All You Need To Know About Head Bolts

Engines work under immense pressure. A proper engine must withstand the pressure generated in each cylinder and the heat produced during detonation. Head bolts connect the cylinder head, head gasket and the engine block. They seal the combustion chamber, thus allowing the engine components to perform optimally. Read this guide to learn about head bolts and the various considerations you should make when purchasing head bolts. 

In a bid to improve fuel efficiency, car manufacturers use lightweight materials such as aluminium when making automotive engines. These engines may have bigger cylinders, injectors and air inlets to ensure drivers can enjoy more power. As a result, they will produce higher ignition pressure and relative motion. The engine construction must be rigid enough to allow internal components to move without ripping the engine. Quality head bolts should meet the following specifications: 

The bolt must be rigid. It allows mechanics to tighten the bolts without breaking them.

The bolt should generate sufficient surface pressure to keep the head gasket, engine block and cylinder head intact.

The material used to make the bolt should have a high melting point. Otherwise, the bolt will melt.

Design features such as long or helix threads improve the tension and elasticity created by the bolt. 

When buying head bolts, you will need to conduct some research to determine the type of head bolts used to tighten the engine block. Your mechanic and vehicle manual can be an effective source of this information. There are instances when you may need to change the head bolts. For example, if you want to rebuild your engine for enhanced performance, you could opt to use stretch bolts. Additionally, you should also check the length and width of the bolts. You could damage engine components in the bolts are too long. On the other hand, the engine will leak if the bolts are too short. 

Preferably, buy the bolt from well-known manufacturers. These bolts will not break during engine repairs. Besides, they can withstand high amounts of torque during tightening. It may be difficult to assess the quality of the bolt when buying online. As such, you should consider sellers with numerous positive reviews and friendly return policies.

Unlike other engine repairs, head bolts should be fastened by licensed professionals. Skilled mechanics have high-quality equipment required to tighten the bolt. Besides, they know the sequence and rotational angle needed to achieve sufficient surface pressure.

Contact a supplier of bots like ARP head bolts to learn more.

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