Anyone ever stripped the threads out of the head with the exhaust studs. Well, the guy who owned my car before me put studs that were too short in and they didn't bite on enough thread. He tried to tighten them with not enough thread and stripped the head out. To the point, does anybody make T4 step studs? If not, has anyone else encountered this problem (doubt I'm the only one), and if so, how did you fix it. I went to four places looking for step studs today with no luck, so any help would be great. Thanks.
Mark D.

I know there are 9mm X 8mm studs cause I've used them and I think there may be 10mm X 8mm but I haven't personally seen them. Not too tough a job.

Dave

I put in a helicoil, which has held up a couple years so far. I wouldn't call it easy. If the engine is in the car and you're lying on your back, it's cold out, and you haven't used a tap before, and aren't familiar the consistency of 914 head material (which is soft). Well, there is the danger of having the tap go in the wrong direction making it difficult to install your exhaust, or worse, having the tap merely drill a hole. good luck. the factory tapped farther into the head than is used by the stock studs, which is probably why you found "short" studs.

I'm having Len set me up for step studs on my heads. My threads are not bad, but I want it done correctly this time around.

Timesert's will take care of the problem very nicely. They are quite strong and

not to bad to install.

VeeDub parts down here in HB has standard 8-8 studs for $1.. .the steps 8-9 and 8-10 are $3 each. I just bought some yesterday for a coworkers 914.

earlier I recommended 8/9mm step studs on the other parallel thread that's going on right now.

So then today, I went out to the garage to checkout this tiny putt-putt exhaust leak I thought I had, and what do you know? The only 8/9mm step stud I put in my engine when it was rebuilt 1000 miles ago had pulled.

So now I think that unless you're SURE about the quality of your stripped 8mm hole, you should go with the 8/10mm step stud. That way you'll get to good solid aluminum almost for sure.

I'm thinking now about a timesert to repair mine. My stripped out hole is about 9mm, and rough, so I'm not that sure it'll hold even the 10mm for the long run....