StorminMatt

I actually tried a countersunk plate on an LS3 block, but with the regular hex bolts. The heads were somewhat close to the sprocket (maybe 1/16 inch). But they would not have been in the way of the timing chain. And the sprocket turned completely freely.

Personally, I prefer hex bolts to allen bolts. They are a whole lot less likely to round when you remove them, particularly if loctited. And I actually have some ARP bolts kicking around somewhere for the Gen III plate. Is there any good reason NOT to use the Gen III plate on a Gen IV?

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

No it is a perfectly good option. Until you go to remove them again. And they get stuck. So bad that your torx tool breaks. Inside the head. Then you get a diamonds tipped bit to try to drill into the broken torx bit. And the diamond bit breaks off in there. So you get a torch and cook the crap out of the bolts and the broken pieces finally fall out. Then you think maybe the torch loosened the bolt so you break another torx off in there. So you cook it again to get the second broken bit out. Then you center a left handed bit in there and drill all the way through the bolt so an easy out can finally pluck it loose. Then the other three bolts do the same thing. And you find yourself thinking --

If only I had just ground some material off the hex head to clear the chain instead of using these stupid countersunk bolts...

Aside from that, they're a great idea

I'm not bitter....

Edit. I read your thing backwards. Definitely use the gen3 plate and bolts

rkupon1

iTrader: (3)

Lmfao! Thats one I wont forget.

grinder11

iTrader: (1)

I broke a tip off once on the older countersunk flat head screw type. Here is one way that has worked for me every time since. Just get a small propane torch, and put the flame right on the head of the bolt, flat or hex. You don't need to set the flame as high as it will go, just high enough to cover the size of the head of the bolt. If your flame is parallel to the car, lengthwise, and square to the front of the block, you are doing it correctly. It only takes maybe 5-10 seconds, and the bolt comes right out. The key is getting the bolt itself hot enough to melt the loctite inside. This is counter to the logic used to removing most everything else, as you usually heat the surrounding material, in this case, the aluminum block. I didn't want to try that, because it is a lot of aluminum to try and heat,, and I didn't want to get the block that hot in just 1 small area, and perhaps 'shift' something. This has worked for me.......EVERY TIME. Hope this helps.......

doc350

I just use an impact driver and hammer them out. Pretty foolproof so far. (knock on wood)

grinder11

iTrader: (1)

I was using an impact driver and a Craftsman bit!

grinder11

iTrader: (1)

One mistake people make on flat head screws is to use loctite on a flat head screw. The newer ones use hex heads, I believe. In skilled trades, we were taught there aren't many benefits to flat head screws. One benefit is extra cleance on the bolt head, and the other was no loctite is needed, because of the large amount of metal to metal contact between the head and the material the bolt is countersunk into. That's how I broke my bit, because I didn't think they would use loctite. I was wrong (and so was the builder for using it!).....

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

In my case I couldn't get the bolt hot enough even with a torch. I had to run a drill in. Left handed bit in case it caught and reversed out.

I had used antisieze on it too. F that. Grind the heads on a hex bolt to low profile and rock on

grinder11

iTrader: (1)

Wow. I used an acetylene torch (no 02), and it burns a little hotter, but still, you used no loctite. Glad you got it out. IIRC, unless the dealer has NOS cam retainer plates, I believe the countersunk retainer is no longer made, superceded by the hex head bolt retainer......