I pulled the 460 out of my 73 F350 for a rear main leak and a head that was leaking water down the side of the block. D1VE-A2B block and D3VE-A2A heads.

I am not happy with the condition of most of the fasteners. I have taken care of the exhaust manifold bolts, those are easy. My problem is with the main and head bolts.

When removing the heads not all bolts were evenly tight, same with the mains.

When I put the main bolts back in and worked them up to 105 f/lb one broke and two went soft. The broken one had a peak sticking up above the deck so I was able to tap it around with a punch and turn it out by hand (I feel lucky on that one) the soft ones came out without incident.

I am afraid the bolts have been over stressed or stretched somehow, perhaps the PO did some work and over torqued them, I don't know.

Also this is what outside head bolts on both sides looked like when removed, it's like sludge..the inside ones looked clean in comparison.





I know the head and main bolts are usually re-usable a couple of times but I have no plan to use these bolts again. Last thing I want to do is bust a head bolt flush or below deck surface.

No parts house around here is able to find either bolts - not surprising really.
The only place I can find them is Summit. Am I looking at the wrong ones? It's a stock motor. All the others I found said they were for specific aftermarket heads. I think that price is a bit crazy.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ar...3701/overview/

The main bolts aren't so bad
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ar...5202/overview/

Does anyone know of a reliable source of bolts that don't think they are made from gold moon rocks?

 

Buy the head / main bolts after market. Several manufactures are out there. Never had a problem with main bearing bolts but water in the oil mixed with products of combustion can cause some serious corrosion. Be sure and use a tap and chase the threads on all of the affected bolt holes. and make sure the thread in holes are still good.

 

WTROGER is right on the corrosion. I have seen this on a few John Deere engines. When the owner worked on it himself, he dipped the bolts in oil before assembly. WRONG! this hydraulically locked up the bolts before they went all the way in. This in turn let the head gasket seep water and combustion gasses into the bolt holes. When the gasket failed again, as it was destined to do, the bolts came out like yours. He was instructed on the proper way to install the bolts; clean and dry. Tap the holes, clean them out with clean and cure primer, new bolts, and you are good to go.

 

Yea, I did a good deal of reading before taking this engine apart and was very surprised at the condition of the head bolts. Everything I read said dry holes, clean bolts and re-use them. Your hydro-lock explanation makes complete sense.

New bolts came yesterday, man I love summit shipping, free and only 2 days by ground.

Please forgive the ignorance but what is the "clean and cure primer" you speak of? I really want to make sure I don't repeat the PO's mistake. As for cleaning out the holes my brother-in-law has a set of thread chasers he's gonna let me use, says they are easier on the threads than a tap. So we shall see.

 

From the FSM.
NOTE:
All values are in N-m (ft-lbs) unless otherwise noted. Oil threads with engine oil unless the threads require oil or water-resistant sealer. Just don't get carried away with the oil.

 

Clean and cure primer is a trade name. Anything that cleans the excess oil out of the hole then evaporates so the hole is dry will do. Got lots of compressor power? Air is your best friend, just remember the safety glasses!

 

Ah, ok I get what you are saying now. My big hope is no major corrosive damage to threads - the bolts were tight just not anywhere near spec.

Thanks for the suggestions.