ARP headbolts?

John84GN

Nice Monte...
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Anyone using ARP headbolts, or studs for that matter, in our cars. Found out the hard way that they're NOT the same as the 86-7's...

If so, where can I get them...how much?

THX
 
I got mine from Performance Automotive Warehouse if I recall correctly. The ARP number is 12-3601, called the Buick Stage 1 head bolt kit.
 
Originally posted by John84GN
Anyone using ARP headbolts, or studs for that matter, in our cars. Found out the hard way that they're NOT the same as the 86-7's...

If so, where can I get them...how much?

THX

www.summitracing.com

they f'ing suck too.. bolt prices went up 75%
 
how dare they raise the price of something when the price of raw materials and labor goes thru the roof? them greedy capitalist bastards..
 
Originally posted by novaderrik
how dare they raise the price of something when the price of raw materials and labor goes thru the roof? them greedy capitalist bastards..

its a bolt, what the hell do you think its made by hand or something?

arp isnt spending a dime more on labor.



and prices go up? yeah, no big deal, prices going up 75% in 2 weeks, big deal.
 
Nope!...ordered the Stage 1 kit from summit, and they're wrong...:confused: ... now I hafta pay to ship em back...........

the part # I ordered is 123-3601

Can anyone ELSE chime in here...the stage kit is EXACTLY the same as the 86-7 headbolt kit...I need one for the 84-5. The block is different, so the 86-7's won't work...

THX
 
hmm, i must have put the wrong bolts on my car then?.... the part number i got is from the box that they came in, and I got it from someone else on this board a while ago. Do they not fit the block or??
 
I checked the ARP page, looks like they must have changed the part number? My box of bolts here from a couple of years ago says buick stage 1 123-3601 on it. Sorry, I had no intention of misleading anyone.

BTW, the 123-4001 part number on the ARP site says Stage 1 '77-85' on it as well. Are you sure those are not the correct ones? It says the 86-87 cars are 123-4003, so it would seem that the Stage 1 kit should work?
 
Ok, according to the ARP site, the original number i gave you, 123-3601 is correct, called "Buick Stage 1 77-85". This is for head BOLTS.

The 123-4001 is the "Buick Stage 1 77-85". This is for head STUDS.

The only difference is that one is for BOLTS and one is for STUDS, however both are listed as the Stage 1 kit, so you should be ok. The intercooled cars with the lower deck height, etc. are listed as a completely different part number, they shouldn't be the same unless there is a packaging error.
 
My vote is not to use the ARP bolts at all...

Spend the $$$ send 'em back and put a new set of stockers back in and you'll be happier in the end.

The score for me is:

ARP Bolts - Dozens of blown head gaskets

Stock bolts - Zero blown head gaskets
 
Originally posted by Turbo Riviera
My vote is not to use the ARP bolts at all...

Spend the $$$ send 'em back and put a new set of stockers back in and you'll be happier in the end.

The score for me is:

ARP Bolts - Dozens of blown head gaskets

Stock bolts - Zero blown head gaskets
did you heat cycle and retorque?


and yes,

http://store.summitracing.com/partd...t=ARP-123-3601&autoview=sku&Ntk=KeywordSearch

3601 is the hotair/stage I kit
3603 is the IC kit

I have the box in my hand, DO NOT SEND THEM BACK.


Why do you think they are incorrect??
 
I'M SORRY...

Sorry guy's...I WAS WRONG...didn't mean to get anal...My buddy handed me the wrong pack when I tried them out...my bad.

I guess I'm just starting to get frustrated w/ this thing. First I blew 2 headgaskets about 3 wks ago, and instead of doing everything right the first time, I rushed threw it in hopes of being at BG, and it turns out that I put it all back together and in the car, and had a TON of blow-by through the breather. The highest compression in any cylinder was 52psi, and the leakdown was 90%...Turns out that the rings lost there tension when the motor got to 260 degrees:eek: when I blew the headgaskets....O, well. Now it's time for round 2 :(

Sorry again guy's
 
Re: I'M SORRY...

Originally posted by John84GN
Sorry guy's...I WAS WRONG...didn't mean to get anal...My buddy handed me the wrong pack when I tried them out...my bad.

I guess I'm just starting to get frustrated w/ this thing. First I blew 2 headgaskets about 3 wks ago, and instead of doing everything right the first time, I rushed threw it in hopes of being at BG, and it turns out that I put it all back together and in the car, and had a TON of blow-by through the breather. The highest compression in any cylinder was 52psi, and the leakdown was 90%...Turns out that the rings lost there tension when the motor got to 260 degrees:eek: when I blew the headgaskets....O, well. Now it's time for round 2 :(

Sorry again guy's

what are you doing tq wise?

douse them in ARP thread sealer
tq up to 85ft-lbs in 10ft-lb increments in the correct bolt pattern, once you hit 85ft-lbs, do it 4 more times.
put motor together, drive it around the block til it hits temp (dont beat on it)

cool it off, tear it back down, then go in sequence around, most bolts will take a little bit before you hit 85lb again....

if you want to be real safe... put it back together, heat it up, and do it one more time.


you shouldnt have any probs lifting the heads.
 
Yep, I heat cycled, retorqued, pre-stretched, used ARP thread sealer per recommendations, set them to 65 lbs the first few tries per ARP recommendations which was clearly too low... Then I ran them at 85 and still had problems.

The pre-stretch, torque, heat cycle and teardown & retorque seems like too much effort. Seriously, that is alot of work for not much if any gain...

Ask yourself if the ARP's provide any better torque than the stockers...

Clean the threads in the block, buy a new set of stock bolts install once to 70 lb ft and fugettaboutem.

They stretch (read - "clamp") better than the ARP's (which IMO are too hard and don't stretch enough for our use), and hold the head on better for 99.9% of all the cars out there.

Just my opinion, but it's based on alot of experience changing head gaskets. After switching to stockers, I haven't had to change one gasket.
 
John, glad to here they are the correct ones, I hate it when I get sent the wrong stuff....like the time postons sent me the wrong headers :rolleyes: , and then the wrong valves on a different occasion :mad:

Later,
Mike
 
Top