Yelo

One at a time ???

I'm serious here....I want to swap to the ARP bolts because there was a bunch of concern about the GM head bolts awhile back and I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm also trying to avoid buying new gaskets and having to tear the whole thing down again

Can I remove one GM bolt at a time using the sequence for the install, clean the holes, install the new ARP bolt, torque it to the minimum spec (30ft/lbs I think), and then after all are installed to minimum spec torque them all down in the order called for by ARP ??

I really don't see any problem with this because as long as all the other bolts are torqued to minimum specs (which is more than enough to prevent gasket leakage) there shouldn't be any issues....and as long as I pull and install them in sequence it will prevent head warpage

any input ??

Taspeed

iTrader: (1)

i guess you could, but I wouldn't do it. The odds of the gasket developing a leak with that method are a lot greater.

jd13

iTrader: (3)

There's only one way to find out. Honestly, is the little bit of money you save worth it though?

Yeah it's a real pain, but why not just wait till next time you take the heads off?

bowtieman81

iTrader: (35)

I would probably not try that. On a less critical gasket maybe, but not the head gaskets. And the LS1 is worse than the old SBC, as it has 4 bolts around each cylinder.

Cal

iTrader: (1)

Should have read "And the LS1 is worse than the old SBC, as it has ONLY 4 bolts around each cylinder rather than five.

bowtieman81

iTrader: (35)

Thanks Cal, it's been a long day

robertbartsch

...and why is it that you think the GM head bolts are going to bust the next time you burn the tires?

I suspect the following will ocur before your head bolts blow:

1. engine oil pump takes a dump
2. rocker arm needle bearings go bam!
3. push rods go wap!
4. timing chain goes - urch!
5. pistons slap each other to death

This is why GMs bond rating was downgraded to junk status today which matches the quality of their cars....

Yelo

heh....

I'm just worried about the head-bolts....I've seen too many people break the stockers to be real comfortable with them...that's all

Grimes

iTrader: (3)

You should just take them all out and follow the proper torque procedure of the ARP ones.

Yelo

but if I do that I have the potential for the gasket to leak.....and I'm REALLY trying to avoid buying new gaskets and having to tear the whole thing down again

Brandon Boomhauer

iTrader: (10)

is it just truck guys? I truthfully do not remember reading anything on here about it..

Yelo

I'm aware that this is a risky prospect...I'm just trying to gauge just HOW risky it is.....

kossuth

iTrader: (12)

risky enough that it isn't worth it. If you want to swap to the better head bolts you are better off removing the head and reinstalling a new gasket. New gaskets will run about $60 or so. Yeah it might be ok, but is it worth possibly trashing a $1300 engine over a set of $60 gaskets. I think not

jmX

Where the heck have I been!? Who's breaking head bolts?

Brandon Boomhauer

iTrader: (10)

I found this in the truck section, not too much else..
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...roke+head+bolt
and i definatly do not remember reading about truck headbolts breaking when i was into the truck stuff... not like it really makes any difference, im sure its the same damn bolt..

Yelo

I've got quite a few friends at the dealerships around here and in the last few months they've seen better than a dozen trucks come in with broken head-bolts....it looks like a factory flaw in the bolt design and the bolts are breaking (or at least cracking) during the install process at the factory.....

I found out about this AFTER installing the factory-style bolts.....and it kind of worries me a little bit

I'm not 100% set on doing it this way....I'm just trying to decide if it's a safe enough way to do the swap (by the sounds of it I'm probably not going to do it this way)

And...just to clarify...I've never heard of anyone ON HERE breaking one of the BIG head bolts, but it has happened and with the power-adders I'm looking into I feel the ARP bolts are good insurance, I'm just trying to do the swap without having to remove the heads

Brandon Boomhauer

iTrader: (10)

i had a broken exhaust manifold bolt.. it was like that when i put the LTs on though..
the head just fell off when i went to take it off, barely touched it...

on the search i did for broken head bolts i did read about an arp bolt breaking, but its very very rare from what i can tell.

I do suggest doing it the correct way, as you might eventually have to do it that way considering a leak etc..

Yelo

I had 4 broken exhaust manifold bolts when I did my heads/cam swap......given GM's quality control on those I'm kind of scared to think about what the QC is on head bolts........

Brandon Boomhauer

iTrader: (10)

damn 4 on the manifolds?

I just couldnt believe it, a friend when to put the wrench on it, and the damn head about 4 threads fellout.. and it looked like it was actually in there..

bowtieman81

iTrader: (35)

On that truck thread the guy says he overtorqued the bolt. This will pretty well gaurantee a failure on TTY bolts . TTY bolts are really pretty damn good, and I doubt the ARP bolts will seal any better. Most of the pros I talk to say unless you plan to pull heads often use the GM TTY bolts. I would highly recommend a good torque wrench (snap-on is what I use), and a torque angle meter (also snap-on) for installing the TTY head bolts.