Technology Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 can you re-use the stock head bolts? i wasn;t planning on it, but napa is motarded and gave me the wrong ones, i am going to go get the right ones now, but was wondering about the possibility. thanks. also, when i was installing my rod bolts i royaly screwed up one and now am screwed. they should send you one extra one each time you order something like that. also napa gave me the wrong headbolts, and they need to order the right ones. this is beginning to suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONQST Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 Yep stock bolts are REUSEABLE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_C. Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 Yes, I have never had a problem reusing the stock bolts. However, if you plan on turning up the boost, then studs are highly recommended. I keep my boost at stock levels, on my mildly modded Quest with only headbolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 On my first engine build I used reused stock head bolts on my D-50 2.6, because I didn't know that you had to change them. I didn't have any problems with it. I raced that thing around like crazy. Of course... knowing the 2.6 and it's temper... my D-50 is not running now. Anyways, I don't see a prob with reusing the bolts. Just don't over torque them. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87cquest Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 the stock head bolts if reused will not hold the torque very well, and they'll probably come loose. Even if you can reuse them, it isn't a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_C. Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 I will not get into an argument, like always happens when this topic comes up. People don't know our engines, and think the bolts are torque to yield, and can only be used once. That is wrong, and our bolts are indeed reuseable. Nowhere in any manual will you see different. TEP says you can't reuse them because they sell bolts and studs as a replacement, plus they are building 20+PSI boost engines. One guy on here torqued his to 125ft lbs., and did not damage the bolt threads according to him. No, don't do that! The point is that the bolts stretched I'm sure, but the threads did not come apart like a torque to yield bolt will. The bolts are very tough, and can be reused several times in mildly modded to even well modded engines, with no one I know of ever having a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZPI28 Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 Yes Tim this is a touchy issue and always starts a flame. I would reuse mine since they now only have about 8months of use on them. Seems like lots of people have had good use out of reusing them. Ive never seen where they say TTY about them. If anyone has had a failure that you can truely say was a result of reusing old headbolts on our engines , please speak up with your experience. I see no reasone not to use the old ones. Steven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest c89zx7r Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 well the person that had the head torqued to 125lbs . was me . only reason was that i bought my 7th quest and put all the top end gaskets on . and new head bolts . the next day i checked the bolts and they were finger loose . but i did not have the time or money to take the head off and take it to the machine shop . ( head was warped ) but i blew a head gasket about 6 to 7months later while racing another car . and there is no damage to the head or block of this car . yes i installed new head bolts and took the head to the machine shop . personally i would rather spend the 70 bux and get the arp head stud kit . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_C. Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 well the person that had the head torqued to 125lbs . was me . only reason was that i bought my 7th quest and put all the top end gaskets on . and new head bolts . the next day i checked the bolts and they were finger loose . but i did not have the time or money to take the head off and take it to the machine shop . ( head was warped ) but i blew a head gasket about 6 to 7months later while racing another car . and there is no damage to the head or block of this car . yes i installed new head bolts and took the head to the machine shop . personally i would rather spend the 70 bux and get the arp head stud kit . Man, I remember pleading with you to not do that, but I guess they held long enough? once they stretch, they are weakened to the place where they will just keep stretching, without holding the torque. That is a fact across the board with all types of headbolts. How does one know it has stretched far enough to not hold torque? Don't know, so that is why it is a good idea not to overtorque, unless it is to 85 or so max, so you know you haven't stretched the bolt too far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest c89zx7r Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 forgot to mention every friday and saturday night went street racing , and was running full boost when the car was tq at 125 . now its at 75 to 80 tq on the new head bolts with a straight head . sort of happy when it blew the head gasket gave me a better reason to pull the head off the car . my exhaust manifold had a crack in it . and missing the rear stud . but all that is fixed now . including new studs in the head . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboRaider@work Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 Don’t want to get into a bolt war…. But I do want present what I have learned about fasteners and materials in general. Under normal conditions the head bolts wont permanently deform. If they are over tightened that might, or if the head gets really hot on an over tightened fastener they can deform… Most times the head gasket crushes. Torque to yield fasteners cant be reused because they yield point keeps getting higher and there is no easy way to know when they are properly tightened once they have been used. If you could directly measure their clamping force they would be fine to use again. Also your standard 2.6 bolts won’t lose strength from being used. If they are over stresses and permanently deform, even if necked down the yield strength will actually increase up until the neck down is very noticeable. This is because the bolts are work hardening and the strength is actually increasing. I know this may not seem believable that even as the fastener necks down it gets stronger but its true. If you want to learn more get a materials science book and look at the tensile testing section for steel. What can happen to fasteners is the thread friction increases with usage. This can and will reduce the clamping force. This is why its so important to make cure the threads are clean and well oiled (washers too). This is where new can be better … If the friction is less. A side note note…. Your head gasket will hold its best on a warmed up motor. Since the head expands more than the bolts as the engine gets warm the clamping force goes up. So save your 25 psi boost for when the motor is completely warmed up. Kevin C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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