[Yosemite Sam]

After reading that again, I gotta say that it really didn't translate well.

Put like this... If a guy takes a tractor apart, pulls the pump off of a rear end, lets it drain and lays it on a shelf in his storage building without dropping it in the mud or letting the caked on, greasy dirt get into the openings, it's probably going to be alright when I come in to buy it.

Should they be capped or plugged? Of course, but I can't continue to be frantic about such things anymore. Besides that, are there any CC salvage yards that take the time or trouble to cap/plug these or any other ports?

Chances are, any dust or airborne impurities (except grinding dust) that make theirway to and adhere themselves to the inside of the openings isn't normally going to hurt anything.

All bets are off if the seller throws these parts into a box or crate with a bunch of other nasty greasy stuff though.