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General => The garage => Topic started by: gti fly bye on 11 February 2004, 20:01

Title: head bolts???
Post by: gti fly bye on 11 February 2004, 20:01

do they need to be replaced when ya change the head gasket!!!! ???

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: golfvr6 on 11 February 2004, 20:03

YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!
NEVER RE-USE OLD HEAD BOLTS!
 :)

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: gti fly bye on 11 February 2004, 20:07

How much are they, they were v exspencive for my 299 turbo last year ???

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: golfvr6 on 11 February 2004, 20:21

Always use VW for headgaskets and head bolts, try giving the dealer a ring.
It won't be cheap, but fitting anything else will prove to be a false economy in the long run.

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: modulater on 11 February 2004, 20:55

be silly going to the trouble of a need headgasket and fitting your old bolts.

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: gti fly bye on 12 February 2004, 00:03

Cool, cheers, i aint tight, just poor :'(

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: richandhazel on 12 February 2004, 00:59

You should always replace the head bolts as they are 'stretch' bolts.  
The final part of the torqueing consists of turning through a certain angle, for example 90 deg. This (as I understand it) is the stretch part and if you reuse your old bolts you're very likely to damage your block.........I've seen it done, the whole side of the block came away, resulting in a new engine being required.
Bolts should only be about ?1 each, need I say more ;)

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: gti fly bye on 12 February 2004, 18:17

coll, for some reason i imagened they would be ?100's like on my rover a few years back, cheers ;D

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: mk1 on 12 February 2004, 18:56

Just as important, make sure the threaded holes in the engine block are clean and have no fluid (oil or antifreeze) at the bottom. I have seen a block damaged in the same way as rich said, caused by some oil left at the btm of one bolt hole. When the head bolts were tightend down a hydraulic lock was caused, cracking the block :o.
Steve.

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: modulater on 13 February 2004, 20:34

Quote from: gti fly bye on 12 February 2004, 18:17

coll, for some reason i imagened they would be ?100's like on my rover a few years back, cheers ;D

Rovers and head gasket failures go together like fish 'n' chips.

Title: Re:head bolts???
Post by: gti fly bye on 14 February 2004, 21:05

ya not wrong, twice in a couple of months for me, thats why i got rid and went veedub ;D