Originally Posted by
Ron66
I would have liked to do this but it was a 6mm stud and had broken about 1/4" below the surface. No way I could have controlled the arc in such a small hole even with my mig.
That's what TIG is for. More precise. 
But as Gary said, often with exhaust studs in alum, the best thing is just to plan on a Heli-Coil right from the start. Because it's so easy for the drill to dive into the aluminum, it's often best to make up an alignment jig that you can bolt to the good stud, with a guide hole or drill bushing to keep you centered and aligned.
Long arc, short arc, heliarc and in-the-dark!
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