head bolt replacement

T

thewrongguy

Founding Member

Feb 1, 2002

272

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Windsor, ON Canada

Dec 26, 2003

#1

• Dec 26, 2003

• #1

Just a quick question,

ford recommends replacing the head bolts on it's 2.3t when re-building an engine. Is this a "While your there do it" mentality or is it just a cash grab?

It's a low mileage block (80K, 65K mi I think). Do you think this is a necessity I know they stretch, but this soon?

Thanks again for you time

Jeff

 

Anlushac11

Founding Member

Feb 17, 2001

2,270

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Indianapolis, Indiana

Dec 27, 2003

#2

• Dec 27, 2003

• #2

While you may not be able to see it but everytime you retorque your head bolts they stretch a little bit. Add the pressure of a turbocharged engine and head boilts have been known to fail.

Switching to a Grade 8 Head bolt is just insurance, you buy it and hope you never have to use it. Same with main and rod bolts

 

Stinger

Founding Member

Jul 7, 2001

7,754

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Basehor (Kansas City), KS

Dec 27, 2003

#3

• Dec 27, 2003

• #3

If they are 6 point then replace them...if they are 12pt you can reuse them 10 times if you feel like it...won't hurt a thing. Matter of fact I just picked up a few more sets of used 12pt sets for spares

 

351wcoupe

New Member

Feb 13, 2003

1,811

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Manhattan, Kansas

Dec 27, 2003

#4

• Dec 27, 2003

• #4

Stinger said:

If they are 6 point then replace them...if they are 12pt you can reuse them 10 times if you feel like it...won't hurt a thing. Matter of fact I just picked up a few more sets of used 12pt sets for spares

Click to expand...

Do you need to keep them together as a set or can you mix and match?
Would it hurt anything to have different lengths of head bolts? I know its very small amounts but just wondering.

 

Stinger

Founding Member

Jul 7, 2001

7,754

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Basehor (Kansas City), KS

Dec 28, 2003

#5

• Dec 28, 2003

• #5

I wouldn't mix and match...they have slightly different torque values once they heat up and expand...