Time sert or helicoil?
 

Is there much difference? I was going to buy a helicoil kit, but a lot of people have suggested time sert instead.

Any advice/preference?

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

Used neither, never heard of time sert. HELI-COIL FOR YOU SIR. :)

I'd hazard a guess it being "Snap-on" vs "Halfords" all over again.

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

not quite correct, a heli-coil is a wire coil ( sort of discriptive in the name really) which will provide a track for the threaded bolt or whatever to use, it's very good and requires minimal original material to be removed.

Time-sert is actually a solid bush insert (there are other makes as well), a little stronger than a heli-coil in itself, but reqiues slightly more of the original material to be removed to use it.

Generally where you have limited room in an engine case (for example) and the surrounding metal is good I'd use a Heli-coil, however if there was any cracking or weakness in the surrounding metal (or they work very well in plastics to) a Time-sert works best (bit more expensive to).

Cheers Mark.

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

Ahh I thought it was basically another one that did exactly the same thing to the same standard.

As I see it now, the good man will have both! :D

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

Thanks Mark, very informative!

For my needs, I think heli-coil would be better, as I don't have masses of material to play with.

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

No worries, Oh just another point to remember (for anyone else reading this thread)as well is time-serts leave a lip if you don't countersink them, just something that can cause clearance issues if you don't know, Heli-coils fit flush.

Cheers Mark

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

Just an addition to Mark's excellent concise description.

Helicoil is a trade name, though perhaps one of the best known and generic for thread inserts, but there are other makes. I have some by "Recoil" and also "V-coil".

The kits are quite expensive; drill, tap, inserts and fitting tools. You'll probably only need M6x1.0 and M8x1.25 for most general use, spark plug ones you usually only get if you have a specific need for it. They also come in different lengths, 1xD is often sufficient since it is significantly stronger than the parent alloy engine case material.

There are subtly different inserts, some can have a locking feature (usually a straight section across a chord), and they may or may not have break-off tangs (notched ends which break off when turned backwards or tapped through). Make sure you collect the broken-off tangs.

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

I'm actually quite enjoying this thread.

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

Are they stainless? If so are they magnetic enough to pick up easily if they fall anywhere annoying?

Re: Time sert or helicoil?
 

Badum-tish

Got it helicoiled in the end, though part of me is wishing I had bought a kit. Still, it has worked out cheaper doing it this way. This one stripped because the last person to do a coolant change had gone hammer and tongs tightening the drain plug and pulled the threads. I barely got beyond hand tight before it went :(