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Speedmaster head studs won’t thread into the block!? Ugh

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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 03:54 PM
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Default Speedmaster head studs won’t thread into the block!? Ugh

busted my *** to yank the heads, clean everything, swap to LS6 springs and new seals, new lifters and trays, LQ9 cam, 2 piece front cover , cloyes timing set, shimmer oil pump and c6 oil pan. Go to put the new speedmaster head studs I got around Xmas on a special and they won’t thread into the block more than 5 turns with an Allen head. With my car hands it’s like 2 turns. I chased the threads and cleaned them out. Stock bolts thread in fine. im super pissed bc this is not stopping me from going forward. I also got $70 invested in these so that’s a waste when they won’t even go into the block.

So i put one of the head studs against the thread of a stock bolt and sure enough the thread is slightly off. It engages the threads and then after a few the pitch changes and starts to run on the inside of the thread and pushes the 2 threads apart. I mean 5 full turns cranking down with an Allen is not enough thread engagement for anything. Don’t even think I want another set from them if they even offer it.

Not sure what to do now. I don’t really want to put TTY bolts on but my 2003 block has the 4 bolts shorter than the rest which jacks the prices up of ARP bolts to $170+

Hears a pic of whats going on.



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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 04:18 PM
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Originally Posted by customblackbird
busted my *** to yank the heads, clean everything, swap to LS6 springs and new seals, new lifters and trays, LQ9 cam, 2 piece front cover , cloyes timing set, shimmer oil pump and c6 oil pan. Go to put the new speedmaster head studs I got around Xmas on a special and they won’t thread into the block more than 5 turns with an Allen head. With my car hands it’s like 2 turns. I chased the threads and cleaned them out. Stock bolts thread in fine. im super pissed bc this is not stopping me from going forward. I also got $70 invested in these so that’s a waste when they won’t even go into the block.

So i put one of the head studs against the thread of a stock bolt and sure enough the thread is slightly off. It engages the threads and then after a few the pitch changes and starts to run on the inside of the thread and pushes the 2 threads apart. I mean 5 full turns cranking down with an Allen is not enough thread engagement for anything. Don’t even think I want another set from them if they even offer it.

Not sure what to do now. I don’t really want to put TTY bolts on but my 2003 block has the 4 bolts shorter than the rest which jacks the prices up of ARP bolts to $170+

Hears a pic of whats going on.



Do have any close up pics of the thread pitch change . Can you say who the seller was ,because I was thinking of getting some .
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 04:51 PM
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Can you put 1 of the Speed Masters through a die of the same set as the tap? I wonder if you got a different size bolt or something. My set threaded in beautifully.
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 05:28 PM
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Originally Posted by omc8
Do have any close up pics of the thread pitch change . Can you say who the seller was ,because I was thinking of getting some .
yea look at the pic I posted. I will post again. I got them right from speedmaster when they were having a 15% off entire site sale.
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 05:30 PM
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Originally Posted by ddnspider
Can you put 1 of the Speed Masters through a die of the same set as the tap? I wonder if you got a different size bolt or something. My set threaded in beautifully.
i might have a tap to run it through but the threads seem off a good bit. I will go check the part number on the box tho but I’m pretty sure they are the correct ones.
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 05:31 PM
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Here’s the pic again, just in case it’s not showing up before.

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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 05:58 PM
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Originally Posted by customblackbird
Here’s the pic again, just in case it’s not showing up before.

Still don't see a picture
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 07:38 PM
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Dunno then. Shows up on my feed.
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 07:45 PM
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I see the pic but you really need a pic of the threads even not offset from each other.
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 08:03 PM
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Invest in a set of micrometers and a thread pitch gauge, SAE and Metric....
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 08:30 PM
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I will try to snap a pic. The reason I had them interlocked is to show how the thread pitch changes. They should all interlock but they don’t, as the thread changes it pushes the bolts apart. What’s Iinteresting is that the 3-5 threads that go in are what interlock and then above that they push away which is where it thread in anymore.

Heres a link to a amazon review where the guy says the same thing.

Amazon Amazon
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 08:33 PM
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Verified my part number is correct. Here is the link to the part I got. Verified the part number on the box.

Last edited by KCS; Apr 15, 2018 at 02:40 PM. Reason: Non Sponsor Link Removed
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 08:46 PM
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I can see your pics and I understand your issue. I'd contact where you got them and exchange them. Obviously, what they sent you isn't right, especially since you've confirmed the part ordered should fit.

If you do have some thread pitch gauges (basic ones are usually included with a common tap/ dye set) you could measure them for additional reference, and share these pics to the mfg also if they question you beyond the pics you included in this post.

I wouldn't chase the head bolts through a dye, as you'll be cutting away material and strength of the bolt.
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 08:49 PM
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I wasn't suggesting to use the die on all the bolts. Just 1 bolt as another point of reference that the thread pitch changes.
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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 09:52 PM
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Different threads. Bummer.
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Old Apr 15, 2018 | 07:35 AM
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Originally Posted by ddnspider
I wasn't suggesting to use the die on all the bolts. Just 1 bolt as another point of reference that the thread pitch changes.
oh gotcha. Well let’s just say every bolt on one WHOLE head wouldn’t thread in the block. It’s not like 1 bolt was out of wack. The whole set seems to be.
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Old Apr 15, 2018 | 07:36 AM
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Originally Posted by tuske427
I can see your pics and I understand your issue. I'd contact where you got them and exchange them. Obviously, what they sent you isn't right, especially since you've confirmed the part ordered should fit.

If you do have some thread pitch gauges (basic ones are usually included with a common tap/ dye set) you could measure them for additional reference, and share these pics to the mfg also if they question you beyond the pics you included in this post.

I wouldn't chase the head bolts through a dye, as you'll be cutting away material and strength of the bolt.
I’ll see what I got in my basic kits for the thread pitch. I’ll try to call procomp and see what they will do but I’ve never contacted them
via the phone before.
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Old Apr 15, 2018 | 11:23 AM
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call 'em they aint too bad to deal with. but yeah that about par for the course on those chinese studs. after sticking up for them for 2-3 years, i got a set that 16 nuts didnt have threads AT ALL, lol. absolutely zero QC.

now i just reuse the stock TTY bolts. 20psi and it's all good, knock on wood
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Old Apr 15, 2018 | 11:55 AM
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Default Thread Pitch = WRONG

Hi BB, DO NOT USE the pictured Studs as they are the WRONG Pitch.

I would like to know WHO they were purchased from, the invoice will have an extension #/salesman # ?

Try EX # 116 at SpeedMaster.

Did you buy DIRECT ?

When someone places a COPY item in a SpeedMaster BOX, it is a Federal CRIME, the FBI will investigate ! (COUNTERFEIT)

Lance
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Old Apr 15, 2018 | 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by truckdoug
call 'em they aint too bad to deal with. but yeah that about par for the course on those chinese studs. after sticking up for them for 2-3 years, i got a set that 16 nuts didnt have threads AT ALL, lol. absolutely zero QC.

now i just reuse the stock TTY bolts. 20psi and it's all good, knock on wood
haha that whole response is crazy. Good deal on the TTY bolts. I’d rather not reuse them lol. Jegs sells bolts for $130 170k strength.
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