Tips for cleaning out head bolt holes...?

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 15, 2009 | 04:50 AM

Soul TKR

Thread Starter

TECH Junkie

iTrader: (4)

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 3,543

Likes: 2

From: San Diego, CA

Tips for cleaning out head bolt holes...?

Hey guys... just pulled one of my heads the other day. I know having any kind of fluids in those bolt holes is cause for a cracked block... soooooo....

what techniques have you guys used to make sure they are good and dry?

Mar 15, 2009 | 06:18 AM

litle88

12 Second Club

iTrader: (20)

Joined: Jan 2007

Posts: 2,561

Likes: 4

From: Burbank, Illinois

grind one side of the old bolt then run it thru slowly. Then spend 100 bux fora set of arp head bolts. Soul why u getting the heads off? Isin't that a new motor? Everything ok?

Mar 15, 2009 | 07:30 AM

VIPRETR2

10 Second Club

iTrader: (63)

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 757

Likes: 0

I usually roll up some strips of the blue shop paper towels and put them down the bolt holes to soak up some coolant for a bit. Then I do the stock head bolt with channels ground in to chase the threads. Then I hook up a small diameter nylon tube to the end of my air gun and blow out the holes starting from the bottom a few times each. Takes a while but everything comes out. Good luck,

Larry

Mar 15, 2009 | 09:29 AM

massls1guy

TECH Fanatic

iTrader: (9)

Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 1,311

Likes: 0

From: Mass

Quote:

Originally Posted by litle88

grind one side of the old bolt then run it thru slowly.

That's a good technique to get the factory thread lock crap out of the holes. But I would get the coolant out before I put any bolt in there.

Mar 15, 2009 | 10:29 AM

Grimes

TECH Addict

iTrader: (3)

Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 2,636

Likes: 2

From: Northern NJ

shop vac with a straw duct taped to the end of it....will go right down the hole, lol. that and then let it sit with towels rolled up in them.

Mar 15, 2009 | 10:36 AM

RyderTA

11 Second Club

iTrader: (3)

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 257

Likes: 0

From: Utah

I used some straws with my air compressor and ate a few face-fulls of coolant just yesterday.

It works well, all sorts of **** came flying out of there.

Mar 15, 2009 | 11:01 AM

BYE RICE

TECH Regular

iTrader: (2)

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 492

Likes: 1

From: (904)

I affixed a piece of 1/4" dia rubber hose to the end of the shop vac hose with masking tape
& fed it down inside the bolt holes.
It worked well enough.

Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?

Pouria Savadkouei

Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine

Verdad Gallardo

7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built

Verdad Gallardo

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Verdad Gallardo

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Pouria Savadkouei

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Verdad Gallardo

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Pouria Savadkouei

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Verdad Gallardo

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Verdad Gallardo

Mar 15, 2009 | 01:50 PM

bigdsz

TECH Fanatic

iTrader: (1)

Joined: Jun 2003

Posts: 1,876

Likes: 1

From: Mount Dora, Fla

About 15" of 1/4" clear tubing attached with tape to an air blow gun. After the inital purging, shoot some WD40 in and purge again.Guaranteed clean bolt holes.

Mar 15, 2009 | 01:55 PM

#10

Soul TKR

Thread Starter

TECH Junkie

iTrader: (4)

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 3,543

Likes: 2

From: San Diego, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by litle88

grind one side of the old bolt then run it thru slowly. Then spend 100 bux fora set of arp head bolts. Soul why u getting the heads off? Isin't that a new motor? Everything ok?

wish I still had my old bolts... these are ARP's that I took out...

oh and as far as my motor goes... -----> https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...well-sort.html

thanks for all the tips guys... haven't had a chance to read through them as i'm running late to work right now, but when I get back in i'll look em over

Mar 15, 2009 | 02:48 PM

#11

slothy

Staging Lane

iTrader: (2)

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 58

Likes: 0

From: St. Clair Shores, Mi.

if you cant find a way, i have all my old bolts still since i went to studs, i can send you some.

Mar 15, 2009 | 06:22 PM

#12

davered00ss

Moderator

iTrader: (4)

Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 10,520

Likes: 0

From: Plainfield, CT

Copper tubbing hooked up to the end of an air hose. blow them out several times.

Mar 16, 2009 | 08:57 AM

#13

382ssz28

11 Second Club

iTrader: (24)

Joined: Dec 2007

Posts: 638

Likes: 0

From: N Canto, Ohio

Buy the tool! Use compressed air with brake cleaner and it will come out spotless.

Mar 16, 2009 | 04:56 PM

#14

Soul TKR

Thread Starter

TECH Junkie

iTrader: (4)

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 3,543

Likes: 2

From: San Diego, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by 382ssz28

Buy the tool! Use compressed air with brake cleaner and it will come out spotless.

what tool are you talking about?

Mar 16, 2009 | 05:58 PM

#15

Speed Density

hashtagBMW

iTrader: (38)

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 6,572

Likes: 2

From: Boise, Idaho

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimes

shop vac with a straw duct taped to the end of it....will go right down the hole, lol. that and then let it sit with towels rolled up in them.

I did that the opposite way. Used a coffee straw on the end of my compressor and blew that **** out.

Mar 16, 2009 | 07:21 PM

#16

Sammyboy

TECH Regular

iTrader: (9)

Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 432

Likes: 0

From: Knoxville, TN

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimes

shop vac with a straw duct taped to the end of it....will go right down the hole, lol. that and then let it sit with towels rolled up in them.

exactly what I did...except I used medical tubing...worked like a charm

Mar 17, 2009 | 12:11 AM

#17

slothy

Staging Lane

iTrader: (2)

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 58

Likes: 0

From: St. Clair Shores, Mi.

ya i took a stock head bolt ground a few flutes into them and ran it in and out a few times till threads where clean. And for coolant, shop vac with a reducer to 1/8" dia tubing to suck the holes dry.

Mar 17, 2009 | 11:33 AM

#18

Notmyvette

Launching!

iTrader: (1)

Joined: Mar 2009

Posts: 259

Likes: 0

Anybody know if I can just buy one used head bolt? to clean out the threads....I can go to the hardware store and get a bolt to modify right?

Mar 17, 2009 | 08:46 PM

#19

eallanboggs

TECH Addict

iTrader: (1)

Joined: Mar 2002

Posts: 2,080

Likes: 1

From: New Orleans

No one mentioned the drain plugs(one on each side). After you remove those there's to water to worry about. Short of that blast it out with the compressor. You can cut down on the mess by using the rolled up paper towels first. If you're going to spring for ARP go with studs, not bolts.