Do I need new head bolts? - Land Rovers Only

philippe · 08-03-2005, 09:22 AM

Hello,
I will soon be refitting my EFI cylinder heads.
Do I need to buy new head bolts or can I reuse my exiting ones?
How many times can they / should they be used

?

Many thanks,
Philippe

sven · 08-03-2005, 01:10 PM

Buy new ones. They stretch and can only be used once.

TerryS · 08-03-2005, 04:33 PM

It depends largely on which head gaskets you're going to use, but I would suggest the new, composite gaskets rather than the old, waffle steel one.
However, if you are using steel headgaskets, use the conventional head bolts. If you do use the composite gaskets, deffinately use torsional head bolts. They are an made in an alloy whose yield strength is just greater than the amount of torque you'll end up with so continue to add tension as the gasket compresses. You may want to consider planning the heads slighly more than cleanup. Generally when heads are reconditioned, they are only planed to flat, but because the composite gaskets are slightly thicker, a few extra thousands (.008 to .010 if you're using 93 octane, .005 to .006 if you're using 89 or less)) will make up for this so no loss of compression ratio will be had.
I would never reuse even conventional head bolts, just cheap insurance, but, as Sven says, never reuse tortional stretch bolts.

philippe · 08-03-2005, 10:21 PM

Sven, Terry, thanks for the advice.....new bolts on the way.
The new stretch type bolts come as a pack of 20 but my car uses 28. I was intending anyhow to follow the advice of RPI of only torquing the lower 4 bolts to 25lb/ft. Do I need new bolts here as well or should my old standard bolts be ok for 'filling the holes'?
I've gone for a 0.10 plane and will be using the composite gaskets.
Thanks

sven · 08-04-2005, 06:15 AM

No, dont do that! The composite gasket has no provision for the last row of 4 bolts, this is done on purpose to reduce leaks. Follow the torque values here: http://www.roverparts.com/INS_Headbo...224_40_46.html

08-03-2005, 09:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
philippe Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 54 Gallery: 0	Do I need new head bolts? Hello, I will soon be refitting my EFI cylinder heads. Do I need to buy new head bolts or can I reuse my exiting ones? How many times can they / should they be used ? Many thanks, Philippe

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
Land Rovers Only - Land Rover Forum Advertisement

08-03-2005, 01:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
sven Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Centre of PA Posts: 373 Gallery: 0	Buy new ones. They stretch and can only be used once.

08-03-2005, 04:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
TerryS Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Bloomfield, CT If I died today, I lived there all my life. Posts: 2,182 Gallery: 0	It depends largely on which head gaskets you're going to use, but I would suggest the new, composite gaskets rather than the old, waffle steel one. However, if you are using steel headgaskets, use the conventional head bolts. If you do use the composite gaskets, deffinately use torsional head bolts. They are an made in an alloy whose yield strength is just greater than the amount of torque you'll end up with so continue to add tension as the gasket compresses. You may want to consider planning the heads slighly more than cleanup. Generally when heads are reconditioned, they are only planed to flat, but because the composite gaskets are slightly thicker, a few extra thousands (.008 to .010 if you're using 93 octane, .005 to .006 if you're using 89 or less)) will make up for this so no loss of compression ratio will be had. I would never reuse even conventional head bolts, just cheap insurance, but, as Sven says, never reuse tortional stretch bolts.

08-03-2005, 10:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
philippe Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 54 Gallery: 0	Sven, Terry, thanks for the advice.....new bolts on the way. The new stretch type bolts come as a pack of 20 but my car uses 28. I was intending anyhow to follow the advice of RPI of only torquing the lower 4 bolts to 25lb/ft. Do I need new bolts here as well or should my old standard bolts be ok for 'filling the holes'? I've gone for a 0.10 plane and will be using the composite gaskets. Thanks

08-04-2005, 06:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
sven Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Centre of PA Posts: 373 Gallery: 0	No, dont do that! The composite gasket has no provision for the last row of 4 bolts, this is done on purpose to reduce leaks. Follow the torque values here: http://www.roverparts.com/INS_Headbo...224_40_46.html

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)