Simple Engine Fasteners Actually Complex Engineering Systems
Fasteners act much the same as a spring due to the physics of stretch and rebound.
Proper Procedures To Maximize Fastener Life
The right fasteners, installed the right way, can enhance the quality of any build.
VIDEO: Finding Torque Specifications For Fasteners
All fasteners on a vehicle require a specific torque to prevent damage to components, or the fasteners themselves. Andrew Markel explains how to find torque specifications. Sponsored by ProDemand from Mitchell1.
GM Tech Tip: Torque-To-Yield TTY Fastener Use And Reuse
A fastener with a torque + angle specification must be tightened first to the torque part of the specification and then tightened further by the addition of the specified angle. The angle must be applied relative to the mating fastener.
High-Tech Tightening
When you build your engines, you put measured thought into every component you use. From the intake system to the exhaust manifold, everything has its place and nothing is installed without careful consideration. But what about the fasteners? Some of the most critical components are held together with relatively low-cost fasteners including screws, nuts and bolts, and studs. No matter whether you’re building a restoration showpiece, a high horsepower street machine or a stump-pulling torque monster, the fasteners you use are more critical than you may believe.
Head Gasket Do’s And Don’ts
To ensure accurate torque values and to avoid cracking the cylinder block, clean any dust, dirt, oil and fluid from the cylinder block head bolt holes before installing the new head gasket and head bolts. Never lubricate the head bolts with a friction-modified oil. Unless otherwise specified, lightly lubricate the bolt threads with 30w non-detergent motor oil.
Improving the Head Gaskets, Fasteners Relationship
The relationship between head gaskets and head bolts is an intimate one. The clamping load applied by the head bolts is what allows the head gasket to maintain its seal. For this marriage to last, there has to be constant tension – not too much, otherwise the bolts may stretch or break, and not too
