bolts instead of studs?

[djpast]

is there any downside to using grade 8 bolts with some lock washers on an exhaust manifold over using studs? i'd rather not use studs if at all possible

 

[Agent Ezzard]

Some of the bolt locations would be a lil more difficult to remove. You could do a combination of both for the hard to reach areas.

 

[1fast97gsx]

I don't see why it would matter although I never had problems with the studs personally.

 

[4pistons]

You wouldn't need grade 8 but I would certainly pop for some good stainless ones.

Rick - '91 GSX

 

[terefic181]

So says Caroll Smith, studs are meant to be inserted finger tight and then have the fastener nut tightened to specs. The repeated insertion and removal of a bolt can cause degregation of the threads of an aluninum head.

Now after saying this, I have both bolts and studs on my car by necesity do to the tight configuration of header.

 

[terefic181]

"degradation" So I can't spell on the run.......

 

[Vegas Smith]

You can use bolts. I have no idea why someone would post about the head getting "degraded" or whatever due to over use of the bolts. I mean how many times are you going to take the manifold off? Comeon now.

 

[greathuskie]

its not really whether you are using a bolt or a stud, but rather is that bolt/stud heat treated for extreme temperatures and temperature cycling?

 

[hostile]

A bolt will put more stress on the threads in the head, they are pretty week as is because they are aluminum.

Think about a bolt tightening up versus a nut tightening on a stud.

 

[terefic181]

"You can use bolts. I have no idea why someone would post about the head getting "degraded" or whatever due to over use of the bolts. I mean how many times are you going to take the manifold off? Comeon now."




Of course you can use bolts.

Maybe you missed the rest of my post, I said that I also use bolts on mine. That doesn't change the fact that it is not necessarily the right thing to do regarding the life of the threads in the head. There is a reason that they puts studs in to start with. One is the thread issue the other is they are using them for alignment. As far as how many times the manifold is taken off, that would depend on a number of things. How hard your running your car, how many parts you break, and what mods your doing.

I agree with you if your only going to R-R it once every few years, it is probably not an issue.