great cause you are supporting! poor bears...
hope you find a solution so can keep the ride going.

btw,
wouldn't the OP need this tool, in case they are self-extracting bolts not just dust caps?
(just guessing from OP's mention on the hole sizes)



in that case, let me know, candid.
i have one not in use a.t.m and more than glad to lend it to you sending it to V—if that's faster than you locate one and wait for on the 'bay.
love to help, for riding, for bears

I can't help with the Loctite question. I don't use it often enough to remember. But I'd advise against it, because you do need to take it apart some time in the future and even the soft stuff will make the task harder.

With enough torque from the appropriate wrench you can get it tight enough that it will not come apart. French and Italian BBs have the same problem. I've got one of each, no, wait, the tandem has two more. So one Italian and three(!) French BBs, and they stay together. You just have to be firm and screw your eyes up funny when you tighten them.

Is it just me, or is there a crack in the top of the bottom bracket shell, at the top? If so, you've got more than a loose BB issue. Hope I'm just seeing things.

looks to me, hopefully, just paint layers chipped and patched on other than a crack, no?

It's just paint layers chipped. Thanks for your help.

I'm guessing it's a moot point. If the OP has dust covers then a chainring bolt spanner ring tool (or something similar) will work. Since the OP simply wants to remove the crank to access the the bottom bracket, there would be no need to remove the self extracting crank bolts lock rings, as the OP would simply use the extracting crank bolts to remove the crank. However, if the OP doesn't have a spanner to remove the dust covers, your tool would also work for that application; and it doesn't tend to bugger up the holes the way the chainring tool does.

It really appears as though the bb could use a good facing. Until that is done, it probably will work it's way loose again. Once faced, teflon tape and good and tight will do the trick.