7/16x14 NC die is the one you use to clean the bolts, right ? In order to clean them up, by removing the old sealant.

 

Yep. Cleaning/thread chasing tap works, or an el cheapo normal tap.

EDIT - I thought you meant the holes. The bolts themselves, yes the die. Or just use a wire brush wheel on a bench mounted grinder. THAT makes short work of them. You'll just get your die all gunky. Use head bolt washers on reinstall, MRG makes them.

 

yep sounds good, i would run the bolts in a die, and use an electric impact wrench to run them up and down several times

 

an electric impact? can you say over kill i would say by hand unless you are a little on the wimpy side

 

its slow to do them by hand, but i wouldnt every try to thread a bolt using an electric impact, just to clean up the threads

 

That's exactly WHY I asked, since I started doing one of them, and it's really tough work, so I had to make sure I was using the right tool and the right size.

I don't know where I put my wire wheel so, ok.. thanks guys

 

I always used a wire wheel chucked in my electric drill. Most hardware stores carry them in different diameters.

I first clamp the bolt in my bench vise held by the head. Zip-Zip; done deal.

Jake

 

Yeah I managed to find my drill mounted small wire wheel, but the one I used the die on still looks better. Heck I'm to the point where I'm considering just buying new head bolts, but I don't feel like spending 35-50 bucks, minimum, on just .. bolts

 

if your doing anything other than a stock rebuild i would get so new bolts from ARP they would be worth it well to me they would be

 

This is simply a stock rebuild (everything minus bearings and piston rings), because my car broke down, turned out to be the flexplate to torque converter bolt flying out and jamming the starter, however the engine was burning oil anyway and it looks like there was blow-by as well.

I'm using my buddy's old engine for the rebuild, my old one well I'll probably do some serious work to that one, since I may do a TPI swap and supercharge it.

 

i use a wire wheel on a bench grinder.. takes all of 15 seconds each and cleans EVERYTHING OFF..

 

Unfortunately I can't find my bench grinder wire wheel, so I'm using my drill mounted one. Takes a bit longer than 15 seconds but oh well. For the next build I may go and use an impact wrench and the die.

 

i use wire brush on a bench grinder for bolts and one in a cordless drill for bolt holes.