Well, I'm in the process of putting on my 799 Heads and I ran into a serious problem. While cleaning out one of the bolt holes with paper towel I got a wad (maybe the size of a cubic centimeter I would say or a little larger) of wet paper towel stuck in the bottom of one of the bolt holes. I have tried just about everything and have only managed to get small pieces of it out at a time and there is still a good 1/8th to 1/4 inch thick (uncompressed) wad of paper towel in the bottom of this hole. It is the bottom passenger head bolt hole, second from the front. I have tried using a drill bit, clothes hanger, a claw grabbing tool, compressed air, co2, shop vacuum, and much more I'm probably forgetting.

My question now I guess is. If I cannot get this out of there. Am I pretty much done for? Is there no way I can torque down a head bolt with this in the way?

 

Is the paper wet? Can you try to dry it out with something and use something thin with some duct tape on the end to try and get it out?

 

Just throwing this out there and it may sound kinda funny but.......What about threading a bolt or a tap all the way down and putting a small dab of something sticky of your choice on the very end? Maybe some good tacky glue or something. You can always chase the threads back out if you get a little glue or something on them.

I'm thinking if you ran a longer bolt down in there with something like that on the tip, then let it dry, then back the bolt out. Shot in the dark but maybe worth a try......

 

why why would u put paper towel down there do u think it would be silly to somehow burn it w/a long match of a sorts, and then use an air chuck and blow the debris out?

 

Not a bad idea at all actually. Hell just a small butane torch would probably do the trick. You aren't going to hurt anything else with that little bit of heat. I would give that a go!

 

Because LS1howto told me to

Anyways. I got enough of it removed with some weird claw grabby tool I bought at a farm store. It's been a few hours but from measuring I have about 1/8th an of an inch clearance now between the towel and where the bottom of the bolt will end up. So I'm assuming that I'm good to torque the heads down.

 

Glad that worked for you, the butane torch would be a pretty decent idea too

 

We clean bolt holes with cleaning taps not paper towels mmmmk?

Seriously, it will probably be fine. I would go after it with a thin wire though before giving up.

 

use a couple drop of gas down the hole and fire it up.. the ash will blow out with air and it wont be anywhere close to getting hot enough to do damage

 

i wouldnt put a bolt down there the paper may or may not do damage... dont even risk it

 

Just for good measure

 

I liked the idea the guy above had o burning it. Thats what i'd do. Than blow in it and make sure all the **** is out of there.

 

Use a mapp gas torch for a couple seconds or use a shop vac to try and suck/blow it out.

 

I flooded my bolt holes with brake cleaner and used a craftsman shop vac, they were super clean.

 

get a small straw and duct tape it to the end of your vacuum hose. put it down into the hole and it will suck out that paper.

 

Seen this happen before and in the end result it was burnt out wiTh a torch.

 

And here I thought I did the silly thing using a thread chaser, brake cleaner, and an air hose to clean the bolt holes. Who knew I could have just raided the wifes kitchen to clean the block.

 

I think the intent with the papertowels is to soak up any coolant in the bolt holes....as an alternative to compressed air- not as a way to properly clean the bolt holes.

 

A mighty vac oughta do the trick.

 

I use both compressed air and then paper towels to get the coolant out. I am always surprised just how much coolant can escape the compressed air. I have never had any trouble with the paper towel staying in, but you do have to be careful how you do it.