Thread: New or Same Head Bolts

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Thanks, I thought I heard that somewhere before. At $170 for a set of ARP just wanted to make sure. I am going to need a radiator for long too and $$$$$$ is tight down south.

429s and 460s use a massive and strong 9/16-diameter head bolt that handles a torque/clamping force of a whopping 135 lbs-ft. (Compare to chebby's 7/16 bolt which is torques to 65/75 foot pounds.) The original 429/460 head bolts are very strong and of high quality, and if well preserved can be reused over and over again in most applications, certainly most naturally aspirated applications.

Many moons ago (before there were 460 parts everywhere), the car pictured below ran 7.20's in the quarter using an unmodified oem useed 2-bolt block (4.44" bore), oem used 460 cast crankshaft, oem used iron passenger car heads, oem used main bolts and oem used head bolts. The Moroso calculator put HP at over 1800HP.

(Kids, don't try this at home; your results may vary )

Paul

Originally Posted by Paul Kane

429s and 460s use a massive and strong 9/16-diameter head bolt that handles a torque/clamping force of a whopping 135 lbs-ft. (Compare to chebby's 7/16 bolt which is torques to 65/75 foot pounds.) The original 429/460 head bolts are very strong and of high quality, and if well preserved can be reused over and over again in most applications, certainly most naturally aspirated applications.

Many moons ago (before there were 460 parts everywhere), the car pictured below ran 7.20's in the quarter using an unmodified oem useed 2-bolt block (4.44" bore), oem used 460 cast crankshaft, oem used iron passenger car heads, oem used main bolts and oem used head bolts. The Moroso calculator put HP at over 1800HP.

(Kids, don't try this at home; your results may vary )

Paul

What Paul is not telling you is that the Big block Chevy uses more head bolts spread more evenly across the surface of the deck which will seal your head gasket better.
Used head bolts in a "blown application"?
Even ARP wants you to check for bolt stretch.
Why take a chance on used fastners that may be 30 years old and have 5+ torque cycles on them.
Yes, kids don't re-use head bolts or any other bolts in any blown application.

Replacement bolts = cheap engine insurance.

I would go for studs for better clamping rather then bolts - and they are cheaper.

P/N ARP-155-4003 with hex head nuts, @$153 from Summit(the 12 point nut versions are out of sight pricewise)

Originally Posted by IC2

Replacement bolts = cheap engine insurance.

I would go for studs for better clamping rather then bolts - and they are cheaper.

P/N ARP-155-4003 with hex head nuts, @$153 from Summit(the 12 point nut versions are out of sight pricewise)

If you go for head studs, be sure you can slide the head off without doing a lot of extra work.

I assembled the 462" Buick engine in my roadster on an engine stand.

Not too far down the road I pulled the heads to machine for Teflon guides and different springs.
I found the right side head would not come off due to a conflict with the 32's sticks-out-a-touch front body mount.
Had to pull the ARP studs which isn't too bad, but the two end ones are down in a well.

Last time I had the head off, I stuck ARP head bolts in it.

Kinda funny looking, but no one has ever commented about the right side bolts and left side studs.

Sorta like my pal from back in the day, he showed up with his flathead powered 49 Ford coupe with an aluminum head on one side and a factory head on the other.
Ran ok, kinda made folks wonder though....

I guess my next motor is going to "have" to be a stock parted 460 stroker,max effort design.Utilizing almost all factory parts,pistons and rods have to go,....but the rest will make smiles!!!!!
Heres a pic,just for Erik....

Mempho,

Tell us more specifics about your build, such as compression ratio, intended rpm range, hp target, engine application, fuel usage (alcohol, race gas, pump gas, etc.), iron or aluminum heads, etc. That will help determine the use of the proper head bolts.

Most people I know use the oem 429/460 head bolts to over 13:1 compression ratio without incident.

Paul

Originally Posted by shawnlee28

I guess my next motor is going to "have" to be a stock parted 460 stroker,max effort design.Utilizing almost all factory parts,pistons and rods have to go,....but the rest will make smiles!!!!!
Heres a pic,just for Erik....

Very nice.
What are your final port dimensions??
What are your flow numbers??
What is your intake to exhaust flow ratio??

Originally Posted by erik erikson

What Paul is not telling you is that the Big block Chevy uses more head bolts spread more evenly across the surface of the deck which will seal your head gasket better.

And what Erik is not telling you is that the Ford has the true symmetrical bolt spacing, the thicker cylinder head deck on the block, the blind head bolt holes, the stronger head bolts and the better block material...to name a few of the features that enable the better head gasket sealing than the chebby.

But I digress, I can understand a chebby enthusiast's disbelief at what the stock Ford parts can support...afterall, had the race car in my post above been built with passenger car chebby parts it most certainly would have grenaded to smithereens.

Paul