Crap!!!! Broke a freakin head bolt!!!!!

B

BlackRat

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Mar 27, 2008
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I knew things were going to smooth. I was torquing the heads down and snaped an ARP head bolt. From what I found on Summits site they don't just sell individual ones. What can I do for a replacement?

Not sure how or why it snapped. I was using a "click" torque wrench and made it to 65ftlbs before it snapped. I installed the other head with a spring pointer torque wrench just in case the "click" style was off and that was the cause. The spring pointer style went fine all the way to the required 75ftlbs.

BR
 
I think I'd be calling ARP- directly. Maybe they got a bunch with a bad heat treat. No way a 1/2 bolt should pop at 65 ft/lbs..
 
65 ft/lbs is less than you put on lug nuts.....

something is wrong here and I'd be worried about the rest of these bolts.... call/email ARP....
 
Use a tight fitting (over the 1/2" square) socket to attach the clicker to the pointer and check if the 2 readings match
 
True, but it's an easy check to see if the clicker is still OK (you do set it back to 0 after using right?) A buddy of mine was snapping of wheel studs left and right, checked his torque wrench using a torq-o-meter and it was completely off.

@ 65 lbs.ft the bolt indeed shouldn't have snapped, not even close. Maybe ARP is now getting their stuff from china as well :ill:
 
Where did it break?

I'll bet ARP would be interested in looking at that bolt. Interested enough to send you a new engine set in exchange.
 
Thanks guys. I am going to call ARP this morning. The bolt snapped right where the threads transition to the shaft. Luckily I oiled all the holes so getting it out was easy. I did reinstall the head and this time used my "br" style wrench and it worked fine. But like you all have said it should have been strong to way past 65ftlbs even if my wrench was out of adjustment.

I will update you guys with what ARP says.

Wade
 
BBShark said:
Where did it break?

I'll bet ARP would be interested in looking at that bolt. Interested enough to send you a new engine set in exchange.
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Yep. I wonder if the counterfeiters have invaded their stuff?
 
big2bird said:
Yep. I wonder if the counterfeiters have invaded their stuff?
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Pisses me off to no end, I just glad that SO FAR, my ARP bolt set has been ok through maybe 4? head changes in 11 years.....kinda high, I know....

put it together with iron, put a set of Edel's on , blew a gasket sold the Edel heads ,put the iron back on, went to L98 heads on there now, sold the iron set.....so far so good, tmrw is another day however....:rolleyes::quote:
 
Did you lube the threads per ARP's directions?

A couple of tips - albeit after the fact.

Torque wrenches that are used regualrly should be re-calibrated. Even wrenches NOT used for a period of time should be verified.

A friend of mine is an engine mechanic for SouthWest Airlines and at least twice a year I give him my two torque wrenches so he can have one of the guys at the maintenance shop re-calibrate them. He then places a chart and sticker on the wrench showing what reading is giving exactly what torque.

Second thing is to always return the torque setting back to ZERO when the wrench is put away for storage. Leaving it set at whatever torque setting you were using greatly contributes to inaccuracy.

I strongly suspect there is something wrong with the set of bolts you bought. I would suspect that you should be able to pull the threads in the block BEFORE the bolt would snap. Since ARP has such a good rep, I suspect it was a bad batch which I'm sure they'd want to know about.

BTW, I wouldn't use ANY of the bolts that came from that batch.

Let us know how it turns out.

Hope this helps.

Jake
 
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Thanks guys! ARP QC guy was very helpfull in sending me a replacement bolt. He asked how the others felt when they went in and I said fine no problems. He said that it could have been just a weakened bolt but really could not say for sure. I really did not expect them to be able to. They sent me a replacement today. I have a real hard time just chunking the whole set because of one broken one. Once I removed the head and pulled the broken bolt out I reinstalled the head and used my bar style torque wrench and successfully installed the same head on the same side with no problems. Hopefully the bolt will be here by early next week.

Jake,

Thanks for the info and I will have to admit that I have been guilty of leaving the wrench set. I can't say that that was the problem but I think I will be using my bar style wrench instead. These bolts were not new. This motor was put together last year but due to a bad sleeve install the motor had to be pulled apart. While trying to diagnose the water leaking problem I went through 3 head gaskets on the bad side and that ment 4 total torques on half of the bolts which this may have been one of the ones on the bad side. If money weren't an issue I would agree with you on replacing all but the other bolts torqued just fine.

:thumbs:
Wade
 
Demand a set from ARP, send them the old ones. If they stand behind their product they won't make a fuss about it.
 
Twin_Turbo said:
Demand a set from ARP, send them the old ones. If they stand behind their product they won't make a fuss about it.
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They should have offered a new set without you asking for it.... I would think they're interessted in inspecting these suspicious bolts...... not ???
 
MYBAD79 said:
They should have offered a new set without you asking for it.... I would think they're interessted in inspecting these suspicious bolts...... not ???
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Well I kinda expected them to as well but the QC guy was not concearned with the broken bolt. He asked how the others felt when they went in and I told him fine. I think I am a little fish in a big pond so he wanted to fix the problem at hand. I guess I should have asked for a new set but I didn't. When I put the head on after removing the bolt I used the other 16 bolts not the ones I used when the bolt broke. I am going to clean and inspect the 15 and when the other one gets here install them and see how they feel. If there is a hint of weakness or God forbid another break I will be demanding a complete new set as Twin_Turbo said.

Wade
 
Slice one or two nuts so you can clamp the threaded portion in a vise (or clamp the shank with aluminum protectors for the vice jaw). Then torque to at least 120lbs/ft - the bolts must be able to withstand that much easily... I'd be worried.
I do not believe there's only one bad bolt out of the thousands they make in one batch.... On the other hand: even if you heat the entire bolt cherry red and shock cool it with water thus hardening the material and making it brittle it would still not snap at only 65lbs/ft.
 
Belgian1979vette said:
Dial torque wrenches are much better and don't lose the calibration that easy.
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Yep, that's why I primarily use my Snap-On, but when I last had it calibrated it, too, was off.

I'd call ARP and casually mention that I'd posted my head bolt breaking problem on a couple of Corvette forums, asking members if anyone else had the same problem. Could be that once the Tech guy realizes others are being made aware of the breakage you experienced they'd change their tune and send you a new set.

Consider this; that if any of the head bolts isn't/aren't providing proper clamping you may well end up pulling the engine and tearing it down completely if, for example, it develops a coolant or compression pressure leak.

It's up to you, but I wouldn't take the chance.

Just my recommendation.

Jake
 
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