I am having a hard time justifying spending $100 on the ARP header bolts. Is this necessary or a waste of money?

 

grade 8 bolts are 70$ cheaper and jsut as good. Hell most people re-use their stock bolts with a little anti-seize

*woops no loc-tite for header bolts

 

I used anti seize on my header bolts.

 

loctite? no
anti seize? yes

 

I reused the stock with antisieze...dont use loctite

 

woooops my bad, antiseize, had a brain fart moment there.

 

I originally planned on using the new ones that came with my Pacesetters, but when I went to tighten them down, they got kind of mushy on me, so I threw the stockers back on. I'm not cheap by any means, but $100 for some ******' bolts?!?! No way.

 

That's what I was thinkin... how about new gaskets? It's a 2000 w/21k miles

Appreciate the help

 

you can re-use your stock gaskets as lnog as they look good, fi youre unsure, buy STOCK gm gaskets

 

i bought the header studs no complaints whatsoever for my pacesetters with MLS gaskets

 

you've got ~$350 headers and ~$100 ARP header studs?

 

Get the Stage 8 locking bolts, they are stainless, nice product, sponsors sell them for like $40.

 

since no one could answer this in another thread where Stage 8's were recommended... how do you use Stage 8 locking header bolts on an LS1?

maybe i'll get an answer in this one.

 

Its crazy.. I've had my stock bolts on and of 30 times. I've never had an issue. If you want, go to your local bolt store and buy some hardened bolts. You'll spend 20 bucks total.
They are torqued to a max of 18lbft. Its virtually impossible to crossthread them unless you over tighten them.

 

You dont even need the locking style. All you need is standard grade 8 "metric" bolts. ANY nut/bolt store is gonna have them.

 

yes, i know. i use the cheap bolts that came with my headers. nothing fancy and they get the job done! and i agree about going to a hardware store and getting bolts there. you can also get studs there
i just want an answer on how to use the locking bolts on an LS1 when the bolt holes are smack inbetween the primaries.

 

There is a SS flange that slips into a groove on the bolt itself. The flange itself stops the bolt from backing out by being stoppped by the primay tube. I've had the bolts for like five years without an exhaust lead. Many bolts start to work their way out because of the constant expansion and contraction of the heads and headers.

 

im using stock once and im making over 500rwhp

 

Use the stockers, ARPs are good too. I'm working on a car right now with a broken header bolt. They were those 40 dollar locking pieces of ****.

 

i bought the summit ones to put on my XS, mabye $15ish