researching header bolts.....quick question...

YES, I'm in the process of searching this sight on any advise concerning header bolts...

Are loostening header bolt a general concern? Engine wise....LS1, LT1, TPI, TBI, Carb......I'm buying header bolts as soon as I get the ONE reponse I need....

Does it differ w/ headers and/or engine???
BReslin...Stage 8...?? I heard the stock SLP kit bolts were not so good...

Thanx in advance for your patience and advise...:thumb:

You shouldn't have a problem as long as you retighten them the next day.

I would buy 12 point bolt heads.

I've heard that if you retighten the bolts after a few good heat cycles (retighten when the engine is warm... hot if you can, but you'll probably burn yourself lol) That you should be fine, and they don't back out again.

I went with Stage8 anyway because I couldn't be bothered to retighten them. Installing the Stage8's probably took me as much time extra, as it would to go back and tighten non-stage8 bolts again. So why bother?

ARP bolts have 3/8" heads for extra clearance, and the stainless bolts and washers look nice.

i heat cycled my el cheapo headerbolts and they still backed out. when i was unbolting the headers to get teh heads off lastweekend 2 or 3 were hand tight and replacing header gaskets isnt fun so i went with the stage 8 locking bolts this time

i reused teh stockers...

checked them 4 times.

once after a few heat cycles, once after a week, then once for the next 2 months.

none came close to backing out

but, does bolt loostening differ by motor? I wouldn't immagine so. But I have no clue in this area... I don't feel like messing w/ them once they're in. But once the head heats up and expands they would be loose when it's hot then anyway, right? Should I just buy better ones besides the SLP kit bolts and check em once after a complete drive cycle? Mabie tighten them up then, if needed. THey should be fine then, right?

that should be fine.

maybe a quick check a few hundred miles later

I just checked mine a coupel weeks ago and found that 2 were missing :eek: :eek: and one backed itself out buy about an 1/2 inch!!

Needless to say I was NOT happy!

I had some Stage 8's they are junk. They are really soft metal and try to round out the allen head and round off the bolt head very easily. I took them all off and put some Mr. Gasket brand bolts i got from the local store. I tightened them up once after they were installed and they've been fine since. I would either just get some regular header bolts or some of those Breslins.

I had some Stage 8's they are junk. They are really soft metal and try to round out the allen head and round off the bolt head very easily. I took them all off and put some Mr. Gasket brand bolts i got from the local store. I tightened them up once after they were installed and they've been fine since. I would either just get some regular header bolts or some of those Breslins.

I found Breslin's once when I was out surfing and I forgot the site that I found them on. Who has the better price??

On every set of headers I have ever owned, the bolts come loose no matter how many times I re-tighten them. This went on until I bought a set of stage-8 locking header bolts from Summit. They cost about 40 bucks but saved me a LOT of trouble. I love em, would highly recommend them to anybody.