i tried using the search button but the only threads that pertained a little bit to what i'm wondering. i'm doing my H/C swap this month and i have brand new gm head bolts and wanted to make sure thats ok to use. the thread i keeping finding are people with 6.0 blocks, big *** cam and head set-ups i'm only putting on 241 heads with a tr227/224 cam can someone explain the benefit of the ARP head studs please?

John

 

for your application, stock bolts will b plenty. arps are mainly used because they are reuseable, and are good for motors with high compression, or boost. due to the fact that they wont stretch like stockers. the stockers are designed to stretch, not exactly the best idea for boost, or really high compression.

but if u dont want ur bolts, give them to me i need em \/

 

lol no i'd like to keep em hahahaha i think my headgasket's days are coming up thank God i have almost everything ready for the swap i just wanted to make sure on the head bolts

 

yea u will be just fine.

 

Get better heads!!!!! Colin is selling better heads for only $500

 

i'm not buyin his heads! lol he keeps harassing me about that on AIM why would i spend another $500 on heads when i have a set ready to go in my room????? i'm gonna use what i have and then i'll upgrade to something else, something more suitable for reverse split cams

 

From what I have read, I believe with the factory head bolts that once they are tq'd down, you need to additionally tq them to a certain degree/angle per GM specs. The ARPs are pretty much tq in sequence and thats it, no additonal measuring required. I went with the ARPs head bolts and as mentioned above, are reusable in case a head needs to come off. The stock GMs are a 1 time deal.

 

well i figured since i got brand new head bolts in my gasket and bolt kit i might as well use them

 

Sounds good bro, I probably would too. There are benefits to the arp's over the stockers and I think thats why people us them.

 

Yeah i am rebuilding my lq4 pretty soon and am looking at bolts, wow thats insane if you figure the price for arp main bolts, head bolts thats almost $400 for bolts. i know you get what you pay for but i'm staying pretty much stock for now too.

 

Cool thread jp...Hope all goes well with the swap and work...send me your aim too bro.Im doing arp flexplate and trq converter bolts but leaving the header bolts to new gm ones

 

Im curious what you look for in a set of heads for a reverse split cam?

 

One thing to be aware of is that like other bolts that go in the engine, the head bolts/studs can distort the cylinder bore. Going with ARP bolts or studs on any engine component (cylinder heads, mains, rods...) should really only be done during a rebuild. Personally, I think using the GM TTY headbolts is the best approach in your situation.

 

where did you hear this?

 

It is a known fact that whenever stronger bolts are used in an engine that things get distorted when they are tightened down.

 

Simply put ARP is the best fastener out there.

If you are digging into the motor and funds permit, please use them.

I personally would not use any TTY fasteners if I can avoid, and at best a stock rebuild I would probably use them.

Studs are used for repeatability on the clamping force, also that it helps keep debris and fluid out of the bolt holes. If the heads come off, the TTY must be thrown away which can get costly if your into the motor a lot.

TTY has been used for Factory Production due to the repeatability of quality, Most times they are Torqued down with a "Gang Driver" so I think that makes a diff compared to hand doing the torquing.

Since you have the bolts, I'd say use them, but if you want to ensure a good running motor with proper clamping force, go ARP.

 

Another reason for going with studs is wear on the threads in the block. If you plan on doing multiple head swaps without servicing the block then everytime you put that bolt in and out of the hole its wearing out those threads. With a stud, you put the wear and tear on the other end of the stud and maybe only on the nut.

Also, once you put the studs in, they are in, no worries of cross threading the block or something like that.

On an F-body tho, Im not sure cuz I dont own one and have never worked on one, but I can imagine studs interfering with head removal/installation due to the cowl being in the way. You could remove those few studs with the head in place tho to get around this issue...but that sorta negates some of the advantages of studs.

 

It is a pretty well known fact, backed by years and years of research and studies. I've even seen it a few times on cylinders that were torque plated honed with GM bolts, and then with ARP studs. You'll see little "shadows" where the hone didn't reach spots because of the distortion from the studs. Same thing happened on a block going just from ARP 8740 to ARP 2000 studs and the increase in clamping force. Like I said, it's not just limited to cylinder bores either.

 

So what you are saying is when you change from the TTY bolts to ARP bolts or studs that the new fastners are able to put so much more pressure on the block therefore this added stress distorts the cylinders. That would mean the ARP fastners reguire more force than the TTY bolts?

 

I've heard that too, and it's the same with arp rod bolts, if you use arp rod bolts your supposed to have the rods resized also due to the possiblity of distorting the bore.