Air Intake Mounting Screws Question (4 Viewers)

[BWolfe]

2000 LC 166k

While finishing up my alternator install I broke the very last screw I was putting back in - the air intake mounting screw nearest the firewall. Go figure.

I got around to tapping it out the is weekend, and I ended up having to drill so I could rethread. I ordered new oem screws, so I thought I knew what the depth was, but it was more shallow than I anticipated. My bit went into the triangle shaped section of the block.

What did I drill into?!? It’s definitely a cavity of some sort, but there seems to be no oil whatsoever… I rethreaded and installed the new screw and everything is nice and snug.

TIA mud fam!

 

[BWolfe]

Ok so that’s the valve cover. Dammit. With hindsight being 20/20 I should’ve just let it alone. I was running a shop vac the entire time, but maybe I should take it off just to be sure?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Yeah, it's a tapped hole in the valve cover, but doesn't go all the way through.

There's a metal "tray" on the underside of the valve cover, so it's not like any metal shavings would be dropping straight into the valve train, but they could eventually wash off that tray and down in. Not sure what to tell you. Me, I'd go 100% safe and get a replacement valve cover, even just from a yard and any 4.7. But, I'm sure you could also cover the threads of the new bolt in FPIG and be fine too. Or even a valve cover bolt that has a gasket on it.

 

[BWolfe]

Yeah, it's a tapped hole in the valve cover, but doesn't go all the way through.

View attachment 3973202

There's a metal "tray" on the underside of the valve cover, so it's not like any metal shavings would be dropping straight into the valve train, but they could eventually wash off that tray and down in. Not sure what to tell you. Me, I'd go 100% safe and get a replacement valve cover, even just from a yard and any 4.7. But, I'm sure you could also cover the threads of the new bolt in FPIG and be fine too. Or even a valve cover bolt that has a gasket on it.

Thank you.

What about using a double thread bolt to cap it? Better off using FPIG?