Head bolt keeps turning

[soulraver]

i tried searching but nothing similar like this came up in the first ten pages..

I bought a 95 TSI talon that had bent valves, long story short i got another head from the same year and model car that had a good engine, i resurfaced the head and had it cleaned, cleaned the block, got a head gasket and put the head on.. when i bought the car the guy had a set of sealed head bolts he said were new, i put on the moly stuff on, and went to bolt them down 30-60-90 lbs tq per sequence. I got to 60lbs and bolt 2 keeps turning, no clicking from my torque wrench, i went back to bolt one put light pressure on it to see the tq wrench worked, and it did, back to bolt 2, kept turning, down to 30tq and it clicks, 60, nothing keeps turning.. any ideas? i ordered new bolts just in case these were not brand new, is the thread in the block bad? sorry for the long post tried to describe everything

 

[TjPhillips36]

Sounds like the bolt stretched. Are these ARP studs, or factory bolts?

 

[Backinajiffy12]

Yeah as soon as you said it just keeps turning I was think that the threads are stripped. Does it do it on every one? and if so look in to heli coiling it.

 

[soulraver]

they are oem bolts, but they were in a zip lock bag not oem bag, so i have no way to prove if they were maybe used before since they look clean. I tried #3 bolt and it did the same thing, but #1 was fine.. whats heli cooling?

Do you guys think i should try a tap down the block and see if the thread is ok, and where could i find a size that big, i think last time i looked at sears they only had to #11

 

[TjPhillips36]

If they are stock then you most likely stretch the head bolts. I would check the threads on the block, then re-install either factory bolts or headstuds with the proper torque sequence. I would also just use one of the non-stretched bolts to run down the block with your fingers to check the threads, if the threads seem ok then install new bolts, if not, then try a tap, but you will probably need to look into installing a heli-coil.

I believe OEM bolts are supposed to be torqued in 5 steps:
1. 60ft lbs
2. Loosened
3. Torqued to 15ft lbs
4. Turned 90 degrees
5. Then 90 degrees again.

ARP's are installed 30-60-90 usually.

 

[soulraver]

Ok ill try your steps when the oem bolts come in tomorrow, hopefully the block threads are okay i really don't want to have to mess with that.
Thank you for the help!

 

[Backinajiffy12]

Helicoil is basically a thread insert it is a stong as well that way you dont have to tap and dy it.

 

[ZmanIV]

Helicoil is basically a thread insert it is a stong as well that way you dont have to tap and dy it.

When you Helicoil you still have to tap the hole.

 

[bling5tatus]

They say helicoils are many times stronger than the original thread... i would definitely say this is the case in aluminum seeing as how the coils are steel.

 

[AlaskanDsm]

I had a similar issue but with my manifold attaching to the head. I helicoiled 2 of the holes and at this point I almost wonder if i shouldn't have just done all of the holes with the helicoil for the amount of torque i was able to tighten on them!! (not tons but enough to make me satisfied outside of torquing into aluminum)

 

[soulraver]

Hmm sounds good where do you pick up the heli coils online only ?

 

[AlaskanDsm]

This link has a link to a place online but you should be able to find some helicoil kits in hardware stores. Also make sure you know the bolt size and thread pitch so you can get the right metric set.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-miscellaneous/267280-how-use-helicoil.html