Re: Head Bolts

[Shawn C Meze <skerocdriver@juno.com>]

On Sat, 13 Nov 1999 16:36:35 -0800 "Dave and Carol Ewing"
<dcewing@prodigy.net> writes:
>OK, OK, so what is it?  Don't replace them or replace them.  I figured
that
>if they reccomend it and I can get them for $20 (hard to believe) then
I'd
>go for it.  I have done an 8v head before and reused the head bolts and
it
>was fine.  The head was pulled off for preventative maitenance, not
because
>the motor had overheated or had other major problems.  So, I am also
>assuming that the headbolts I have are in good enough shape to use again
if
>the new ones are outrageously priced.  LMK what you all think!


REPLACE THEM.
Unless it was an emergency I think your a fool if you reuse them. The
stock head bolts are designed to stretch and lock the head in place. Once
they're torqued down, they're done. You cant reuse them and get the right
torque values with these bolts ever again. Will they work, SURE. Its a
huge gamble that everything will work out fine and not have problems. And
also think about what happens to the bolts once you've heat cycled them a
few times. They change. 

I dunno about you but the torque sequence is the most "out of there" than
on any other motor ive ever built. 
(Including V-6's, V8's, Diesels, LM2500 turbines, F404 Turbines. You get
the picture.)
Unlike most other head torques, VW's require that you torque the head
(using the 12 point head bolts) to 30ft lbs, then again to 44ft lbs, then
(this is the weird part) you turn the bolt an additional 1/2 turn. Ive
don't this part a few times and it never feels quite right. That's a
bunch of stress on each bolt and for my money, I don't want to risk
stripping the threads in either the block or the bolt, no do I want to
run the risk of matching the sheer point of the bolt when im doing the
final torque. 

That's just me, keep in mind that its your car, so you do whatever you
want. GL!


              Shawn Meze
86' Jetta GLi           82' Scirocco GTi
The Fastest, Quickest, Cleanest and
best looking Scirocco in all of San Diego!
http://www.Geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1308/index.htm

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