Header bolts

**Lunatikgixxer** · 05-05-2010, 11:01 AM

About a month ago i went around town looking for some ls1 header bolts and couldnt find any, but i did happen to find ls1 header studs, well i installed them and everything was great until today. When i would decelerate i would hear popping and backfiring so the first place i looked was at the headers, turns out one of the studs on the drivers side came loose and i could turn it with my hand

. Well it wont tighten back up and it seems like it stripped the inside where the bolt goes, but the stud doesnt looked stripped. MY question is where can i find header BOLTS, not STUDS, because these things are pissing me off

**karpetcm** · 05-05-2010, 11:47 AM

Well the bolt is probably steel and the head is aluminum so stripped the threads in the heads so the bolt would look ok not the head. Might have to re thread the head to get another bolt on there even if this time you get a factory bolt. Not sure but someone else can give a better opinion. Make sure you use anit sieze on the threads of the bolts just in case you havent it will be less head ache down the road pulling them off if you need to.

**pajeff02** · 05-05-2010, 11:57 AM

That doesn't sound good.

I ordered Stage 8 locking fasteners for ours. I wasn't real impressed with how loose the locking tabs were and ended up modifying most of them.

**blackbird0230** · 05-05-2010, 01:30 PM

sounds horrible but you can get new ones at your local gm parts direct for a reasonable price. I think maybe a dollar each

**Lunatikgixxer** · 05-05-2010, 06:53 PM

ok thanks guys, ya i dont think i over tightened it the first time but who knows, im kinda pissed off because i have the exhaust leak again.....

**NavyTATwo** · 05-06-2010, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

That doesn't sound good.

I ordered Stage 8 locking fasteners for ours. I wasn't real impressed with how loose the locking tabs were and ended up modifying most of them.

My Stage 8's on the Goat have been great, no problems so far. Sorry to hear yours weren't that great.

Thats what I would use if I am putting headers on a car, my buddy and put a set on his Mustang this past weekend.

I am wondering if you could use a hela-coil set on a bad bolt hole on the head?

Scott

**pajeff02** · 05-06-2010, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by NavyTATwo

My Stage 8's on the Goat have been great, no problems so far. Sorry to hear yours weren't that great.

Thats what I would use if I am putting headers on a car, my buddy and put a set on his Mustang this past weekend.

I am wondering if you could use a hela-coil set on a bad bolt hole on the head?

Scott

My problem with the Stage 8's was that the tabs were loose and I was afraid of hearing them all rattle. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to put a helicoil in the head -- how is access to the hole?

**02_slp_ss** · 05-06-2010, 12:35 PM

i dont no if any1 ever tried this or does it but we do it on are race car, we put hi temp rtv on the bolts, keeps them from backing out an u can still get them out of the head easy if u ever need to

**pajeff02** · 05-06-2010, 12:53 PM

I was more afraid of the bolts seizing in the heads than anything else. See too many horror stories on here about snapped header bolts.

**Lunatikgixxer** · 05-06-2010, 02:23 PM

It is the 2 hole from the very back on the driver side, im not a huge guy so its not too big of a problem to reach it, but it can be a pain... What should i do guys? im almost certain the inside is stripped because i cant get any of the studs in now... fml

**pajeff02** · 05-06-2010, 02:28 PM

Do you have a small mirror and a flashlight so you can at least look at it?

The last guy that had this issue ended up pulling the head if I recall. Best option is probably a helicoil -- someone else should post up on this though that has hands on experience with the problem.

**0rion** · 05-06-2010, 03:23 PM

can you get any of the bolt to start into the head? Meaning, did it strip up top near the hole or down near the bottom? If you can get the bolt to thread in say halfway you can either cut the bolt down or use a few washers and tighten it down. The issue is probably the amount of torque you used to put the studs in or the studs weren't quite the same thread and pitch. Header bolts only go to like 18 ft/lbs or something like that.....neighborhood of 20 anyhow.

**Lunatikgixxer** · 05-06-2010, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

can you get any of the bolt to start into the head? Meaning, did it strip up top near the hole or down near the bottom? If you can get the bolt to thread in say halfway you can either cut the bolt down or use a few washers and tighten it down. The issue is probably the amount of torque you used to put the studs in or the studs weren't quite the same thread and pitch. Header bolts only go to like 18 ft/lbs or something like that.....neighborhood of 20 anyhow.

its basically just deep, i can probably get 1 1/2 full turns on it... I think i overtightened it, thats the only way it would happen... what is helicoil?

**pajeff02** · 05-06-2010, 05:50 PM

A helicoil is a threaded insert to repair damaged threads. You drill out the existing hole to a specified size and tap it. You then thread the helicoil into the hole, followed by your bolt/stud into the helicoil. You buy the helicoil as a kit -- it has the tap and a couple of inserts. You need to determine the thread size and pitch of your header bolts/studs to buy the correct kit.

**Lunatikgixxer** · 05-06-2010, 06:47 PM

ok, i just watched a video on it, it seems pretty easy, just have the space is an issue... fml

**pajeff02** · 05-06-2010, 07:10 PM

That is the issue. Maybe a small air drill or angle attachment on a drill. I'd like to hear from someone on here that has done this to see what they have to say.

**Lunatikgixxer** · 05-06-2010, 07:46 PM

i fixed it! I had one of the original header bolts laying around that was kinda rusted up, one of the ones i replaced with these studs. I compared the threads to eachother and the studs have a slightly different thread pitch than the bolt... So i cleaned up the bolt as much as i could and tried to put it in the hole. Well turns out it catches and goes just about all the way in the hole. It started getting really tight and it still had aboutt 1/4 inch to go, so i remembered what orion said and i put a few washers on it and tightened down, made sure this time not to tighten the living hell out of it and presto, it works. The exhaust leak and small backfiring is gone. Thank, god. The threads on the inside are fine now after putting the bolt through a few times. Thanks for the help guys.

Edit: O ya, I wouldnt recommend buying the ARP Header studs, this might happen to u...

**pajeff02** · 05-07-2010, 03:11 AM

Good to hear! I think the ARP threads look a bit different than standard threads. Something to do with the fact that they are "rolled" (whatever that means) and have a different surface shape.

**0rion** · 05-07-2010, 03:27 AM

glad you got it all worked out......I think a lot of times the thread/pitch is the problem with this kinda stuff. The washer trick has worked a few times.

**Lunatikgixxer** · 05-07-2010, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

glad you got it all worked out......I think a lot of times the thread/pitch is the problem with this kinda stuff. The washer trick has worked a few times.

lol thanks guys, it definately is a new one for me.