Are head bolts special?

[DanOlson]

Is there anything special about head bolts? Can a guy use grade 8 from the hardware store?

Dan

Edited November 5, 2009 by DanOlson
Notification change

[Young Ed]

They have a collar at the head that a grade 8 bolt wont have. However the running engine I bought has what look like hardware store bolts for the head and it was running. The heads are 1 socket size smaller then a normal headbolt too.

[Don Coatney]

As Young Ed said the original head bolts are undercut on the shank from

above the threads to the shoulder as pictured. This was done so the bolts

dont rust solid to the head as many of the head bolts pass through the

water jacket. If they rust solid to the head they will break when you try to

remove them. Several here have used a shiverlay head bolt built the same

as the Mopar bolt.

[Norm's Coupe]

Like Ed mentioned, the original head bolts do have that little collar just below the head. Also as he said, some people have used grade 8 hardware store bolts and say they work also. But.........you can buy the correct bolts, they just aren't Mopar any longer. The 350 small block Chevy head bolts are the same a our flathead six head bolts, and you can buy those at any auto parts store for around $30 for the set. Those have the collar also.

[Don Coatney]

To drive my point home pictured is a hardware store grade 8 bolt. Notice that

the shank is the same size as the thread pitch point. No undercut. Norms

Coupe and Young Ed should take notice of this difference.

[Norm's Coupe]

Don,

Hey, you'll get no argument out of me about using hardware store bolts instead of real head bolts. When I was rebuilding my engine back in the late 90's, I was told I could use grade 8 bolts too. But.........since they didn't have that collar, there was no way I was going to use them. At that time I didn't know I could use the Chevy head bolts. So........I ended up going to a Chrysler/Plymouth dealer parts department locally. They found a whole set of NOS head bolts by ordering them from three different Mopar regional warehouses. They said that was all that was left in any of the warehouses after I ordered those. Guess you could say I got lucky there. But.........that luck cost me a few more bucks than the Chevy bolts would have. With the shipping they ran me about $95 for the complete set.

[Don Coatney]

Norm;

Learn the correct terminology. Not a collar but a shoulder. And an undercut shank.

[Norm's Coupe]

Norm;

Learn the correct terminology. Not a collar but a shoulder. And an undercut shank.

Don,

That's OK, I'm not a machinist by a long shot. So.........I just call em like I see em. Then wait for you or my son to correct me. He does the same thing when I don't use the correct terminology. But........like I tell him, I know what I'm looking for, so the correct name isn't all that important. After all, you even knew what I was talking about even with me using the wrong terminology, and that's what's important. It doesn't drive me crazy, just you and my son when I do that.:p

[Jim Shepard]

But.........you can buy the correct bolts' date=' they just aren't Mopar any longer. The 350 small block Chevy head bolts are the same a our flathead six head bolts, and you can buy those at any auto parts store for around $30 for the set. Those have the collar also.[/quote']

So, what Vintage Power Wagons sells is not MOPAR?

[greg g]

I used grade 8 bolts in my 218 when I put it back together. Ran it for 3 or 4 years with no problems. I did however buy the Chevy Style bolts for the 230.

click on the link for the part number they were less than a buck each, got them through the machine shop, not the parts store.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1842&d=1176036963

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1843&d=1176037083

[Norm's Coupe]

So, what Vintage Power Wagons sells is not MOPAR?

Don't know, I've never ordered from them. But.....original bolts all had the Mopar stamp "DCPD" on them for the cars. I have a bunch of extra original bolts off various parts in a box. They came off a P15 a guy parted out. He just gave me the whole box when I bought a couple of fenders from him. They all have that stamp on the heads.