Sticky head bolts...

[CruisinGA]

I pulled the bolts today to get the old F aircleaner bracket out of the way, impact wouldn't take them .

Got em out, one was covered in surface rust dust, neither were pitted at all.

Cleaned them well, dipped in some 30 wt and dropped em back in. Thing was, I met a lot of resistance before they even got snug to the head. One of them had ~5 mm to go and was already poppin the torque wrench at 90 ft lbs. I pulled it, cleaned and re-lubed about 3 times and eventually got it to seat down on the head before poppin the wrench.

I'm afraid that too much of that 90 ftlbs was "used" just threading in the head bolts, and that they are not offering enough pressure on the head.

I've only watched David install/remove heads on fresh rebuilds, so this is new to me. Maybe I am way off here.

Just don't want to fawk something up.

Thanks for bearing with me. Its been intense cruiser time gettin the trucks ready to head up to tellyco.

 

[Poser]

Often, there is crap in the area around the head bolt and head that can get into the threads and cause issues...

I blow out EVERY hole with compressed air to make sure that nothing in in there that could cause an issue, especially when the fasterners are a bear to remove, like what you have described.


I have seen people put engines together, Cat, Cummins, Small Block Chev, etc. fracture the block becasue there was something, crud, fluid, etc, in the head bolt holes....


-Steve

 

[CruisinGA]

I did grab a light and have a look-there was nothing in there.

I do know about hydrolocking the bolts with oil and water etc...

I was somewhat cautious about compressed air due to the head gasket and there being no clamping force there. Probably completely unwarranted, but still just tryin not to fawk s*** up.

Thanks.

 

[Poser]

You will know in a few days....


Should be fine man!


-Steve

 

[theo]

The real solution is to chase the threads with a tap, then clean the hole with solvent and a vacuum or compressed air. But that probably means pulling the head, unless you can find a tap that is two miles long. So maybe it will be fine. No, it's probably OK. Really. No, really, it's fine. . .

 

[60wag]

Some oil on the threads is good but too much can cause hydrolock. Oil in the bottom of the bolt hole prevents the bolt from seating adequately - it can definitely screw up a perfectly good head gasket by not clamping it properly. You might try putting an extension on a compressed air gun that can reach the bottom of the hole. If its not a oil problem then definitley chase the threads with a tap or you may need some new bolts. 2F head bolts should not be torqued to yield. If the threads are deformed they should be replaced. If the bolts don't torque down properly, the head gasket WILL leak.

 

[CruisinGA]

Once cleaned the threads on the head bolts were perfect...

No obstructions in the hole.

I think crud in the threads is my problem, a tap would fix it.

I think it will make it. If not, I need to rebuild anyway.

 

[65swb45]

poor man's tap

I don't make a regular practice of this, but when a bolt or two is having a problem, I take a spare bolt off the shelf from a 74 [because it is longer] and cut a notch into the threads with a peanut grinder to make a poor-man's tap. Then I chase just the affected holes with the homemade tap.

I once had a real head bolt tap, but not anymore. Bought it to fix some f-d up bolt holes on Paul Walker's [Skulls, The Fast and theFurious, Pleasantville] FJ 55. I made him pay for the tap, and then I gave it to him when I was done with the job.

I should look him up and see about buying it back!

 

[Poser]

13.0x1.75?

Is that our tap?