how many times can you reuse stock head bolts?
- Thread starter 90blue5.0
- Start date
I'm on my third time with mine (that I know of) and they're fine. I'd say if you were building an engine with a lot of compression, boost, nitrous, or high dollar aluminium heads, I'd upgrade to head studs, but for a basic rebuild with Iron heads, the stock bolts can be used again. Some people will replace them, regardless, but they're not torque to yield, so I don't see any real problem.
Stock head bolts are definitely not torque to yield. Just make sure to run a tap down the bolt-holes in the block, make sure the threads are clean before installing them. Also don’t forget to oil the threads and just under the head of the bolts as well as use some thread sealer on the lower bolts, as they run into the water jackets on the block.cleanLX said:
I’ve reused stock bolts dozens of times as have many people. Like I said before, unless there are any drastic parameters like forced induction, high compression, nitrous, or aluminium heads, I wouldn’t worry too much about the stock bolts. You’ll be able to torque them accurately enough for iron heads.
No, the gaskets and block should be clean and dry before you lay them on. And remember, they only go on one way. But I like to use a thick bead of RVT Black silicone in place of the end gaskets on the lower intake manifold when I put it back on. You use the end gaskets that come with it, but I find that the silicone seals better. If you’re going to use the gaskets, just make sure to give them an ample dab in each corner.....as well as a thin layer around the intake and water jacket ports of the heads before I lay on the manifold gaskets.
Maryland Stang
Active Member
V-6 head bolts can not be reused. V-8 bolts can be reused. Just do what Gearbanger 101 told you.
whoever tells you that you can reuse those TORQUE TO YIELD bolts is a meathead. You can't reuse them. They stretch after the first use. Get a manual for your car. In the manual it will tell you not to reuse those bolts and it will tell you the correct way to do things. Take my advice and get the book.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
ARP does not make torque to yield fasteners - ARP are NOT torque to yield. Provided they're not overtorqued, they can be reused.
My understanding is that the factory switched to torque to yield head bolts at some point - I have a vague recollection that the SN95 cars (94/95) have torque to yield head bolts, but don't hold me to it. Torque to yield bolts can only be "torqued to yield" one time - can't be reused.
My understanding is that the factory switched to torque to yield head bolts at some point - I have a vague recollection that the SN95 cars (94/95) have torque to yield head bolts, but don't hold me to it. Torque to yield bolts can only be "torqued to yield" one time - can't be reused.
retro50
New Member
90 blue5.0 has the correct answer. Ford used torque to yield head bolts on 93 and up 5.0L engines and they have flanges under the heads of the bolts. You can replace them with the earlier head bolt design and use the early torque spec.
i think in the 90's somewhere they went to torque to yield. well anyway the non torqu to yield can be use a few time but not indefinetly. i had a machinist put hardened valve seats in my 289. he screwed up the seat alignment i think because 5 seperate times i got a stuck exhaust valve after the engine got warmed up and had to pull the heads off 5 different times. about the 4th time when installing one of the head bolts didn't feel quite right and snapped off at about 60 foot pounds. not a big deal the bolt came right out with a screw driver, but ruined a gasket. ive ran across 2 other head bolts on other engine that didn't feel right so pulled them out stuck em in a vise and bent them and threw em away.
an easy way to tell if the head bolts are torqu to yield is to go your local parts store and if they have them in stock more than likely their torque to yeild.
an easy way to tell if the head bolts are torqu to yield is to go your local parts store and if they have them in stock more than likely their torque to yeild.
Maryland Stang
Active Member
gaslight wrote:
whoever tells you that you can reuse those TORQUE TO YIELD bolts is a meathead.
I used my Haynes manual as a reference before I posted. When it said to make sure the head bolts went back into the same locations that they came out of I was sure they were reusable.
Ref: Haynes Ford Mustang & Mecury Capri - Section 2D-12 #9
whoever tells you that you can reuse those TORQUE TO YIELD bolts is a meathead.
I used my Haynes manual as a reference before I posted. When it said to make sure the head bolts went back into the same locations that they came out of I was sure they were reusable.
Ref: Haynes Ford Mustang & Mecury Capri - Section 2D-12 #9
YardSpecial
New Member
1990 and up are TTY bolts and have a washer under the bolt head.
Should not be used more then 3 times.
prior 90 bolts should only be used once.
Page 214 in the Ford Mustang 5.0 book
So that the info I go by.
Intake torque is also important, to tight and U could blow the head gasket ! (common)
The Meathead !
Should not be used more then 3 times.
prior 90 bolts should only be used once.
Page 214 in the Ford Mustang 5.0 book
So that the info I go by.
Intake torque is also important, to tight and U could blow the head gasket ! (common)
The Meathead !
