Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

Hey dalemllns welcome to LS1tech!

It sounds like you've cracked the block. As I understand it, these cracks from headbolt installation into a wet blind tapped hole is not repairable.

I would have a local machine shop who's done a few LS style blocks have a look at it.

BrntWS6

iTrader: (7)

Torquing down the head bolts was definitely the most stressful part of my H/C swap. I think I spent 3 hours cleaning out all the holes.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

With the looming possibility of block damage from bolting down heads on aluminum LS blocks, I'd venture to say the best way to do the job is with head studs. Doing so should eliminate any of these issues.

dalemllns

Please excuse if I ask a newb question but what is a blind tapped hole? Does coolant flow here? If no coolant then jb weld should hold right? Ice used a cold welds before on an aluminum block but not near coolant. Thanks for the info. I wish I knew Riga before I did the tear down ugggg....

dalemllns

Paul another question I have is if I use studs what should the torque be at as studs don't stretch like the bolts. If I have to I can do this...

SportGoldSS

So if the block cracks from the head bolts, what fluid would be lost as a result?

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

A blind tapped hole has no openings into anything else. Drill a hole halfway through a block of wood. That's a blind hole.

Do not rely on JB Weld or another epoxy to "fix" a cracked engine block. If it's an aluminum block, it might be a candidate for welding and machining back to specs. Iron blocks can also be welded but it's a process involving first heating the block in an oven. As there are plenty of blocks available for literally their scrap weight value, it's usually not worth repairing a cracked block-unless you already have tons of other work in it.

Studs should be turned into the block all the way in but only to hand tight. The nuts are then torqued. You would seek the stud makers recommendations for torquing values.

mannyman84

iTrader: (2)

The first pass on all bolts are at 22ft lbs then all bigger bolts gets tightened at 90 degrees each(not the small ones on top) the last pass u tighten the front and rear bolts at 50 degrees for the final pass. U would need an angle degree Gauge. If u need the complete instructions let me know, I have them at work.

dalemllns

Yeah I have those directions and if you do it right white out will work fine, mark a line horizontal then turn should be vertical (90 degrees) then repeat back horizontal then roughly half that (45-50 degrees) but studs dont stretch so the final two 90 degree sequences (which stretch the stock bolts) would be more than with the stock bolts. But after further examining this block Im gonna let it ride as it cracked only on the outside very minimal in a way which coolant cannot leak. I dont like it but Im stuck with it. They all torqed to spec so I will cross my fingers and hope it works. I will let you guys know the results. I did find that the best way to clean these head bolt holes is to use a peice of 3/8 vacum line with a wet vac to clean em out completely. I never in all my years building engines have ever had a block do this torqing heads. But you live and learn and I wont have this happen again. BTW thanks for the warm welcome and all the help.

mannyman84

iTrader: (2)

What engines have you built? And if u have been buliding engines that's a critical tool to have, not only a torque wrench. And best way to clean out the bolt holes is compressed air and your air nozzle.

spiro27

i got one question just about to put my heads on. with arp head bolts arert you only supsed to lubricate the washer on both sides. not the threads.? if you lube the trads with arp stuff couldent you crack the block too.?

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (6)

you lube the threads and the washer surfaces. Unless you seriously over-do it with the thread lube, you won't have any issues. Most of it will come off as you thread the bolt in.

dalemllns

Ive built several and I do have a torq angle gauge but I was sharing an old engine builders trick that is pretty acurate, the reason that you go the extra two steps in degrees is to "stretch" the bolt, when this "stretch" is over all of the bolts should "settle" and all be even and accuratly torqd. Nobody gets it to a perfect 90 degrees, there is flex even in the head of your torq wrench that can throw this off, in some cases you will have to use a short extension and this also flexes. But if you use the white out and know simple angles you can do this very easy and without a torq angle gauge. Just sharing some useful tips for those who are on a budget my friend. And I found that duct taping a 3/8 vac/air line to a wet vac done a better job at removing the water, like a straw all the way to the bottom. I used 10" of line and cleaned em out pretty easy there at the end. This is my first LSX so I gotta learn the tricks but its all good. I dont wanna get flamed as I am a ford guy trying to help out a buddy with his LS engine

Roger Paull

my ARP head studs did a pop as well, but not on all, I figured it might be the washer seating itself because when I jiggled the washer in the seat first some didn't pop. It also got a tad bit looser after the pop so the washer theory fits. I drove my car hard after the install, and had no issues. Checked the coolant, it was still pink (vw) and temp was normal on entire test drive.

G Atsma

Another 10 year old thread exhumed... OP gone just as long....

Roger Paull

I used head studs, not bolts so I was able to feel them going into the block with hand tightening, so I know it wasn't a lube pressure lock issue. I've heard that popping during head stud installs is pretty normal. Also there is a genuine possibility I had a slightly oversized socket and it skipped on the nut. I'll update if I find any issues in the future.