Rusty BB

Hi

Got an nice old Olmo frame for very little money, and it is sound apart from the BB, which has quite a bit of rusting and greasy much on the threads (probably from lying around in a damp garage). Tried getting a new BB in and it wasn't at all happy after about 8mm. Does anybody know how much rust is 'too' much to render the bb defunct? Would it be possible to use phosphoric acid gel to de-rust it, and then maybe get a LBS to tap out the threads again, or am I going to have all sorts of nasty loosening issues from the material lost to rusting? (Loctite?) The frame is not worth having a new BB brazed in, but definitely a basis for a pretty nice bike if this can be sorted. If all this fails, has anyone had any success with those 'expanding fit' BB's for knackered BB shells?

Thanks

Sam

Wire brush any loose rust out.
Then as you say take it to your LBS a get them to see if they could tap out the threads.
Any photos?

-> lbs -> chase bb shell -> job done

What is chasing? Do I chase it until it promises to stop being naughty and allow the bb threads in ;-) ?

Chasing is running a tap down the threads to 'renew' them (Sorry for the dodgy English...)

My LBS is absolutely useless.

"Hi, got a tap set for a BB shell?"

"Oh sorry fellah, we don't have any of those"

"Well yes, it's Italian, you know anywhere in town that would"

"What's Italian?"

:-/