head bolt replacement

[thewrongguy]

Just a quick question,

ford recommends replacing the head bolts on it's 2.3t when re-building an engine. Is this a "While your there do it" mentality or is it just a cash grab?

It's a low mileage block (80K, 65K mi I think). Do you think this is a necessity I know they stretch, but this soon?

Thanks again for you time

Jeff

 

[Anlushac11]

While you may not be able to see it but everytime you retorque your head bolts they stretch a little bit. Add the pressure of a turbocharged engine and head boilts have been known to fail.

Switching to a Grade 8 Head bolt is just insurance, you buy it and hope you never have to use it. Same with main and rod bolts

 

[Stinger]

If they are 6 point then replace them...if they are 12pt you can reuse them 10 times if you feel like it...won't hurt a thing. Matter of fact I just picked up a few more sets of used 12pt sets for spares

 

[351wcoupe]

If they are 6 point then replace them...if they are 12pt you can reuse them 10 times if you feel like it...won't hurt a thing. Matter of fact I just picked up a few more sets of used 12pt sets for spares

Do you need to keep them together as a set or can you mix and match?
Would it hurt anything to have different lengths of head bolts? I know its very small amounts but just wondering.

 

[Stinger]

I wouldn't mix and match...they have slightly different torque values once they heat up and expand...