Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How do you remove old sealer (tar) from nuts/bolts?

I can't find the answer on Google so I thought I'd ask here because there are a lot of good mechanics on here.

I'm replacing all the brake components on my 1980 Chevy K20 pickup and things were going pretty good until I got to replacing the original power brake booster. There's a few videos on YouTube but none that help. The main problem is that the booster is attached to the firewall with six studs that have 15mm lock nuts and all of them but the top 2 are sprayed with sealant. I was able to remove the top 2 nuts but I can't even get a socket on the other 4 that you can barely see. I'll probably have to remove the hood so I can see them better. I'm also removing the emergency brake assembly (it has 2 studs with lock nuts) to repair it and was able to break the break the nuts loose but was only able to remove the nuts about 1/4 of the way because the treads were sprayed with sealant.

I've tried paint thinner and gasoline with a wire brush on the nuts and threads but it didn't remove anything. I might try paint remover next. I've been working on cars since I was a teenager and this is the first time I've run into this problem.

Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Heat. Hit them with a torch to soften the sealant. Heat gun would also work.

that stuff is a bitch... i usually take a deep well socket with a universal joint & long extension and tap on the end with a hammer to knock some of the sealer off so the socket will go on... it's usually somewhat dry and brittle by this age... maybe try a long screw driver if you can get at it?...

How hot does an engine compartment get. That stuff was designed to withstand heat and solvents.

Not near as hot as a hand held bottle of MAPP gas would be on the nuts/bolts in question.

Go get a can of bug and tar remover from the auto parts store.

^^^^ & a wire wheel, plus safety glasses !

Hold them in vice grips.

** Sorry, missed that they are still on the vehicle !

6 point socket, ratchet and extension.
Soften the sealant with your torch and push/tap the socket on.

be careful with a torch... that stuff ignites pretty easily... keep a water hose at the ready...

DEET melted the tar sound deadener and paint in one of my Landcruisers. Lesson, don't leave a can of Bushman rolling around behind the seats.

Acetone % ATF is my current penetration mixture,, 50x50

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Thanks but the booster is so close to firewall that a regular short socket will barely fit. There's no room to hammer anything. This stuff s so hard that a screwdriver doesn't faze it.

I've got a bottle of MAAP gas and good Makita heat gun there's no room for either one.

Pvc cleaner

That's why I use Picaridin insect repellent. It doesn't dissolve plastics like DEET does.

Thanks I'll give it a try but it evaporates so fast I don't think it will faze this stuff.

Thanks I forgot about acetone but I evaporates so fast I don't think it will help.

^ ^ ^ this ^ ^ ^

Might also try some Goo Gone
I think it's made for cleaning mung off of
shoes. I've used it to get chewing gum
off the soles of my shoes

I've got to get this stuff off the treads too or I'll never get the nuts off.

can you get a thread cutting die (or a cleaning die) on there and turn it with a wrench to clean the threads?... i usually put them on backwards to run them up against the nut...