I was doing a tranny fluid change to my 1999 F150 5.4 V8 this weekend and managed to slightly strip a few of the pan bolt threads. The cast aluminum is bound to strip at some point. Anway, has this happened to anybody and what did you do to fix it. I guess I can either try some helicoil or a threaded insert, or even tap a new larger thread. There's probably not much room for a bigger thread though.

Thanks

 

Heli-coil is the best way to fix it. They are available at most auto parts stores.

 

You need to learn some light touch and feel, when a bolt is not going in as it should, unless you like fixing things that are not broke, to begin with..

 

Obviously things can't be fixed until they are broke. Unfortunately sometimes they do break. That's life.

 

I stripped one on mine and just left it. I check it occasionally for leaks and have never had any.

 

Me too carF150 Mine is fine as well

 

as a master machinist.. helicoils are a good alternative to drilling and tapping oversize...but i believe the pan bolts are metric...get the RIGHT set-up and avoid problems like "this bolt goes here..that bolt goes there" etc.. do it right the first time...and drill and tap the hole straight...zap!