I know we have had recent discussions on the need to re-tourque head gaskets and I've come away with the general conclusion that with  surfaced heads, a milled block and Best Head Gaskets, I won't need to. BUT in looking at some old e-mails from the last engine I built, the machinist told me that if you are using new head bolts that have not gone through a heat cycle you should re-torque the heads. I was planning on using new Grade 8 head bolts for this blown motor I'm building and wanted some feedback on this. Also, to oil or not oil the head bolt threads.

Thanks,

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

since it is a blown engine, why not just use studs? And for that matter, larger diameter, as Ted Eaton does? Then you're covered.

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

If I have to re-tourque new studs, I would just rather use bolts and not have the extra expense of machining the bolt holes larger and re-tapping them. This motor will be going in a street car not a race car.

Rono.

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Howdy,





I am pretty sure that ARP has a stud kit for "Y's"



I would use them if I had a choice...







Regards,





Rick


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Mummert sells them. That's where I got mine.

  Jim Rowe Elkhorn, NE

Studs are the way to go and there's no drilling.

-Gary Burnette-

I understand studs are stronger (?), but do they totally eliminate torque/heat-cycle stretching?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

I'll get arguements here, but I always find one or two bolts or nuts on studs less that the spec. They need to be re-tightened. On a blown engine I think you'll have to retorque.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

No argument here, I think it's a good idea to re-torque any bolt/stud gasket combo.  You may find that they don't need it when you do it but you'll be glad you checked if you find one that needed it.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

Retorquing after startup of any engine is good simple and cheap insurance.  Remember the torque applied to the threaded fastener (bolt or stud) exerts a tensile stress on that fastener which results in the force that in this case holds the head down on the block.  When you retorque you will not add more tension in the fastener if you don't rotate it.  But if the torque is low then for some reason the fastener has lost tensile stress and hold down force during the initial startup.  Retorquing it brings it back up to spec.  This situation is independent of the gasket material and block/head surfaces.

At the start of this thread Rono asked if he should lubricate the threads and the answer is yes, lube both the threads and the surface of the head where nut or bolt head seats. This reduces the friction in these surfaces so that the mechanical action of the threads yields the maximum amount of stretch of the fastener.  I haven't used studs but I expect that the directions included suggest the kind of lubricant to use. 

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.