I've heard from several sources that I can re-use my head bolts on my L98.

One of the guys is an old school engine builder, and he said that traditional style small blocks use bolts that can be re-used. He said that it was almost an old school "tradition" to keep a set of bolts and a set of heads together, regardless of application, unless there was specific bolt failure. I don't know if I'd go that far, but none the less, my bolts aren't being used in some high compression race motor....do you guys think I should re-use them?

It'd save about $35-$50 bucks.

...and if I do, how do I clean all the thread loc off?

 

I wouldn't take the chance myself.

 

clean them and reuse them. No problems -- I know lots of guys that have and NONE that have ever had a true head bolt failure.

 

No problem on a smallblock some 4 cylinder cars or aluminum head cars require head bolt replacement. wire wheel the threads and use sealer on install/ liquid teflon tape/pipe thread sealer Oh ya run a tap through the holes in the block to be shure that they are clean.

 

I've done it plenty of times. Just make sure you check them all for any kind of wear and clean them out real good... They'll be almost as good as new.

 

Yes, you can resuse them.

For a performance build, no, I would not. Good head bolts are not that expensive, and it could mean that difference between a blown head gasket if one of the old bolts is distorted (or gets distorted).

I view them as the same as rod bolts. Yep, you can use an old set, but you don't want to have to go in there for a long, long time, so why take the risk when better quality new ones are so cheap?

 

the only head bolts that must be replaced are torque to yeild (TTY). you can tell them by a torque spec like 45 ft/lb + 1/4 turn or 45 ft/lbs + 30*. all SBC head bolts are reusable.

 

The Fel-Pro set is a torque to yield bolt. The idea is that they are stronger than stock head bolts...but you can only use them once.

If not torque to yield, then you can reuse them...or any bolt that is a standard type. The torque to yield should really only be used once due to its design...but I have reused suspension bolts that were supposedly TTY, on other cars, and have had no problems..