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problems with head bolts

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Old Sep 18, 2010 | 12:30 AM
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Default problems with head bolts

I purchased a set of ARP head bolts:
http://arp.carshopinc.com/product_in...69649/134-3609

I went to do a valve to piston clearance check and tried to bolt the head on slightly. There are three different length bolts in this kit. The shortest fit along the valley, the medium length I can only get to fit in the outer holes in the middle of the head, the other mid length ones fall all the way to the bottom of the hole, and the long ones go every where else but I cant get to bolt down all the way.

To clear up one matter the block has a casting number of 12550592 which is the 97-98 block. The holes are pretty much the same as my 01 block that I have.

Does anyone have any idea. If needed I can post some pictures.
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Old Sep 18, 2010 | 09:17 AM
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http://ls1howto.com/index.php?article=3

You should have 10 small M8 bolts, 4 mid length M11 bolts, and 16 long M11 bolts. All 97-03 blocks use this kit. If you have more than 4 of the mid length bolts, you've got a kit for 04+ engines and it wont work for your block

This is the kit you need
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Old Sep 18, 2010 | 10:48 AM
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Ok I will have to lay all the bolts out and double check. I was not the one to pull the block apart. I thought that the each of the rows were all the same bolt sizes.

Another question, There is alot of dirt inside the holes. I dont know where they kept this thing, but how do I go about cleaning those deep holes if my tap wont reach that far?
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Old Sep 18, 2010 | 11:32 AM
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After I run a chaser into the hole to clean the threads I shoot brake cleaner down into the holes until they are about half full, then blow them out with air. Repeat as necessary. Shine a light into the holes to make sure they are clean and dry.

The short M11 bolts go in holes 9 and 10.


Last edited by blazer427X3; Sep 18, 2010 at 11:59 AM.
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Old Sep 18, 2010 | 02:08 PM
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What is a chaser? I dont have a tap the right size to fit the holes. But I do have brake cleaner and my air compressor is broke.
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Old Sep 18, 2010 | 03:20 PM
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Take one of the old junk TTY bolt and use a grinder to make two flutes. This acts as a cheap thread chaser that wont cut the threads bigger. Read the how-to article, it goes over an effective way to prep the holes without risking brake cleaner in your eyes
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Old Sep 18, 2010 | 08:49 PM
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I made a chaser of sorts by using the old bolts like you said. It seems to be able to get farther then just the regular bolts and had some dirt come out on it when I pulled it out.

My next step is to flip the motor over and spray it down with brake cleaner and repeat it in every hole a few times. Thanks for the help.
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Old Sep 19, 2010 | 12:23 AM
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Just use the fluted bolt over and over until it comes out clean
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Old Sep 19, 2010 | 08:12 AM
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OP, your link doesn't seem to work. And I 100% agree with the mid length bolts going in hole 9 and 10.
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Old Sep 19, 2010 | 11:29 AM
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sweet guys, I got it figured out last night and was able to do a final valve to piston check. Thanks for the help.
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