New Head Bolts when changing Gasket


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New Head Bolts when changing Gasket

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OptsyEagle
User

May 27, 2008, 1:47 PM

Post #1 of 4 (3212 views)

New Head Bolts when changing Gasket	Sign In

I may need to change a head gasket on a 1995 Mercury Tracer and my Haynes manual says that one should use new bolts when reassembling the cylinder head. They are a "torque to yield" type bolt. Not sure if that is any different than any other head bolt, but that is what they call them.

My question is: Is it really necessary to use brand new bolts? I was planning on reusing the old ones since it is an older car with 175 miles on it and I am trying to reduce the money that goes into it.

Appreciate any comments you may have.

Double J
Veteran / Moderator
Double J profile image

May 27, 2008, 1:49 PM

Post #2 of 4 (3207 views)

Re: New Head Bolts when changing Gasket	Sign In

It is a must to replace torque to yield bolts.
The bolts"stretch" and have to be replaced.

Get a chance...read this

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2005/eb70536.htm

(This post was edited by JIM N on May 27, 2008, 1:51 PM)

OptsyEagle
User

May 28, 2008, 8:05 AM

Post #3 of 4 (3196 views)

Re: New Head Bolts when changing Gasket	Sign In

Thanks for the advice. I'm sure you saved me from a real headache.

A small follow up question, just out of curiousity. Would these "torque to yield" bolts have looked stretched to me when I took them out or are we talking about some stretch of a few thousands of an inch that would not have been noticable to the eye?

DanD
Veteran / Moderator
DanD profile image

May 28, 2008, 12:32 PM

Post #4 of 4 (3190 views)

Re: New Head Bolts when changing Gasket	Sign In

No; you can’t tell or at least I can’t tell just by looking at the bolt and I have no idea of how to measure them or if there’s a means of measuring them?
All I do know is that they are designed to be stretched once; if used a second time the elasticity of the bolt is gone, likely causing a head gasket to fail; that’s if the bolt doesn’t break while being torqued.
Call me paranoid if you want but if I receive a new set of bolts and the seal on the box they come in has been opened, I won’t use them.

Dan.

Canadian "EH"

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