Those who have also retro-fitted PAS .... heres a tip for the bracket threads

[Ben Lessani]

Hi guys,

Well, after a 180 mile drive in the Golf, I'd built my confidence back up again (bear in mind it was off the road for 4 months, and only got its MOT 3 days ago). Then I hear an almighty clunk, I immediately pull onto the hard shoulder - give the car a quick inspection and all seems fine. I drove cautisouly for the next 35 miles.

I pushed it up on the axel stands this morning and spotted the culprit,



The rear bottom PAS bracket bolt had come out. I had trouble with this originally because the block itself didn't have threads in it for the bolts, so I tapped them as best I could - but it simply wasn't very deep. I hoped the tension alone and the fact the bolt was torqued to around 10NM should suffice, but it popped out it seems. Don't worry - my belts aren't setup like that, they are like this, that was the only photo I could find.



When any of you guys fitted PAS, did you find this (or is it just my block '86 1.8 8v K-Jet). I'm going to try tapping and threadlocking a new bolt in place, failing that a helicoil might be neccessary.

Help me out guys, I'm driving 220 miles in 2 days and I need a decent fix!

[clipperjay]

helicoil might be neccessary.

anything delicate and needs to be strong you cant beat a helicoil just do it by hand is the best things to do or a very slow drill press.
Alternatives is it alu if it is? Plug it then re drill deeper!

[Ben Lessani]

The holes are at the back/side of the block itself, so its cast iron.

The reason why I'm so puzzled was as to why those holes weren't threaded to begin with. If I could drill deeper I could cut a new thread, but I'm afraid I might drill into an oil way or the sump itself, I can't quite work out if its safe to drill right through.

The other option is to drill a bigger diameter hole and tap that, and use a 15mm bolt in place of a 13mm.

[Ben Lessani]

I have had a look, and there's no hope for tapping it - any kind of thread has gone.

All I need to know is, can I drill deeper - or should I drill wider?

Wheres Rubjonny when you need him.........

[clipperjay]

What you can do is drill wider and put a sleave over that long bolt if I remember rightly but make sure you get it tight enough and it doesn't slip around or just tap the copper sleave into the hole!If there is enough room you can out another locking nut on a very longer thread?
If you need it super tight just braze around the iron and steel/copper sleave with silver rods it should take with a bit of flux?
 

 

[Ben Lessani]

I got under it today and there was enough width to get away with boring the hole wider, so I drilled it out to a M10, 8.5mm drill bit mixed with a M10x1.5 tap. Re-drilled the bracket to 10mm, and stuck two new bolts with plenty of loctite in its place.

It seems rock solid now.