New cylinder head bolts?
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Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
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Topic: New cylinder head bolts?
Posted By: Les Royer
Subject: New cylinder head bolts?
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2018 at 11:04pm
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Is this the new norm when you have to replace the head bolts on every cylinder head removal? I always thought it wasn't necessary unless it was some of the bolts that were "designed" to stretch. Now I'm getting information that EVERY head bolt stretches to some degree ans warrants new ones. Sales gimmick? Just in case you wanted to know, it's on a 91 Ford L6 300 CID ------------- I still gots my A/C but it's clear out in the barn now. |
Replies:
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 12:37am
| you are STILL trying to put them ferds back on the roads? whew! stretch bolts are not really a sales gimmick, but something that is needed on heads, keeps them from breaking and keeps people from having to do things all over again when trying to cut corners! you know....the CHEAP people! sure is funny how people never have time to fix anything the right way the first time, but always have time to do it all over again later! your fingers must better...huh? Les? |
Posted By: Les Royer
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 4:00am
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Yeah, they're better Shameless. But I'm gaining little ground. Of course it don't help none when the nurse goes out and buys another truck with a whole new power train to learn. Digging into my first IDI diesel at the moment and jest like all the rest, it's dealing me fits. It was 1988 when I was last at the ferd dealership as a mechanic. But does she buy anything from before that year? No............ ------------- I still gots my A/C but it's clear out in the barn now. |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 4:29am
| well....what did she gits? and...brand new? |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 4:30am
| and....is she gonna pull your new camper with it? |
Posted By: Coke-in-MN
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 9:51am
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Seems many diesels use the part of replace the bolts after each use - then many of the small aluminum heads now do the same - guess they figure bolts are cheap - but the idea bringing bolts to a torque setting then going back and giving them a 1/4 turn more or some other figure I guess is some engineers way of saying " I think this will work " Guess that tightening so much and then just a little more works on other things though - can't get a torque wrench on many bolts on my British bikes so it's all by feel of how much one draws down a nut or bolt . ------------- Life lesson: If you’re being chased by a lion, you’re on a horse, to the left of you is a giraffe and on the right is a unicorn, what do you do? You stop drinking and get off the carousel. |
Posted By: Les Royer
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 10:44am
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But when we have a cast iron head on a cast iron block on a 26 year old truck and they try to tell me I have to replace the head bolts that tells me that they just now figured out that the bolts do indeed stretch and we've been doing it wrong for the past 100 years. I'm sure all you guys have put all new head bolts in all your tractors, right? ------------- I still gots my A/C but it's clear out in the barn now. |
Posted By: PaulB
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 11:38am
Henry never wanted anything to last beyond it's warranty.  He knew there was a tremendous potential for profit in replacement parts as long as the initial unit was low cost enough to sucker the masses in.  ------------- If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere. Real pullers don't have speed limits. If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY |
Posted By: Walker
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 11:42am
| It's kinda like Dentists who push having your teeth filled by professionals when you can do it yourself just as well with an electric drill and JB weld. You've just got to use your own discretion and make sure you drill the entire cavity. |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 3:29pm
| Used to inspect all the head bolts coming out of a Cummins 855 when torn down for overhaul. More than 30% bad(stretch marks, fractures, corrosion damage they ALL got changed as chancing fate. As to small engines I have usually replaced all the head bolts as a risk ender. Lay a old one next to a new one the length of stretch is pretty amazing to actually see. |
Posted By: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 10:10pm
| Well DOG GONE -- now I knows where to take this v10 ferd powered wanna be sorta motor home when I need it overhauled, just think good ol Les is only about 1/2 way between my shack and that ol shameless ranch. Holey molley I'll be sitting in tall clover. |
Posted By: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 10:15pm
| But seriously, I have seen a few of them 300's without heads on them. Father in Law liked his fords and he never replaced head bolts that I knew of. He's no longer around to ask. Were not talking 500 HP here, just 1 of the most dependable motors ford ever produced. Les I would do a little searching on the ford sites and follow their advice. |
Posted By: Coke-in-MN
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 10:23am
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Local trucking Co that did both their own trucks and outside units - Every cummins they did they replaced all headbolts any time a head was removed for any reason . So they kept boxes of bolts in parts room - would buy them by the gross just to have them on hand . ------------- Life lesson: If you’re being chased by a lion, you’re on a horse, to the left of you is a giraffe and on the right is a unicorn, what do you do? You stop drinking and get off the carousel. |
Posted By: darrel in ND
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 7:18pm
| One failed head bolt could cost more than what replacing all of them would have cost. Darrel |
Posted By: LeonR2013
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 9:24pm
| I feel like whose vehicle you're working on, yours or someone else's. With these aluminum heads we are told they are so much better, but have you thought that they can be built in china out of beer cans on cheap tooling that lasts forever because of less stress on the machines? But it does take a more expensive bolt (?) to hold the dang thing on the block. Marketing: follow the money. I've check many of the stretch to yield head bolts and only found one that was stretched. So it's your guess. Like Joe I'm naturally suspicious of big business and if they can figure out a way to get into your pocket while making you think they are doing it for your benefit they're going to do it. |
Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 9:27am
| the old 335 cummins was a head bolt breaking bugger |
Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 10:09pm
| Little too much timing on the 855's would pop head bolts. |