Head Bolt Thread Clean Out
 

Hello folks, I am trying to find a cleanout tap or thread chaser long enough to clean up the block for my head bolts.

Any body have a line on these that don't cost a bunch?

Have had a couple friends say just use a standard tap but I was under the impression that a standard tap would still remove material.

Yes - a standard tap may remove material. I have read where people used bottoming taps for thread cleanup, but they have the same material-removal issue. How deep do you need to go down the holes? Are standard thread-chasers too short? Kastar makes a thread-cleanup kit - I think Sears/Craftsman and others re-label it, but you can probably find it online. One trick listed here is to take a grade-8 or grade 9 bolt (lightly lubricated) and run it in and out several times. You might take a high-grade bolt and cut slots in it lengthwise - that would basically give you an extra-long thead chaser (I would run it through a cleanup die first, though - to clean up the edges of the slots).

texasprd,
Right about the time of your response my dad gave me one of those "Are you serious" looks. Then he asked if I forgot how to make a clean up tap out of a bolt. Darn Okie has forgotten more tricks than I will ever know.
Since I am replacing the head bolts any way I will use one to make a clean out .
Thank you for your help.

You're very welcome. I know the feeling. There are times when I've been trying to do something and my son will call my attention to something I'm totally missing and I just have to shake my head at myself.

You've probably taken care of your issue by now, but here's a discussion (post #7) mentioning a nifty way that I had never seen before for cleaning up threads - a . You would of course need one for the correct thread pattern, but you get the idea...

texasprd, That is cool I have never seen those back-taps before.

I made some clean outs from the old head bolts already but I will save that link. Those suckers may come in handy with all the old junk I mess around with.

Thank you.