Swapping out head bolts and not pull head

[Mustang1964s]

I installed a head and don't like the head bolts.
Can I replace the head bolts one at a time and torque them to spec?
I have not run the motor yet.
Just start in the middle and go in the torque pattern, pull out one bolt and replace with the new bolt and torque.

Is this ok? Or am I looking for trouble?

Steve B.

[Mustang1964s]

I forgot to add.
It's a Z head with a copper gasket with copper paint.
It does have antifreeze in. Should I drain the antifreeze?

[speedytinc]

What year?? Stock bodied cars have limited access to the 2 rear most bolts. Those 2 get replaced with the head. Did you have that issue installing the head?
If you have access , sure your plan will work. To be safe, lower the coolant level to under the head level.
Anti freeze has a knack for finding a place to leak more so than water.

[RVA23T]

I use a crows foot socket to both remove, install & torque the 2 rear bolts.

five eights crow.jpg (13.25 KiB) Viewed 1824 times

[Scott_Conger]

Any time you successfully replace a head gasket and it doesn't leak and no bolts strip, it's been a good day.

Replacing bolts individually should not be a problem. Usually. Tightening them could be.

In any event, the rear 2 are now permanently there unless you pull the engine forward, or lift the body, unless you have a pretty early car.

[kmatt2]

As you change out each head bolt make sure that the new bolt isn’t longer than the old bolt. I am assuming that you checked the old bolts against bottoming in the block when you had the head off. Now that you are changing out those bolts one at a time, the new bolt if just a little longer could bottom in the block, that would be bad when you tried to tighten it down.

[Allan]

Richard, a crows foot will give access to the bolt head, but the problem is being able to lift the bolt out of the head. The body/firewall limits this.

Allan from down under.

[RVA23T]

Richard, a crows foot will give access to the bolt head, but the problem is being able to lift the bolt out of the head. The body/firewall limits this.

Allan from down under.

All I had to read was will give access to and I remembered that it is still against the firewall. Thanks!

[Mustang1964s]

Sorry, It's for a '26 speedster. I have access to all the head bolts.
I have not run it thru any heat cycles.
Sounds like I am in a good place to replace the head bolts.
Before I put in the head bolts, the block thread where cleaned out with a tap.
So it should be an easy out and in with torque to top spec.
The antifreeze will be lowered.

Thank you

[Craig Leach]

Hi Steve,
They make real nice S.S. nut covers that fit over the head bolts as a dress up if thats the reason you want to change them?
Be carefull using a tap to clean the thread holes out, you just want to clean them not recut them. If all you have is a new bottoming tap hit
it on a coarse wire wheel or a sharpening stone to dull the edge so it cleans & not cuts metal out of the threads.
Craig.

[RajoRacer]

This is the best designed tool for that task !