staff@slashgear.com (Joe Capraro)
2024-04-20 17:45:26
www.slashgear.com
You might be tempted to use your original fasteners when reassembling your engine. After all, they were good enough for the factory, so they should be good enough for you, right? While in many spots this will be fine, some fasteners stretch when torqued down fully the first time and won’t hold components in place properly if used again. This is especially true of bearing cap bolts and cylinder head fasteners. ARP makes fastener kits for domestic and imported engines using materials a grade higher than those used for aircraft, which are stronger than automotive-grade bolts, studs, nuts, and screws.
Most new fastener kits cost just a couple hundred dollars. This is one place where you definitely don’t want to skimp, as a broken bolt is another potential point of critical failure. Kits also come clearly labeled, which will prevent mixups during reassembly. You can also purchase original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-quality fasteners from your dealership’s service department, but assembling a complete kit at the parts counter will be tedious, time-consuming, and ultimately more expensive than an aftermarket kit.