Cleaning out head bolt threads...

Schlodes · Jul 4, 2004

Got everything tore apart yesterday... its tore down to the bare shortblock.

What do you guys use to clean out the head bolt holes in the block? Taking my time with this as I am on vacation all week.

Wasn't bad, went from a running car... tore down to the bare shortblock in a few hours... Going to port match the Edelbrock lower, and open up the inlets on my Mac headers as the ports on the AFRs are a tad bigger...

Lotsa cleaning & stuff to do...

But anyways, i need to clean out the threads in the head bolt holes...

How do you guys do it/what do you use?

Hope to have it all done [with pics... i'll post em] and running, by Tuesday at the latest...

Tanks!!!!!!!!

Thanks.

5 Liter Mustang · Jul 4, 2004

i would recomend running the correct tap through them to get all the dirt out from between the threads, and then blowing them out with compressed air.

cardudeusa · Jul 5, 2004

I ran a tap thorugh them with my drill, on a very low speed 2 or 3 times.

sn9550 · Jul 5, 2004

I used a thread chase set and a shop vac. You could also do what the others said or use a clean bolt of the correct size. I think cleaning everything is what takes the most time.

Michael Yount · Jul 5, 2004

I would never use a tap with a drill - I'd only turn them by hand (with the proper tap-holder - it's a t-handle affair) - you won't do any damage turning them by hand. Also, there's a difference between a tap (designed to cut new threads) and a thread chaser - designed to clean existing threads. They also make both types in styles designed to go into holes that bottom out (blind hole) and those that are drilled through - so if you can, use the proper tool for the type of hole/thread you're cleaning up. If you have a choice, use a thread chaser on existing threads. As mentioned before - if the block is in the car - use compressed air and/or a shop vac to clean them out after chasing the threads. If the short block is out of the car - rotate it on the stand so the holes are facing down, then simply use brake cleaner to hose them out - the debris will fall out onto your catch pan below. Use ARP moly lube/thread sealer to lube and seal your head bolts/studs when you put it back together.

cardudeusa · Jul 5, 2004

Why is a drill not a good idea? It worked really well for me. The little T handle thing wouldn't fit because would hit the headers or fire wall, and a wrench took WAYYYYYYYYYYYY too long bent over the car.

Michael Yount · Jul 5, 2004

If the tap is misthreaded, or if you encounter some obstruction with the drill - it has so much force that you often do damage before you knew there was a problem. By hand - you can usually 'feel' issues like that and make a different choice before something is damaged. Just my choice - if the drill's been workin' for you, more power to the drill!

RYC CUKR · Jul 5, 2004

What Mr. Yount said. They way to tell the difference between a bottom tap, designed to clean out threads and a starter tap is the very end of it. The starter tap has a pointy end and the bottom tap has a flat end so that it will bottom out and clean the threads at the end of the blind hole.

Michael Yount · Jul 5, 2004

...or it'll at least clean down to the bottom couple of threads.

jrichker · Jul 5, 2004

Home brew thread chasers - if you have a cut off tool or dremel, you can make your own thread chasers.

Using a cut off wheel, make a long cut down the threaded part of the bolt. Small bolts like 5/16" will only have room for two parallel cuts. Larger bolts like 7/16" can use three cuts if you have a very steady hand. The cut off wheel will cut a slot through the threads with nice sharp egdes, but is not hard enough to cut the metal like a tap would. You can tread a die or nut on the bolt first and then cut the end off and use the nut to clean the treads. This will make a bottoming type thread chaser from an ordinary bolt.

cardudeusa · Jul 5, 2004

jrichker said:
Home brew thread chasers - if you have a cut off tool or dremel, you can make your own thread chasers.

Using a cut off wheel, make a long cut down the threaded part of the bolt. Small bolts like 5/16" will only have room for two parallel cuts. Larger bolts like 7/16" can use three cuts if you have a very steady hand. The cut off wheel will cut a slot through the threads with nice sharp egdes, but is not hard enough to cut the metal like a tap would. You can tread a die or nut on the bolt first and then cut the end off and use the nut to clean the treads. This will make a bottoming type thread chaser from an ordinary bolt.

Best idea yet!!! I need to do that.

Schlodes · Jul 5, 2004

Heads are on!!!!

Well,

I got a correct size tap, and just went in and out of each hole 2 times, then used compressed air to blow em out, then shop vac'd them all after.. Even the tap was removing gunk and junk from the holes. Just clamped my baby vice grips onto the end of the tap, and slowly turned it by hand.

I used a wire wheel on a die grinder and carefully cleaned off the deck surface and pistons. Then.. Rigourously cleaned the block deck off with brake cleaner, probably 5 times over on each side, then set the gaskets down [Fel Pro] then the heads. ARP bolts. Upper bolts got got 30 wt motor oil, lower bolts Permatex thread sealant. Every bolt screwed in fine by hand except for one top one, that was just stiff enough to need a rachet but so loose with the rachet it felt like it should have been by hand.

Once the bolts were all in, I tightened them in proper sequence to 20 ft lbs. Then to 40 ft lbs. Then to 70 ft lbs. Then did the top ones to 80 like the AFR papers suggested.

The worst is over.. I eneded up doing a prettry neat little port job on the lower of the Edelbrock... Nothign drastic but a big diff in port match up. I set the intake down and the port matching is almost perfect Just have to install the upper and lower with the fuel stuff, and the headers, and accessories.

Taking my sweet time this way nothings rushed.

Schlodes · Jul 7, 2004

GRRRRR. I knew it was going to smooth.

I was installing the rockers last night, and all's going well, had to add one shim to most [i'd say 3/4s] of them to get em to reach 18 ft lbs within 1/4 to 1 full turn, but not all needed a shim... then on the 2nd last set, I am torquing down the one rocker bolt, and "pop" the aluminum pedestal broke

It had to be a casting flaw or something cause the rest of them were fine, and I continued on and finished the rest and they torqued down ok...

Place won't have em in till Friday. A whole week to change the freakin heads and intake Oh well, i'm gonna detail and go to town painting stuff now like brakets etc.. whereas before I didnt realy care... was more into functionality of it all.

What can ya do... Part of the fun eh??

Ray III · Jul 7, 2004

low speed low torque power tools are ok for taps but NOT for cutting threads or where the tap turns with great difficulty.

I use an air ratchet on taps because I am impatient, and have become an expert on broken tap extraction

Michael Yount · Jul 7, 2004

You made me chuckle Ray...

"I use an air ratchet on taps because I am impatient, and have become an expert on broken tap extraction "

Cleaning out head bolt threads...

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