Cleaning bolt holes
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: Bellefonte PA
Cleaning bolt holes
What is the best say to clean out all the residual gunk from all my bolt holes before reassembling? The holes in question are rocker covers, rocker plates, breathers, lifter covers, cam plate, and cam cover. Should I get a tap and use it to freshen the threads. They aren't damaged, just kinda gunky. If so, anyone know what size tap(s) I would need for those particular holes? Will brake cleaner work to clean the bolts themselves? Thanks.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 320
Likes: 48
From: Mobile, AL
I bought a set of cheap taps from Harbor Freight to do just that. I smear a little grease in the concave part of the tap to capture the gunk and when finished just spray a little cleaner (I use WD-40) in the bolt holes. Be careful of the spray and painted parts if you use brake cleaner or similar.
Supporter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,189
Likes: 16
From: N.E. Wisconsin
Buy a cheap tap set, because all your doing is cleaning the hole out. The set comes with starter taps and bottom taps, use the bottom taps. If you don't already have one, buy a small air compressor and blow out the holes. A wire brush will be very sufficient for cleaning the bolt threads.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
I've never used a tap set, although that's probably the best idea. Instead, I spray some solvent (naphtha) in the hole and loosen the crud with a q-tip, blowing out the excess solvent with compressed air.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: Bellefonte PA
Seems simple enough. Now forgive my ignorance, but I have never used tap. Is this something simple that I can do without destroying my motor? What exactly does the process entail?
Most of the time if you use a regular tap to clean threads you end up removing metal as well & that can lead to loose fitting threads. A thread chaser tap is better for this.
A brass wire or nylon wire pistol barrel type brush used with brake cleaner & blown out with compressed air does a good job & doesnt damage the original threads.
A brass wire or nylon wire pistol barrel type brush used with brake cleaner & blown out with compressed air does a good job & doesnt damage the original threads.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,826
Likes: 87
From: Cookson, Ok
Do NOT use taps if you can keep from it. There are reasonably priced thread chaser sets out there that won't remove metal, only the gunk. They will also reshape damaged threads to a certain extent.
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