How To Repair Stripped OM617 Air Cleaner Lid Stud Threads?
 

I am painting the air cleaner of my OM617 engine, but like 90% of the air cleaners out there, the mounting stud for the lid has stripped threads. I tried hammering the stud out of another air cleaner but it appears they are welded in.

People say to use helicoils, but aren't those for stripped out nuts and wouldn't work for bolts/studs? I was thinking about smearing JB Weld on the stud and then trying to tap it using a nut, but I think it would just break the JB Weld.

I suppose the threaded end of the stud could be cut off and then I could cut off the head of a bolt and have it welded on... or I could cut off the threaded end of the stud, then drill and tap the stud so that I could cut off the head of a bolt, then thread the new piece into the stud--and this new threaded rod would be removable if it should strip again.

You're referring to the vertical screw thing sticking up in the center of the air cleaner right? That goes thru the middle of the lid and the wing nut screws onto? How severely is it stripped? If there is "some" thread all the way along it's length then smearing JB weld on it and rotating a screw all the way down it when it's hardening might restore threads along its length. I had actually contemplated this when I had my 240D which had a similar problem but I still had just enough thread that it wasn't yet necessary.

- Peter.

If you put oil on the bolt the JB weld won't dry on it.

If you have access to a tap and die set, you could chase the threads to a smaller size and use a smaller nut.

This is the only thing I have read so far that sounds like it has a chance to work.

... get a different air cleaner?

ahh. I see the problem, you have the 116SD... it's hard to find THAT air cleaner. I've got two of them... I think.

It would be nice to see a pic of the Air Filter Housing Stud.

If we knew what size the threads are the local Homedepot sells Metric Rod Couplings. If the have the size that matches a Metric Die could be used to thread the Stud down further.
The buggered threads could be cut off and the Rod Coupling screwed onto the Stud and ajusted for heignt. Loctite or JB Weld could be used on the Rod coupling.
After that you would use a Metric Bolt through the Air Filter Housing Lid to hold it on.
You could do the above with American threads if the Stud OD is close enough for that.

Simiilar to the above except that you do not thread the Stud. You rough the stud up with a File and you put on any size Rod Coupling that is a tight Fit on the Shaft with JB Weld. (You need to put the JB Weld inside of the Rod Coupling threads before installation.)
Before you do any JB Welding you need size up how much of the original stud you are going to cut off.

Thanks for all of the responses. This is the stud that is in the center of the air cleaner that holds on the lid. There are about two threads up top, but below them it is almost completely smooth. I might try the JB Weld trick. I just bought a wing nut from a power steering pump that looks really good on there. It actually threads on and gives a bit of pressure, but if I tighten it any more it pops loose. It will probably hold well enough for now, but I know it's only a matter of time before it gets worse.

I'm thinking I might at a later time cut off the threaded rod and drill and tap a hole in the stud so I can thread in a length of threaded rod that can be removed later on if it strips out.

Diesel911, I think I know what you are saying about the couplers... one end is female, and the other is male, right? The nut that threads onto the stud takes a 10mm wrench, but I can't think of what the thread size is at the moment.

My air cleaner is the same type every other OM617 uses, except for the 1978 and 1979 300SD, California, and 1985 model years--though since the oil separator was broken, I was using the early lid without the hole. I'm short on money, unemployed, and trying to move out of state, so I'm not in a position to buy another air cleaner just yet.

Below is a picture of my air cleaner (finally got the proper lid with a breather hole and a good oil separator to replace the one that was broken):

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7...0/DSC06653.JPG

That is a good idea.

I did not know that the Stud turned into a fatter rod until you posted the pic.

Hmm. looking at the pic, is it possible to remove the stud from the thick shaft?
maybe grind it smooth, and drill out the shaft, and set a stud in there?

take another pic showing the air horn opening side... I wanna see if I can toss one your way that will work.

I've got the air cleaner painted and installed. There are enough threads to hold on the wingnut for now.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...80300sd330.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2...80300sd331.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f...80300sd332.JPG

I think that the next time I need to remove my air cleaner I am going to cut off the threads, drill, tap, and insert a new stud. I am practicing on a spare air cleaner I have that had a broken stud (it's an older style than the one I am using, but I want to sell it after I repair it).
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B...0/DSC06712.JPG

I cut off the stud completely with a Dremel tool and cutoff disc. I'm in the process of drilling and tapping the shaft, but it's taking many hours to cut into it.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-I...0/DSC06714.JPG

Maybe grind that center post down, and weld a bolt on it with the threads facing up?

I bought a metric tap that came with a drill bit.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5...0/DSC06716.JPG

To make a new stud I cut the head off of a spare bolt.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y...0/DSC06737.JPG

Then I drilled deep enough to be able to put in enough threads (if you don't drill deep enough, the tap will bottom out and when you try to thread in in further it will rip out your threads).
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b...0/DSC06739.JPG

I put JB Weld on the threads of the stud and screwed it in with the help of two nuts jammed together until there was about 10mm sticking out. After waiting 24 hours, the repair was a success (and if the stud strips out in the future, it can be removed and replaced).
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-p...0/DSC06823.JPG

And here is the wing nut in place. Now I can sell the spare air cleaner.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n...0/DSC06832.JPG