ARP head bolt broke...WOW!!!
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
Likes: 267
From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
ARP head bolt broke...WOW!!! While installing the heads on my sons new build, I had a head bolt break at 65lbs-ft.
It seems unreal but it happened. I could be more upset but I'm not. As someone said a few minutes ago on YB, they pump out millions of bolts a month. sooner or later somethings gotta get past... Just why me?
I got them from a very reputable vendor and they are taking care of it immediately.
So before the critics post up;
Brand new build
all holes chased, cleaned and blown out
etc etc etc.
I'm very patient and meticulous on my builds.
Here is the bolt and a pilot I had made this morning that will sit down inside the bolt hole and be exactly centered on the broken portion.
It seems unreal but it happened. I could be more upset but I'm not. As someone said a few minutes ago on YB, they pump out millions of bolts a month. sooner or later somethings gotta get past... Just why me?
I got them from a very reputable vendor and they are taking care of it immediately.
So before the critics post up;
Brand new build
all holes chased, cleaned and blown out
etc etc etc.
I'm very patient and meticulous on my builds.
Here is the bolt and a pilot I had made this morning that will sit down inside the bolt hole and be exactly centered on the broken portion.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
Likes: 267
From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
Just a tint from the angle of the pic. Not rust. When I'd seen it show up in the pic, I went back to look closer at it. After I wiped it off, there was no rust or anything.
Last edited by SAPPER; Nov 1, 2016 at 07:19 AM.
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
Likes: 267
From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
how was the removal process? I'm fighting this one so far. But picked up some new reverse drill bits. Will try it again tonight.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 184
Likes: 2
I may be wrong (I've been so most of the times!), but I prefer using GM TTY bolts against anything else in a aluminum LS block, If I want anything stronger I would get myself a set of studs. I've seen threads pulled out of the wholes too easily in these aluminum blocks.
The one that I broke was in a iron block, so your maybe different. But I hit mine with a left hand drill and in spun right out, if i could have got a hold on it in the block it would have came out by hand. The bolt just flat out snapped, it didnt bind on the threads or the washer, it didnt bottom out, I didnt over torque it. In my own opinion the bolts are very hard and that makes them brittle, maybe a little too brittle. The studs dont seem to have this problem because the forces are exerted on them are different
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
Likes: 267
From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
Since this is an aluminum block and bored .030 over, we won't be boosting. So I'm seriously considering using GM bolts. I was just trying to beat having to buy new bolts again if, for some reason, I have to pull the heads again.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
Likes: 267
From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
I got it out last night and the pilot I had made worked great. Well worth the $30. Also, a cobalt bit went through this bolt like butter.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
Likes: 267
From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
But I'm talking with my vendor as well and I think he's gonna swap out the whole set for me.We'll see.
Same thing happened to me on my previous build. You have to use the ARP Moly lube with the bolts otherwise that happens. And don't use engine oil as lube. I was able to reuse mine a couple of times once I used their lube.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
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From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
There was plenty of ARP lube on the threads and the washer. So it wasn't due to lack of lube.
But GM uses no lube at all. So a bolt should not fail at 65lbsft.
But GM uses no lube at all. So a bolt should not fail at 65lbsft.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 1
of more concern to me is the fact that you drilled it like butter...
A while back I changed all of my wheel studs and replaced w/ARP. I later found out the STOCK studs had nearly the same mechanical properties as the ARP bolts.
A while back I changed all of my wheel studs and replaced w/ARP. I later found out the STOCK studs had nearly the same mechanical properties as the ARP bolts.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: NYC