head bolt reusing

[buffblazer]

ok i need to get my motor together soon. im painting it right now and im being picky and not wanting to take my lifters out. i am missing the 2 lower head bolts from my pass side. would it be ok if i put the head on and torque everything down and use 2 head bolts out of my other motor with 100k and torque everything down and when my 2 new bolts come in, just swap them out. would that hurt anything? im wanting to flip the motor over to replace the pan gasket and rear main seal and i just want to be able to hold my lifters in place.

 

[lectric80]

If I was to do this, I would put the bolts in loosely, and then when the bolts come in torque them down properly. The bolts can stretch, and loosening the head to replace the bolts could cause leaks. I really wouldn't want to torque the gasket down until you have the bolts in hand.

 

[longbedder]

Torque it once and for all when you have all the final-use bolts, using the proper tightening pattern.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Doing what you said is ok and won't hurt a thing, in fact there's nothing wrong with re-using head bolts as long as they aren't from a later model engine with torque to yield head bolts. The only thing you have to check is that the bolt threads are not damaged and that they aren't deformed.

 

[Thunder]

Doing what you aid is ok and won't hurt a thing, in fact there' nothing wrong with re-using head bolt sa slong as they aren't from a later model engine with torque to yield head bolts. The only thing you have to check is that the bolt threads are not damaged and that they aren't deformed.

X2 I usually reuse head bolts when I rebuild. Unless they are screwed up or torque to yeild.
Never had a problem in a stock/street engine. I would just use what you have. Torque them down and use the new bolts on your other engine.

 

[buffblazer]

ok i will probably do just that i was afraid that using the old bolts even if the threads were good and everything was that it wouldnt get completly tight or would back off after awhile. so in the old days they didnt use torque to yeild bolts? how do you tell if one is a torque to yeild bolt?

 

[Thunder]

All iron head SBC before 1996 were standard head bolts.
After 1996 they used torque to yeild.

IIRC? the SBC TTY head bolts have a flange attached to the bolt head.
The old style bolts dont have the flange and have the 6 radial line grade 8 marking on the top of the bolt head.

 

[vortec]

i've reused head bolts but they were never on my own engines and i was never around to see the long-term results...so i guess i've been no help