the beast
1/2 ton status
How many of you have used the allen socket head header bolts for SBC's. Pro's? Con's? I've never used them, but I've never had a reason to either. But my latest POS has a problem with the bolts coming loose and backing out.
CK5
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Header bolts ?s
- Thread starter the beast
- Start date
Slapperbar
Retired Navy NDT Examiner
pro:Easy to use.
cons:age/heat/rust and they split when you try to loosen/tighten them.
I use stage 8 locking fasteners on all of my headers. Tighten them once. period.
cons:age/heat/rust and they split when you try to loosen/tighten them.
I use stage 8 locking fasteners on all of my headers. Tighten them once. period.
if you do use them some of the bolts you cant even get to with the allen head. so you just have to wrench them.
stizkidz
1/2 ton status
I just purchased these for my '88. They are junk. Stripped out on the first turn of the first bolt. Then again, I did buy the $5 set at Pep Boys... A wrench works just fine.
zeroz400
1/2 ton status
If you get allen head ones it would be a good idea to buy a allen socket that can be used at an angle. I use some 3/8" allen head bolts around the carb, its angled but with the tool i can turn em loose coming straight from the top.
G
goldwing2000
Guest
I use stainless allen head bolts in my headers. No problems whatsoever.
I didn't buy them as some kind of kit, though. Just got the right size bolts from a bolt supplier and torqued them to the proper specification.
Oh, and I used regular manifold gaskets, not those cheap-ass paper header gaskets.
I didn't buy them as some kind of kit, though. Just got the right size bolts from a bolt supplier and torqued them to the proper specification.
Oh, and I used regular manifold gaskets, not those cheap-ass paper header gaskets.
good luck...
I put stainless steel studs in the exhaust manifolds of one truck I had--never again!..they didn't rust,but got so brittle they snapped like peanut brittle when I went to take the pipes off to change them!.
I melted a bunch of drill bits trying to drill them out,and my torch couldn't melt them so I could blow them out either!--I ended up taking both manifolds off and taking them to work,so I could use an end mill in the milling machine to remove the broken off peices!..
..they seemed to "weld" themselves to the manifolds,they wouldn't just unscrew like a regular bolt would!..
I am not sure what grade of stainless those studs were,but they were like tungsten!..I'll stick with grade 8 from now on,or even softer ones..at least they can be drilled or blown out with a torch!.--maybe the cylinder heads dont get as hot as the cast iron manifolds and you wont have any issues with stainless bolts..good luck!..
I put stainless steel studs in the exhaust manifolds of one truck I had--never again!..they didn't rust,but got so brittle they snapped like peanut brittle when I went to take the pipes off to change them!.
I melted a bunch of drill bits trying to drill them out,and my torch couldn't melt them so I could blow them out either!--I ended up taking both manifolds off and taking them to work,so I could use an end mill in the milling machine to remove the broken off peices!..
..they seemed to "weld" themselves to the manifolds,they wouldn't just unscrew like a regular bolt would!..I am not sure what grade of stainless those studs were,but they were like tungsten!..I'll stick with grade 8 from now on,or even softer ones..at least they can be drilled or blown out with a torch!.--maybe the cylinder heads dont get as hot as the cast iron manifolds and you wont have any issues with stainless bolts..good luck!..
G
goldwing2000
Guest
Sounds like either really crappy stainless or galvanic corrosion. I always use anti-sneeze on every bolt but especially when there are two dissimilar metals. I pulled the stainless bolts out of my headers when I removed the engine a couple months ago and they came out like buttah. 
They had been installed for about 6 years or so.
They had been installed for about 6 years or so.
