I did a bad thing

[treesitter]

Before anyone says anything- I know this was stupid and I shouldn't have done it but too late now...lesson learned...but here is the situation.

Yesterday while mowing the Cub stalled a couple times. I took the carb off to clean which usually does the trick, which a newer Zenith carb that was put on just before I bought the Cub. While putting it back on, one of the manifold bolts stripped the aluminum on the carb and wouldn't hold. I never noticed/felt it striping it before but I must not have been paying close enough attention in the past. Anyway, It wouldn't hold. Sooooo, I got the bright idea to just vice-grip that side just to get to the barn. Well, I vice gripped it too much and the bottom part of the casting flange on the manifold snapped.

That was the stupid thing.

I got a longer bolt thinking it might sink in far enough to catch some threads near the bottom which it did so it is now holding the snapped off piece in place and I actually got to mow the rest of the yard. Figured if it works, it works. Wish I tried that first.

I plan on getting a new used manifold. What are the chances of tapping the aluminum on the carb? Any other thoughts?

Thought of the Holmer Simpson quote but instead of "talking" I was "doing"- "Just when I thought I did the stupidest thing ever, I just kept doing".

Andy

[Bigdog]

Helicoil!

[Merlin]

Drill the threads out on the carburetor flange and use a bolt with a nut on it.

[Ron L]

Either of the above would work, but a helicoil would be the best fix and be close to normal. Use loc-tite with the helicoil.........(on the helicoil, not the bolt!)

[Denis]

I have used a Helicoil on mine, it works perfectly.

[treesitter]

Thanks. I thought of using a nut/bolt if what turned out to work, didn't work. I'll try the helicoil.

Andy