studs vs bolts
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 666
Likes: 5
It depends on your application. For a stock or near stock engine, the factory head bolts are fine. The available stud kits have two advantages. 1) if you plan to pull the head frequently to work on the engine (a racer for example) then the studs save wear and tear on the threads in the block. 2) the studs are higher strength than the stock bolts. #2 is only a real benefit for a high performance application. If you are not running high compression, or boost, or nitrous, then you probably don't need the extra strength.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,192
Likes: 384
From: Near Los Angeles
Do not change to studs on an existing engine. They torque differently and apply additional torque to your block!! The only time you should use studs is when rebuilding an engine and you tell the machine shop you are going to use head studs. How he bores the block is determined by whether you use studs or bolts. Otherwise, if you change to studs on an existing engine you run the risk of causing your rings to unseat, causing the burning of oil.
If your old head bolts are tired, replace with new ones. There is a site that handles them, IIRC it is headbolts.com.
If your old head bolts are tired, replace with new ones. There is a site that handles them, IIRC it is headbolts.com.
