Stripped Thread Repair for Gas Cap Screws

[RobP]

A couple of the  gas cap retaining screw holes are stripped out on my tank. I have found thread repair kits for M4 course threads, but not the fine threads.  Has anyone had any luck drilling and re-tapping for M5 screws?  This approach would probably involve re-countersinking the holes in the cap assembly.   

Or another solution?

[Scott_]

Check with a local machine shop?
If they have/can tap M4 fine, the lip area of the tank is aluminum, possibly they could "fill" the stripped hole with aluminum filler and then re-tap the hole again.

[TimTyler]

Or drill the hole all the way through and use a longer screw and a bolt?

Is that a bad idea?  :dunno

[RobP]

I pulled out my tap set to re-confirm the thread size, and found that the threads appear to be M4 x .70, and was able to find thread repair inserts in that size.

I originally got bolluxed up when I read the parts fiche and the screws were listed as M4x10, but those appear to be the WxL dimensions, not the thread size.

[wmax351]

JB Weld may be your friend here.

I'd drill and tap larger to give the JB weld something to grip. Then fill with JB Weld, drill and tap. I wouldn't torque it fully, but it should hold pretty well.