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BadRATT

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
347
Location
Michigan
I just finished tearing apart the FREE motor I got...I was thinking about just running it..( You know..OH ITS FINE..just run it kinda guys gave it to me..) but with my luck I wanted to see what was inside..GLAD I did..found 3 pistons that had broken rings and a few bearings with copper showing.Now with it all part I was wondering..would you re-use the head bolts,main bolts and such or replace them..?
 
If it is not high performance, I tend to reuse as much as I can. 'Course, I drive like a little old grandpa, cuz that's what I am.:D
 
insurance

When contemplating questions like this I always go with the worst case scenario route. If you were smart enough to tear it all apart to see what's going on inside, then it should make sense to you to invest some extra $$ into new fasteners.

I consider small investments like these to be "insurance policies". The original bolts may last forever, but if one lets go and you lose your entire block over one faulty bolt...well you get the idea. To me it's just not worth losing an entire engine over these type investments.
 
The rod bolts, yes. If the rest aren't pitted or stretched, I'd likely reuse them. Depends on how hard I planned to run it. Built a lot of "Grenade" engines for oval racing in the Rat Racer and Street class,...but never had one "Grenade"!! Sniper
 
I replace all the fasteners (mains, rods, heads) with ARP as a matter of course in every engine I assemble. I break enough sh## as it is without having to worry about fasteners. If you do this you will also have to have the block line honed and have the rods resized because of the higher torque values with the ARP stuff. Well worth the extra expense in my opinion.
 
I just finished tearing apart the FREE motor I got...I was thinking about just running it..( You know..OH ITS FINE..just run it kinda guys gave it to me..) but with my luck I wanted to see what was inside..GLAD I did..found 3 pistons that had broken rings and a few bearings with copper showing.Now with it all part I was wondering..would you re-use the head bolts,main bolts and such or replace them..?

When it's ALREADY apart why risk it? Replace with New instead of tearing it down again to replace em MAYBE later.
 
Some of the newer motors, the bolts are designed to be used once.

Older stuff can be reused no problem.

If you change the rod bolts, the big ends will need to be resized.
 

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