This may be a silly question, but are the stock head bolts 'torque to yield' pieces that are useless after you pull them out the frist time? Just trying to get a figure on how much its gonna cost for parts to re-assemble my new motor. Im pretty sure i can get a set of ARP's for under $100.

 

From what I've seen on here, they are TTY bolts.

Having said that - I've reused them without any problems. Not that that was the right thing to do, I think I was just lucky nothing went wrong.

This time around I went with ARP's. I think they're around $50 from Summit/Jegs but you may want to double check that.

 

anyone else?

 

Do it right, ARP's are pretty cheap, I think I gave 50-60 for them.

 

tty, about $20.00 per side, just go with studs, $100.00 bucks, and reusable.

 

I have been told by several builders that LT1s are not tty, while ls1 stock are. That being said if you are that deep into it, might as well at least buy the arps. I think I will.

 

I have had my motor apart three times in three years, and have reused the head bolts, as I work at a GM dealership and all the techs said it was fine to do. I have yet to have a problem. But, I may be just one lucky SOB. Ya never know. But looking at the bolts, everyone said they were not torque once and then throw away.

 

Does anyone know where I can find the torque specs? I have the sequence down pat but I am pretty sure there is a torque pattern, like 30lbs across the head, then 50lbs, then finally 80lbs. I appreceate the help.

 

Three passes to 65 lb. ft. -non TTY.

93-95s are non TTY from the factory.

96-97s are TTY from the factory.
Torque-to-yield head bolts:

All bolts first pass = 22 lb. ft.
Second pass:
Long and medium bolts additional 80°
Short bolts additional 67°

Note that all bolts stretch, whether TTY or not.

You can use the TTY specs for any year head bolts. I would recommend new bolts (like ARP) and using the TTY specs. The TTY method gives more even clamping pressure that is not affected by bolt tightening friction (which can affect a torque wrench reading).

 

Well said.

 

When I installed my ARP head bolts, I called the ARP tech line to find out if it would be better to use the torque angle method of torquing the bolts rather than the values that came in the instructions with the bolts. The ARP tech guy said to definetly NOT use the TTY method with their bolts; that the TTY method would greatly overstress them. He told me to torque ALL the bolts (aluminum heads) to 60 ft. lbs., using ARP thread sealer on the threads and ARP lubricant under the bolt heads and washers. He also said that the 60 ft lb torque value would change if thread sealer and lubricant other than ARP was used. I was using the ARP stuff anyway, so I didn't ask him to elaborate on that.

Chris

 

Sounds like a bizarre thing for them to say about the TA method, especially since bolt stretch is the most accurate way to judge clamping pressure and the TA method is how you best judge that in a blind hole. If ARP bolts are supposed to be so much stronger than stock bolts and 96-97 stock bolts use the the TA method from the factory, are they saying their bolts are really not as good as stock bolts?

 

I would think that there bolts are made from harder material and aren't designed to stretch as TTY bolts are. I would follow the manufacturers instructions when using there bolts. Overtightening a bolt is not good as it may weaken and then break later on.

 

FYI: The "bolt tightening friction" is called 'run-on torque'. I don't know about the automotive industry but in the shipyards, you acount for this and add it to your final desired torque. If you show 2 lbft before contact and you want 82lbft, either zero the dial at 2 or go to 82 lbft.
Just a nugget

 

Yeah, I was surprised to hear that too. To quote what he actually said,"...if you use the TTY method, you'll end up with twice as many pieces as you started with." :confused

Chris