Question about the A.I.R. Injection brace bolt hole leak. The bolt hole used to bolt the brace/bracket which the air pump and a/c compressor are attached to. Near the old fuel pump bolt cover. It appears I have the leak, but everything is stock. Are these known to leak, even with a bolt in them? It had never been apart in the past, so everything is bone stock from the factory.





(Stole this picture from another thread - apparently this is known as the Sofakingdom bolt hole leak)

 

They sure can. Remove bolt (or stud) clean threads with a spray cleaner of choice, put sealant on threads and put it back in. I use Teflon paste for pipe threads.

 

Thanks a bunch, all evidence pointed to it, but couldn't seem to locate another source..... so was scratching my head as to how it could leak so much

 

I did not know about this one. Lesson learned (if I can still remember it when I need it).

And Wow! Sofa got a bolt hole leak named for him? Sweet!

 

Curious does that bolt open into a oil or water gallery? That is what was leaking?

 

not exactly sure what it is, but its oil. i have read it is a remnant of the days of mechanical fuel pumps. the sbc block hadn't changed, and the fuel pump opening is just capped off. what I do know for sure, is with the bolt out, I can run a piece of wire into a hole, guessing an oil galley.

 

It's just open to the fuelpump pushrod hole which is open to the inside of the engine. Just crankcase pressures.
When removing a old mechanical fuel pump, you take out that short bolt, put in a longer one, snug it to hold the fuel pump pushrod in place so it doesn't fall out.

 

Yes, it's a drip lubrication hole to lubricate the FP pushrod.

 

and inadvertently crank down too hard (not much is really required) and snap the push rod, turning the job into an all dayer after a visit to two or three parts store for a new rod which no one seems to carry anymore.

 

Holy crap, If you can even snap it b4 stripping the threads out, my hats off to you!!!

 

it shattered, non-ductile, brittle failure

couldn't have been more than 20 ft-lbs-the threads were tight and i didn't feel the bolt engage the rod

just be careful with the torque on the hold down bolt.

 

 

def hardens and brittle, back when I had a mech pump I shattered one by dropping it off the hood of my truck onto the driveway