Information about 202 head bolts..Please anyone

[frenchyvh]

Am i able to reuse my 202 head bolts? It's a blue motor and i have just fully rebuilt it. Also i have noticed they are all the same length however the thread goes up the bolt higher on some bolts than on others. Is there a certain location for each bolt? (I didnt take too much notice to that when i pulled the motor down as they were all the same length)
Any help would be much appreciated,
cheers, Rhys

[ENV5]

you will probably find that the bolts with the longer thread were probably replacement bolts from the previous owner it would be recommended that you use new bolts but you can use the ones you have now

[craigvk]

Personally on an old motor I wouldn't reuse them but they might be fine if you cleaned them up on a wire wheel. Fastener places can sell new high tensile bolts for around $1 each so it makes it inexpensive.

I have actually snapped old bolts on my V8 motors. It's not exactly a great thing. I would replace them with new ones. Make sure you place a bit of light gear oil on the bolt threads prior to putting in and torque-ing up.

[frenchyvh]

The only reason i'm considering using the old head bolts is because holden don't make them anymore and i can't find anywhere that i can purchase them. The 202 bolts are slightly tapered on the top end of them, therefore the guys at the fastener place said i would probably need to get specific ones. Does it matter if i use bolts that are the same however dont have the tapered section at the top?

[Cane_It]

The ones you have should be fine, just check with a thread gauge for stretch of the bolt at the threaded area, these ones will need to be replaced as they will yield and eventually snap s opposed to torqing down. Personally I never had problems with holden head bolts, pay much closer attention to the rocker bolts as they are prone to stretching... Will definitely need the wire brush wheel treatment to remove residue thread sealer.

Try a place like Coventry Fasteners for new ones if you must, tell em what you're using em for and they should give you Grade 8 High Tensile Bolts. or get some ARP ones.

[Dan355]

Also oil under the head bolts too. You want to decrease as much friction as possible when tightening

[vkberlina]

Check the bolts against your big end bolts from memory the big end bolts are 11/16" and the head bolts are 17mm slight difference. The thread length will be longer on the big end bolts.
Make sure you dont put much oil on the bolts incase you hydrolic lock them and not actually torque them up correctly.

cheers
Scott

[Tree cutter]

Some of the bolts need thread sealer put on them because they go through the block into the water jacket