When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
On my Super E carb body, the threaded left hole (at nine o'clock in the pic below) in the body to which the air cleaner backing plate attaches is missing threads. Some are in there, but they are much deeper in than those in the other two holes (these are the holes into which the bolts go that hold the air cleaner bracket on). By "deeper" I mean it looks like several of the initial threads were somehow pulled out. Gone. Not just stripped, the diameter of the opening is actually a bit wider than it should be at the opening. Seriously stripped! There do appear to be decent threads in there, much deeper. Problem is, the standard AC backing plate bolts aren't long enough to go thru the plate and reach those threads. I was thinking of just trying to find a longer bolt, but there still may not be enough threads to hold a new bolt securely. And I don't want one of them coming loose and going through the carb into the engine! So another option is buying a new carb body. Pricey. Is that something I can find used, or do I have to buy it new? Or I couldnbuy a new carb. Even more pricey. Would it be wise to ream the hole and fill it with an insert and retap? That scares me a bit, because of the possibility of it coming loose and going into the engine.
Are these my only options? I don't really want to run with just two bolts, although I suppose I could. What would you do?
Last edited by scooper321; Apr 6, 2020 at 10:27 PM.
I’d try a heli-coil. Look on Amazon for a heli-coil kit for the thread size you need and you’ll get a kit with everything you need to rethread the hole to the original size.
Agreed, a helicoil is the best way, but if you aren't comfortable doing that, those bolts aren't supposed to be all that tight. How long are the remaining threads? You can probably use a longer bolt there, and blue loctite all three as you should anyway. I'd support the air filter assembly from the head(s), and you should also have a carb support bracket to help with vibrations and intake leaks.
From the description, it sounds like a previous helicoil may have failed.
Thats an interesting thought. And you may be correct. If so, then the whole is the perfect size for a Heli coil again. Its actually quite smooth at the out rim, like you would expect a drill hole to be. Perhaps the previous owner didnt use red Loctite on it? I think Im going to try the longer bolt approach first, with blue Loctite, of course. If that doesnt work, then I will try a helicoil with red locktite on the coil, blue on the bolt.
Make it a stud, lock tight it in or use the 3m aluminum repair, you won't want to keep removing it when you work on it and making matters worse...safety wire it(the nut) if it makes you nervous as far as a nut close to the intake....
Last edited by riggpigg; Apr 13, 2020 at 11:05 PM.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
What would you do?
