Leave ARP's in..........or put Org back on...

[Keith B.]

L-36, fresh rebuild last summer, 600 miles since. My mechanic just didn't want to use my 44 yr old org head bolts and used ARP bolts. TF car , and while everything else is visually factory standard , these ARP bolts bother me.

Not being an engine builder, far from it, and going to NW NCRS Regional this August. Seeking your thoughts as to how many points I will get hit if I keep the ARP Head bolts in. Secondly, is it ok, to clean up my org head bolts and systematically pull out the ARP's and re-torque the orginals back in place.

Your thoughts please.............

[Joe L.]

Re: Leave ARP's in..........or put Org back on...

L-36, fresh rebuild last summer, 600 miles since. My mechanic just didn't want to use my 44 yr old org head bolts and used ARP bolts. TF car , and while everything else is visually factory standard , these ARP bolts bother me.

Not being an engine builder, far from it, and going to NW NCRS Regional this August. Seeking your thoughts as to how many points I will get hit if I keep the ARP Head bolts in. Secondly, is it ok, to clean up my org head bolts and systematically pull out the ARP's and re-torque the orginals back in place.

Your thoughts please.............

Keith------


If the original head bolts are "first run" (meaning they were installed at the factory and not removed until they were removed for this rebuild), I would have no qualms about reusing them IF there is no thread damage or corrosion damage to any portion of the bolt. If the bolts have an "unknown history" I would not want to re-use them. Bolts are still available from GM under the original part numbers but the head configuration is a bit different than the original bolts.

You can do as you say and remove and install the bolts one at a time without causing any problems.

Actually, assuming you do this, at all, the only bolts that you would need to change from a judging perspective are the external-to-under valve cover bolts (and, maybe, the one or two bolts that can be seen with the oil filler cap off). The rest of the bolts would be impossible to see or judge.

[Jerry G.]

Re: Leave ARP's in..........or put Org back on...

Good grief! There is such a thing as taking this too far. Internal bolts for an engine should be the best you can find. i've lost motors from a broken bolt. ARPs are great. On a refresh on the race motors I replace all the stressed bolts. Keep some sanity in this process. Just my opinion.

[Keith B.]

Re: Leave ARP's in..........or put Org back on...

Thanks Joe and Jerry. It was really just the external and visible head bolts below the valve covers that I was concerned about as they just don't look correct. The balance is knowing that you have a extremely premium (SDF and CHQ) grade , Made in the US, ISO 9001 company precision engineered product that you can trust in your BB when it is rebuilt.

Not being an engineer or fastener expert, my original factory head bolts (external) were securely in place for 44 yrs and served me well, and are visually perfect when they were removed for the first time last summer. Will they be as good as the ARP in there now, probably not.

Maybe I will have to see how many points I get hit, if I leave them alone. Internally, the ARP's are staying, externally maybe the point hit is value in knowing the best tempered premium steel is holding the BB together.....

[Jerry G.]

Re: Leave ARP's in..........or put Org back on...

Be happy. Leave the high quality known bolts alone. No point is worth worrying about an old used bolt.