Installing Edelbrock aluminum heads on BB396. What should I use on the bolts that go in to heads? accessorary bolts and stainless header bolts.

THANKS RAYZZ MY CAMARO LIKES MY MONEY

I used a quality bolt, ARP and anti seize on the bolts.

I use liquid thread sealer on the threads, and a lil oil under the heads.
Be sure you use the correct bolts with washers as specified by edelbrock.

Anti-sieze, especially on the header bolts since the heat would bake the liq. thread sealers. Make sure to put a touch of anti-sieze on your spark plugs too.

More specifically all of the 7/16th inch diameter head bolts that go into the water jacket need to be coated with thread sealer on a Mark IV block (all 396, 427 and early 454 engines with two piece rear oil seals). This is because water (coolant) will seep up the threads if you do not and mix with the motor oil.

If you are putting the Edelbrock heads on a new Gen V or Gen VI 502 or a new 454 block out of a pick-up truck with a one piece rear oil seal and no provision for a mechanical fuel pump on the block then use a oil or assembly lube. As the tread holes in these blocks are blind (not open to the coolant).

Beneath the head of each head bolt there must be a hardened steel washer (not found with factory bolts because the factory used cast iron heads). You must oil these washers or use assembly lube because the aluminum will gall beneath the head of the bolt giving a false torque reading otherwise.

All 3/8th inch accessory holes on the front of the head should be used with anti-seize paste, as should the spark plug threads and the intake and exhaust manifold bolts (I know the intake and exhaust bolt holes are Helicoiled™, but unless you are using stainless steel hardware you will still have dissimilar metals and be subject to galvanic action).

I recommend safety wiring, or using the stock exhaust locking tabs under the exhaust bolts as they will all work loose from the difference in the coefficient of expansion between aluminum and ferrous metal fasteners over the life of the engine. (Aluminum expands 0.004 of an inch more than the fastener on each heat cycle tensioning and relaxing the bolt every time the heads heat up. This heat cycling will walk a bolt out of it's threaded hole in a few month's time of normal use unless constrained.)


Larger Dave