re-use head bolts?

[saurkraut]

Yes, they are studs.  They also hold the gasket in place and help guide the head on.  Their completely reusable.

The Raceware kits come with studs, nuts and washers. You don't need to drill and re-tap the holes in the block, they thread right in.

Here's a picture on their web page:

http://www.raceware-fasteners.com/photo.htm

I would imagine that Raceware and ARP are comparable in price and quality.  The only thing that makes me shy away from ARP is their torquing procedure has multiple re-torgueing steps.

[Slave2School]

arp's have a really nice allen head that you can use a tool to bottom them out with though

[rabbitman]

I have a JK 1.6L NA, 0-60 in like 5 minutes :lol:

[Baselyne]

A friend of mine at a local shop had a 1.6L MF hydro build to do for a customer and while doing the Hgasket he ordered a spair set of bolts...

Now,
Im trying to do the top end build on my 1.5L N/A and its mechanical...
He tossed me the spair set of bolts and Im wondering since I havent opened my N/a yet will the bolts be the same as the 1.6Lhydro?

Or are the 1.6Lhydro head bolts different from the 1.5Lnon-hydro head bolts?

[Baselyne]

Im told the bolts are all the same up to 2000 diesel engines??

Can this be right?

[saurkraut]

Nope the 1.6 bolts are 12 mm, the 1.5 bolts are 11mm, and have a pi55 poor engaugement length in the block.

If your 1.5 bolts on your existing motor are allen head, they are not streach bolts and are theorectically "re-usable".  You'd actually be better off going to a fastener supply house and getting longer allen bolts.  Studs from Raceware or ARP will probably cost about the same though.

When you pull the head, put one of the stock head bolts through the head and see if it gives you a warm fuzzy.

If you use the correct VW supplied bolt in the 1.5, you have a very high chance of breaking out the corner head bolt holes, or striping one or many of the other head bolt holes.

Its a design flaw.

I'm not making this up.

I have seen it multiple times.

I had one on my 1.5TD start to strip, even after running a tap lightly down all head bolt holes.  So I stopped torqueing and bought head studs.  I replaced all of the WAY TOO SHORT head bolts, and even got a good torque on the hole that started to strip.

[Baselyne]

this is weird. someone on the phone at a local shop just told me they would be fine... if there 12mm as appose to 11mm then how could they even fit in there>?

[saurkraut]

Take the head off the 1,5 and see for your self.

[935racer]

If its a 1.5 you can use the raceware or arp vw watercooled gas studs as they are 11mm, the only way your 1.5 could have 12mm is if someone drilled and tapped them that way, which while possible is unlikely.

[Baselyne]

I understand, thanks for your posts, Im going to have to find some studs like raceware or arp's in canada

Does anyone know where I can buy these in Canada?

[rabbid79]

I saw somebody selling of new set of Raceware 11mm head studs on eBay a week or so ago.  Their starting bid price was only $75, and they hadn't been bid on yet.  Same guy had them on a few weeks earlier with a starting bid of $100, so he lowered the price some.  Not sure if they're still there.

[Baselyne]

whats the site then?

[addautomotive]

When I blew the HG in my sammy, I just went cheap & dirty to get by for a few months. I reused the headbolts, didn't check the head... just put in a new HG and threw it back together.

Well, a few months turned into a year... still working fine.

What's that expression?

"Do as I say, not as I do!"