Cam cap/tower bolts

[Puffwagon]

You're talking about the dowels that locate the cam caps. They aren't threaded.

[yellow_taxi]

They are threaded 14 of them each cam

[Puffwagon]

Whoever told you that needs a kick in the balls unless you came to the conclusion on your own, in which case you should kick yourself in the balls.

[yellow_taxi]

I was sceptical as well but 2 engine machine/rebuilding shops confirmed it one is building my short block and reconditioning head, alot of people cheap out and don't replace them apparently,  also ford told me that the bolts are on back order been a high demand for them and some of the ford rangers used the same bolts aswell

 

Like you said unless I'm getting a hole bunch of misleading information , wich could be the case 

[El Andrew]

  On 02/01/2024 at 1:02 AM, yellow_taxi said:

Haha says the bloke that doesn't even know what the head look likes pulled apart. Do some research before you comment you have obviously no idea and your just making guess's

Probably worth pointing out that Puffwagon has probably disassembled and assembled a Barra more often than I've had hot dinners. He isn't guessing or trying to screw you around - he is helping you.

[Puffwagon]

Haha a hole bunch cos dowels are holes... @k31th loves my jokes

 

Look there could be some weird miscommunication happening here but given the thread....badumtshhh...it seems unlikely.

 

I've gone to the trouble of clearing this up definitively, here is a pic of the dowel (that I wrecked but oh well) and a pic of the hole in the head. There are no threads in the dowel and the head shows the dowel location as well as the thread into the head.

 

 

 

 

[yellow_taxi]

Well I'll admit when I'm wrong so I have been miss led now I'm not trusting these so called builders near me , sorry for the argument thank you for clearing this up for me , so I can just keep reusing the same bolts even if they have been off and on a few times 

[Puffwagon]

I'll give a more nuanced answer rather than a blanket yes or no.

 

Short answer is yes you can reuse them. This is providing they have only ever seen the recommended torque setting of 10nm.

 

I've just gone out to the shed and tested a couple of those bolts to destruction. I used ARP moly lube to achieve accurate torque settings. I measured a couple of bolts and at 10nm there was zero stretch. At 15nm there was still zero stretch in either bolt. The first bolt I sent straight to 25nm from 15nm and it stretched. The second bolt I went from 15nm up to 17nm where it also stretched and failed to achieve 17nm.

 

I was incorrect in saying that the bolts aren't TTY, every bolt has a torque rating, however some of them won't be anywhere near that in various use cases.

 

In my opinion, if the bolts have been reused at least once and a torque wrench wasn't used, it is fairly likely the bolts will be stretched, as 15 to 17nm isn't very tight. On the other hand, if the bolts have been used correctly I would reuse them.

 

It is not completely unreasonable to replace them if there is a known history of reuse without proper torque settings.

 

That's my 2c and hopefully gives a clearer picture of reusing cam cap bolts.

[yellow_taxi]

Definitely picking up what you're putting down mate , you explained that well, then; cheers for your help sorry for the I <3 Bananas around 

[Puffwagon]

Nah all good, I probably could have been more helpful from the beginning. Just hungover and cranky lol.