How Bad Am I Screwed? :(

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ckj688

ckj688

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Well, I guess you can call me an idiot for finding this out now, but I went to make sure that the reverse switch was tight and it wasn't...because I soon found out that the threads have been stripped. Here's what the damage looks like...

View attachment hole.jpg

Is there some kind of solution to this or am I kinda screwed here?

Is there a helicoil that I can use here?

Has this happened to anyone else? Kinda the sucky side to having an aluminum transmission.

Any help is greatly appreciated, just when I thought I was near completion this comes up, kind of a spirit crusher.
 
well you might be able to drill the hole out bigger and install a "collar" that threads into the trans and then the switch into the collar...

have to pull the trans to clean it out tho...
 
You should be able to pull the coverplate, put a rag to pick up the debris and drill and helicoil it. Napa has a selection, take the reverse switch down with you and make sure it fits the coil in the kit. The big trick is keeping shavings out of the trans and getting a good seal on the case to helicoil, and helicoil to switch. Good luck! The only other way is to strip in down and mig weld it, drill and tap. I'd do the helicoil, I'm lazy!
 
easiest is stick a rubber plug in it and hook reverse lights up to a toggle switch. Not correct a rig job though,i know.Would work till you needed to pull the trans tho.
 
That happened to me too, years ago on my Hemi GTX when i owned it.
What i did to fix the stripped thread problem, was to strip the transmission down to the bare case, and bring it over to an industrial, machine, welding, shop here in town.
They bored out the area of the case, and pressed in a bronze bushing, then drilled and taped the bushing to the thread size of the switch.
Don't know if you have to go to that extreme, but that was the way out for me.
 
The FIRST thing you need to do is determine what the threads are on the switch. I have no idea, offhand. That will determine if you can get a helicoil, etc.
 
If the threads on the switch extend into the inside far enough You might could place a shaved nut in there.
Where there's a will, there's a way :)
 
Just drill and tap it for a heli-coil. Use Vasoline on the drill bit and the tap, that will catch most all of the shavings. What it doesn't catch is just aluminum so it won't hurt anything.
 
Yeah, I was thinking using grease or something to catch the burrs, and I suppose aluminum is soft enough against steal bearings. It's a gamble I guess, idk, I might just throw on a switch until I can do it 100% right, lol
 
ckj688 said:
Yeah, I was thinking using grease or something to catch the burrs, and I suppose aluminum is soft enough against steal bearings. It's a gamble I guess, idk, I might just throw on a switch until I can do it 100% right, lol
Click to expand...

I wouldn't screw around with it, it's not worth the trouble. Do it once and do it right. Heli-coil is the best way to go here, if you don't feel comfortable doing it, find someone who can help you.
 
Just a good reason to do a 5 speed swap!....

Take your time tapping cast aluminum, it's east to get crooked. Heli-coil is the way to go as long as you can get the right thread pattern as stated above.
 
or you can go to the pick and pull and have a spare... rebuild the salvaged one(shift kit etc) and well you can figure out the rest lol
 
I would clean it off good w/ gasoline and alcohol and install the switch w/ epoxy. The switch will probably last forever. Next time you rebuild the tranny you can consider the helicoil or bushing fix.

Good luck finding a helicoil that works. The switch has a fine thread, which is rare. Even for common threads, helicoils require a special tap which is expensive. I once found that a standard metric tap was identical (or close) to the special tap needed. Was I lucky or are all their "special taps" actually standard ones and they don't volunteer that information?
 
805moparkid said:
shift kit in a manual trans??
Click to expand...

Worse yet epoxy the switch in? Jebus guys. You can get a heli-coil for any thread pitch and size.

As far as the taps go they are close but not quite the same as standard taps. I've proven this to myself on several occasions. For instance a Heli-coil tap for a 5/16-18 thread bolt hole looks and is nearly identical to a 3/8-18 tap but if you use the heli-coil tap to thread a hole you can't get a 3/8-18 bolt in it, almost but not quite.
 
You guys must have a lot of time on your hands to disassemble a perfectly good transmission down to the case just to fix a stripped sensor thread. New cars use a lot of plastic, with few problems - nylon fuel lines, plastic intake manifolds, and I imagine epoxy in many places. Epoxy has worked well for me in many situations. Tensile strength is ~8 kpsi, versus ~15 kpsi for cast aluminum. Just need a clean surface for a good bond.

In 2000, our 96 Voyager was struck at the front driver's wheel by a SUV that ran a red light. Another 4 ft and my wife would likely be dead. Since Geico refused to pay, I was left to repair the damage while we sued. The top of the transmission case broke off at the mount to the frame rail, which crushed in. I had to reattach to keep the transmission sealed. I used the "knead by hand" epoxy roll. Of course I didn't try to hang it from the repair, but instead ran a steel strap under the transmission from the mount. The only force on the epoxied piece was from the throttle cable attachment. Drove it for 6 yrs until it wouldn't go in reverse and replaced the tranny. Epoxy fixed a significant transmission case problem then.

BTW, both vehicles were insured by Geico and they decided both drivers were equally at fault, and under Georgia law they didn't have to pay anyone. Really? Cars at 90 degrees at a traffic light, somebody is 100% at fault. We got just $2500 because my wife's wimpy lawyer was afraid to take the case to court. My advice - don't insure with the lizard, he doesn't pay claims.
 
Machinist here, Helicoil taps are different. If you step up a size and keep the same pitch it is often similar, but the helicoils don't usually hold properly.
As for taking the sensor to find the right helicoil size make sure you measure the sensor threads and get that size as uninstalled helicoils are a little larger than they become when properly installed so checking them on the sensor before installation won't really help you. If you don't already have the helicoil tools I would recommend you get a kit for your size as buying the bits separately is more expensive.
Lastly if you are trying to do this on the car remember that you have to break off the helicoil tang after installing it so make sure you have a way to get that small piece of steel back out.
 
ckj688 said:
Well, I guess you can call me an idiot for finding this out now, but I went to make sure that the reverse switch was tight and it wasn't...because I soon found out that the threads have been stripped. Here's what the damage looks like...

View attachment 241398

Is there some kind of solution to this or am I kinda screwed here?

Is there a helicoil that I can use here?

Has this happened to anyone else? Kinda the sucky side to having an aluminum transmission.

Any help is greatly appreciated, just when I thought I was near completion this comes up, kind of a spirit crusher.
Click to expand...

if you drill and tap try to put the trans so the the hole is pointing to the ground (so as you drill the drillings are falling toward) also use some kind of grease then if you can with the hole still facing down somehow try and flush for ATF to help clean it out welding the hole may not work remember Aluminum is very porous and soaks up oil
 
hemi71x said:
That happened to me too, years ago on my Hemi GTX when i owned it.
What i did to fix the stripped thread problem, was to strip the transmission down to the bare case, and bring it over to an industrial, machine, welding, shop here in town.
They bored out the area of the case, and pressed in a bronze bushing, then drilled and taped the bushing to the thread size of the switch.
Don't know if you have to go to that extreme, but that was the way out for me.
Click to expand...

This and welding it back up and retapping the aluminum itself are the two correct ways to do it. A lot of trouble, but these are old cars. Can you get by doin it another way? Sure, but why?
 
cuhemida said:
if you drill and tap try to put the trans so the the hole is pointing to the ground (so as you drill the drillings are falling toward) also use some kind of grease then if you can with the hole still facing down somehow try and flush for ATF to help clean it out welding the hole may not work remember Aluminum is very porous and soaks up oil
Click to expand...
Did you ever here of JBWeld I use it for everything with lots of luck. They also make good epoxys.
 
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