Do I need headbolt bushings?

[jaymac]

For GT40P's, I'm getting very confused buying my headbolts. Nobody's ever mentioned them before, and the guys @ Autoaone don't know anything about it (shocker), so just making usre.
Will the $38 ARP's be all I need?

 

[RYC CUKR]

No. the only time you would need bushings or stepped washers would be if you were putting a set of 351 heads on a 302 block. The 302 block is set up for 7/16" head bolts and the 351 heads are drilled for 1/2" head bolts. You can see the need for the bushings or stepped washers.

One thing to make sure that you have along with all of your gaskets and stuff is a new set of head alignment dowels. Sometimes the old ones are all messed up and not usable. Nice to have a set handy and they aren't very expensive.

When you get done with your set up let me know what kind of numbers you have and what you run. My set up is pretty close to yours. Except you have a rebuilt trans and a converter and I am still saving for mine. Smoked OD about a month and a half ago.

 

[jaymac]

hadn't thought about the dowels!!
I haven't gotten any baseline dyon #'s, but my best time w/ my current combo is a 14.5 @96.7, w/ crappy, 2.4 60' times.
W/ GOOD traction, I hope to see low 13's, and then get kicked off the track because I don't have a cage
(vert rules)

 

[RYC CUKR]

I went 14.45 at 97 with my current combo minus the p heads. I need a converter and traction bad. With a converter and traction I probably would have been high 13s.

 

[jaymac]

yeah, a convertor would def. wake that car up. What were your 60's w/ that 14.45?

 

[Modular2v]

could i use the bushings for the arp headstuds?

 

[jaymac]

"RYC" - I finished the swap last @ 2 am today, and once all the kinks (ultimately a vacuum problem), the thing pulls HARD, especially after 4 grand!!!! My new problem will be traction- guaranteed. We'll see if I can manage some decent 60's, and I'll let you know what it runs!

 

[RYC CUKR]

yeah, a convertor would def. wake that car up. What were your 60's w/ that 14.45?

My 60's pretty much sucked. I was pulling 2.3 sec 60's but that is the first time I have ever taken that car to the track. Haven't had a chance to get back since I put my P heads on. Mine pulls hard around 4 grand as well kinda like turnin a switch on. Get some times and let me know.

 

[jaymac]

yeah, there's defintely a little "boost that keeps pulling through 5300. I haven't really done any analyzing or trial runs while watching the gauges, just a little WOT here and there.
Are your P's ported or milled?
ine had a litle port work done on the intake and in the bowls, and were milled to 54 cc chambers.
I would imagine my 60's will only get worse now, as I can't get any traction on the street now. Driving at 15-20 I nailed it and lost raction and kicked the back end out a little bit. It never used to do that (AOD, keep in mind). I knda like it, but it's not a good recipe for 60' times!!!
If it's not too humid this Wednesday, I might be going to the track.

 

[RYC CUKR]

They have a little bit of port work done to them. No milling done however. Right now I have a GT40 intake with no EGR so I have a hard enough time with detonation without having milled heads.

When I put he shift kit and 4.10s in my AOD even before the heads if I was doing about 15-20 if I stood on it it would kick down and break the tires loose and then bark 'em pretty good on the 1-2 shift. Overall pretty happy. I can only imagine what a converter will do for it. But I gotta rebuild the AOD since I burned out the OD band messin around on the interstate a few months ago. If you don't mind me asking about how much did it cost to have your AOD rebuilt? Just trying to get an idea on how much its gonna cost me.

 

[jaymac]

When I put he shift kit and 4.10s in my AOD even before the heads if I was doing about 15-20 if I stood on it it would kick down and break the tires loose and then bark 'em pretty good on the 1-2 shift.

In which case, you're DEFINITELY gonna have traction issues w/ a converter!!!! Fun fun fun!
I'm still running EGR w/ the P's, as I have the 96 intake w/ EGR availibilty.
Total, i spent aout $1700 on my rebuild. That was about $500 for the converter, $184 for the rebuild kit, $90ish for the shift kit (which you already have), I think $115 for the Superservo, maybe $30 for the Boost Valve, stamped steel drums were like $30. I already had a tranny cooler in the car, but that was about $65.
Installation was about $700.

 

[1mild88lx]

For GT40P's, I'm getting very confused buying my headbolts. Nobody's ever mentioned them before, and the guys @ Autoaone don't know anything about it (shocker), so just making usre.
Will the $38 ARP's be all I need?

Where did you get you Head Bolts and how much? Im changing my Heads in two weeks.

 

[jaymac]

Well, I ended up getting them form Autozone; They were sold as Edelbrock, but they were actually APR's, and they included ARP moly lube in the package. I paid 59.99, and were part # 8552.
You can buy them through Summit for $38, then $9 for shipping and I don't know if they include moly lube, for what it's worth.

 

[Modular2v]

where can the head dowels be found...one of mine came off with the swap

 

[jaymac]

ur gonna have to try Autozone or some place like that.
Technically, you non't NEED them, but they do hold the gaskets in place and make it easier to mount the heads, but you can (with some work) get away w/o them, I believe!
You might also check a junkyard, but that would be a fair amount of work!

 

[Modular2v]

well gasket and head alignment isnt that much of an issue for me with the arp head studs

 

[jaymac]

well, then, don't need 'em!!

 

[RYC CUKR]

In which case, you're DEFINITELY gonna have traction issues w/ a converter!!!! Fun fun fun!
I'm still running EGR w/ the P's, as I have the 96 intake w/ EGR availibilty.
Total, i spent aout $1700 on my rebuild. That was about $500 for the converter, $184 for the rebuild kit, $90ish for the shift kit (which you already have), I think $115 for the Superservo, maybe $30 for the Boost Valve, stamped steel drums were like $30. I already had a tranny cooler in the car, but that was about $65.
Installation was about $700.

Did they change any seals in it? I am still going back and forth between having it done and doing it myself. If I have someone rebuild it I will pull the trans and take it to them.

The only reason that I don't have EGR is that on my GT40 Upper the EGR tube is actually broken so that kinda makes it useless. I am gonna change intakes soon to a TFS Trackheat and we'll see how that works.