ALPINA wheel valves

[Raj]

Great thread. I need to do this on my E46 B3 but do not have the confidence to do it myself. Is there anyone around Birmingham or the midlands that can do this for me? Either a garage or a member? Happy to pay.

[PliSsK]

What 1/8 x 28 BSP helicoil kit did you use in the end? Can you recommend one? I had a look around and could only find 3 different ones: Uni-Thread 00478, V-Coil VC04190 (that does not include the 25/64" drill bit) and a Recoil kit.

Alloywheelsdirect in their description for these valves restate the ALPINA thread spec of 1/8 WW which is from what I understand incorrect.

BTW although the instruction sheet from ALPINA says to use Loctite 243 or 2701, they are different types of threadlocker, the 2701 is green and high strength and is the original used according to ALPINA. 243 is blue is medium strength and is what ALPINA told me to use when installing a new valve. Incidentally the blue Loctite threadlocker 'normal medium strength' that you can buy at most retailers has the same SDS as 243 so is in fact the same product it would seem.

ALPINA told me in an email:

'Changing the valve on a rim ain´t easy! You need to heat up the valve with a torch to melt the green Loctite which was trickeled to the thread in production process, otherwise you will damage the thread in the rim. You also need a thread cutter R 1/8" to clean and re-cut the thread in the rim, trickle some blue loctite to the new valve and screw it in.'

[Avtar]

If 25NM of torque is far too high, does anyone have guidance on what it should be?

[Charles]

If 25NM of torque is far too high, does anyone have guidance on what it should be?

Finger tight plus a nip!