I was finishing up putting my CH18 Command engine back together after replacing the coils and the head gaskets, when I had a big problem. I was installing the flange bolts for the rocker arms, torquing first at 5 foot pounds, then 10 foot pounds and just before I got to 13 foot pounds I heard a little pop! The torque wrench gave way... I knew that I must have stripped the threads in the mounting hole!
I took the bolt out and found several spiral wrappings of aluminum around one section of the bolt. Indeed, I stripped the intake valve mounting hole threads! Well, a little later on, I checked the depth of the mounting hole and discovered that the the threads went deeper than the existing bolt, so I purchased a replacement flange bolt that was about 1/4" longer. I installed the bolt with red locktite and tightened it to about 5 foot pounds. I'm hoping it will be enough to keep it from pulling out when that engine gets to crankin'!
Has anyone else ever stripped the rocker arm threads in the mounting hole on a command engine? If so, how did you fix the problem? I don't want to replace the head, just looking for a simple solution that will hold the arm securely.