GT40 head bolts vs stud kit

83StangSGT(P) · Jun 11, 2011

I have a 83 gt and i have a set of gt40 heads waiting to be installed next wensday. I was looking on summit racing and stud kits are the only thing coming up. Will a new set of stock head bolts work instead of the studs. they are a quarter of the price and im going for cost effective? Would it be worth spending the extra money?

Gearbanger 101 · Jun 11, 2011

Unless you're planning on elevating combustion chamber pressures significantly with copious amounts of nitrous or forced induction, go right ahead and pick up a set of stock head bolts. Hell, re-use the original ones. They're not torque to yield. I've reused stock head bolts dozens of times with zero issues.

83StangSGT(P) · Jun 11, 2011

Thanks will do.

tb9050lx · Jun 12, 2011

i would at least get some arp head bolts , a little bit better than the stock ones ,fresh bolts are always a good idea .

Gearbanger 101 · Jun 12, 2011

tb9050lx said:
i would at least get some arp head bolts , a little bit better than the stock ones ,fresh bolts are always a good idea .

There's no doubt that ARP head bolts are better than stock ones. The question is....are they necessary? A billet adjustable fuel regulator may be "better" than a stock non adjustable Ford unit, but if the Ford unit is performing the way it should, are you really any further ahead spending another $100 on an aftermarket one?

Like I said....the stock head bolts are more than adequate enough for moderate power levels. The ONLY reason I would upgrade would be because of the reasons outlined in my first post. For what he’ll spend on ARP head bolts, he could put the difference towards a better set of head gaskets or something else he really "needs", instead of something that would be just "nice to have"?

And again...unless the bolts are torque to yield, or damaged/worn in any way, or inadequate for the performance needs of the engine, it's perfectly acceptable to reuse the stock ones. Engine builders have been re-using them for years. I suspect head bolts are swapped out a lot of the time because of inflated, internet horror stories and misinformation than any legitimate reason.

tb9050lx · Jun 19, 2011

Gearbanger 101 said:
There's no doubt that ARP head bolts are better than stock ones. The question is....are they necessary? A billet adjustable fuel regulator may be "better" than a stock non adjustable Ford unit, but if the Ford unit is performing the way it should, are you really any further ahead spending another $100 on an aftermarket one?

Like I said....the stock head bolts are more than adequate enough for moderate power levels. The ONLY reason I would upgrade would be because of the reasons outlined in my first post. For what he’ll spend on ARP head bolts, he could put the difference towards a better set of head gaskets or something else he really "needs", instead of something that would be just "nice to have"?

And again...unless the bolts are torque to yield, or damaged/worn in any way, or inadequate for the performance needs of the engine, it's perfectly acceptable to reuse the stock ones. Engine builders have been re-using them for years. I suspect head bolts are swapped out a lot of the time because of inflated, internet horror stories and misinformation than any legitimate reason.

i have assembled a lot of engines ,and if it was mine i would throw those 25 year old bolts out for some fresh arps ,at most your spending 50 $ . being a 5.0 with crappy stock head gaskets its probably had few sets in its life , and 25 year old head bolts dont cut it . espically the lower ones that corrode cause they are exposed to coolant . do it right the first time .

Butterfinger · Jun 19, 2011

What brand sealer do you use to prevent those lower ones from leaking?

I did not reuse my head bolts cause the lower ones looked in bad shape.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Jun 19, 2011

I used parts store replacements on my 347. Haven't blown a head gasket yet and it's seen 7k+ a few times now.

tb9050lx · Jun 20, 2011

Butterfinger said:
What brand sealer do you use to prevent those lower ones from leaking?

I did not reuse my head bolts cause the lower ones looked in bad shape.

ARP 100-9904 - ARP Thread Sealer

Gearbanger 101 · Jun 20, 2011

tb9050lx said:
i have assembled a lot of engines ,and if it was mine i would throw those 25 year old bolts out for some fresh arps ,at most your spending 50 $ . being a 5.0 with crappy stock head gaskets its probably had few sets in its life , and 25 year old head bolts dont cut it . espically the lower ones that corrode cause they are exposed to coolant . do it right the first time .

Don't automatically discount an engine part because of age. Not all parts of your car wear over time, or at the same rate for that matter. Your engine block after all is that same 25-years-old part as those head bolts and is subject to all the same corrosive agents, rust and wear that the bolts are. Would you recommend he “chuck” it because of its age as well?

The "do it right the first time" expression is probably the most overused sentence ever uttered in the automotive world. It's a great way for some people to justify spending money on all sorts of things, but the bottom line remains, but if it aint broke, don't fix it. Just because you aren’t replacing something with high dollar aftermarket parts doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong and I hate that this has become the mentality amongst a lot of automotive enthusiasts as of late.

Standard head bolts aren't a high wear item. As I said above...visually inspect them for excessive rust, corrosion, damage, thread distortion, etc. If they look bad, then by all means, replace them. If they don't, go ahead and reused them. ARP bolts are great, but overkill in most applications. If there was a problem with Fords stock bolts, they wouldn't have used them for nearly 40-years.

VibrantRedGT · Jun 20, 2011

I'd do ARP head bolts if I had the heads off. It's not expensive at this point so why not. It's like buying an insurance plan, you hope not to need but glad you have it when something happens. Studs are really not needed on the stock stuff unless you're going to get nuts with forced induction.

tb9050lx · Jun 20, 2011

tb9050lx said:
i have assembled a lot of engines ,and if it was mine i would throw those 25 year old bolts out for some fresh arps ,at most your spending 50 $ . being a 5.0 with crappy stock head gaskets its probably had few sets in its life , and 25 year old head bolts dont cut it . espically the lower ones that corrode cause they are exposed to coolant . do it right the first time .

Its just my opinion man , i have worked for ford for a long time and i always recommend new head bolts . bolts are cheap wrecked engines are not .

GT40 head bolts vs stud kit

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