then buy a milling bit, of the right size for a helicoil, and drill out the hole, and put in a helicoil. Either that, or press in some type of plug, and drill and tap that.

That would be my first choice.

If the hole isn't *that* far off, ie not angled by much, then i'd try to ovalize the hole. That's easiest of course. I think this is the hole that needs a spacer between the block and the PS bracket right? So you might be able to rig up a plate to go over this hole, and bolt to other bolt holes. Then you can drill/tap the plate, and just thread into that?

 

yeah, I am headed in that direction. Since the $ and time for the real super right way to do it just isn't worth it at all. I can still drive the car fine with the manual box that I have, I just would LIKE to have PS. so going though all that trouble just isn't worth it, at least not yet. I have been told to do what you said by sofakingdom, he told me to drill oit out with a block so that I know it is straight, then tap it with a 1/4" plug, then start over pretty much and make the hole again.

Good idea, but if I can just bypass all this with just a oval hole, I am going to.

There are 2 plates.

The first goes in front of the pump and the second goes behind. Between them are spacers for the bolts to go though. The bottom most one is fine. mint.

Then upper one is the one that is messed up. The only way I can really see around this is that if I attach the lower one, then weld the other spacer inbetween the plates. This will provide the rigidity that the two plates need. Then with that done, all I need to do is oval the hole and BAM, it is held tight against the block. That way I fullfill the 2 jobs that the hole/bracket was doing.

Sounds a little strange, but I am able to do it with stuff I have now and in reality, shouldn't be too hard since there is a lot of room around there to tack stuff in place, and then finish weld them later.


Ugh..... this weekend will be strange. haha. I will post pics so you guys can tell me how crazy this looks

 

the magnetic drill press is a good idea, buuuut, you need to find a large enough flat area on the block to mount the drill to in order to get the hole straight. that may be tough to do.

 

not to mention I have to diconnect all the wires, fuel lines, tranny, starter, etc, assemble my cherry picker, rent a truck, drive it to a shop, drain everything out of the motor, then have them find a way to do the work....


then do the reverse of all what was said b4. Oh and take the hood off.


I will find another way. Not that the drill is a bad idea. I know it would work. But for 1 hole that is a little off, that many hours and that much $, just makes no sense.