Head bolts

[Kaiser2boy]

I see that a lot of the head bolts go through the water jacket in the head.
I am wondering what keeps water from leaking up and out via the head bolts. Should they be wraped with teflon tape or some other means of sealing them?

[Charles Talbert]

I see that a lot of the head bolts go through the water jacket in the head.
I am wondering what keeps water from leaking up and out via the head bolts. Should they be wraped with teflon tape or some other means of sealing them?

They must be sealed with high-temp thread sealer. The type used on hydraulic fittings works well. You can get it at NAPA, called Permatex high-temperature thread sealer. White tube with red lettering. Don't get this confused with Permatex #1 or #2 gasket maker, that is a totally different product.

[Kaiser2boy]

Thanks. I thought so.
Do I need to seal the threaded section of the bolts and the head end or just the head end?

[Gsmith]

The threads are what you put the sealant on.

[Kaiser2boy]

OK, I see now.
I knew the bolts went down into the water jacket in the block and that would need to be sealed.
I had my thinking cap on wrong. I thought the bolts went through water in the head also. They dont. So if I seal the threads well it should be fine.
What was throwing my thought off was the old head bolts were rusted along the shank section. Some were reduced in diamiter by about 1/3.
6 broke off in the block. What fun , what fun.
Three of them flush with the top of the block. Three had about 1/2 inch sticking up. After 4 days of heating and soaking with rustbuster and tapping with a hammer I got them all out.
The three that had 1/2 inch on them came out using a gadgit I got at Sears. It looks like a big nut with course reverse internal threads, works great.
The three that were flush with the top. They took voodoo and using the Lords name in vain a few times.

[Charles Talbert]

OK, I see now.
I knew the bolts went down into the water jacket in the block and that would need to be sealed.
I had my thinking cap on wrong. I thought the bolts went through water in the head also. They dont. So if I seal the threads well it should be fine.
What was throwing my thought off was the old head bolts were rusted along the shank section. Some were reduced in diamiter by about 1/3.
6 broke off in the block. What fun , what fun.
Three of them flush with the top of the block. Three had about 1/2 inch sticking up. After 4 days of heating and soaking with rustbuster and tapping with a hammer I got them all out.
The three that had 1/2 inch on them came out using a gadgit I got at Sears. It looks like a big nut with course reverse internal threads, works great.
The three that were flush with the top. They took voodoo and using the Lords name in vain a few times.

We have correct new US made head bolt kits, sounds like you will be needing some new ones. Let me know if we can help you there.