Preferred SBC intake manifold bolts?

[ChuckN]

Just checking in before I go buy some. The Allen head style I had on before, well, I didn’t love them. The ones directly below the carb were always a PITA. I was going to clean mine up and reuse them, but I’m going another direction.

I was thinking that the smaller head 12 point might be nice. Maybe get them in black, since the ARP head bolts will be black and visible at the bottom of the cylinder heads.

What say you? What has worked better than others?

 

[78C10BigTen]

Never built an engine, mine are all stock lol

 

[ChuckN]

Never built an engine, mine are all stock lol

That means things have gone well for ya!

 

[78C10BigTen]

That means things have gone well for ya!

I do have an eddy air gap and new distrib for the motor i havent put in yet. Swappin from tbi...

 

[xm20k]

I prefer the 12 points as a ratchet, ratcheting wrench or even a box wrench is easier to fit and work the center bolts if the intake doesn't allow for a lot of tool movement. This applies for a lot of tight spaces not just the manifold like headers, distributor hold down etc.

 

[75gmck25]

Also pay attention to the bolt length you use for the ends of the manifold. The middle bolts go through the head flange into the oil galley, so every book reminds you that they need RTV to keep from wicking up oil. But they don’t remind you that the end bolts go into blind holes.

If the 4 end bolts are just a little too long or the manifold flange is a little too thin (like an aluminum intake) you may be able to torque them down and not really have the manifold pulled down right. With my Edelbrock intake I had to use end bolts that were a 1/4” shorter, or I could have added more washers under the OEM bolt head to compensate for the thinner flange.

 

[hogdaddy]

I like ARP stainless steel bolts for most everything.

 

[Fastduramax]

Agree with Mike, ARP best of the best, used ARP everything on every motor I've ever built or worked on with zero failures, granted if you have an intake bolt failure you're either using a Chinesium torque wrench or bolts or both...

 

[rk73c10]

I do like the twelve point head manifold bolts but had to go to the standard six point when I did the intake swap. Could not find the correct length bolts in twelve point. As someone else pointed out, watch out for the length since they do vary and you don’t want to bottom out or even too short strip out! Yes a little RTV oil proof type is a good idea around the end bolts.

 

[ChuckN]

I ended up going with ARP black 12 point 134-2101 since I got a good deal on them. I thought about the SS, but my ARP head bolts will be black so thought I’d make them all match. 1” worked fine before but I’ll be careful with installing. Thanks all!

 

[AuroraGirl]

Also pay attention to the bolt length you use for the ends of the manifold. The middle bolts go through the head flange into the oil galley, so every book reminds you that they need RTV to keep from wicking up oil. But they don’t remind you that the end bolts go into blind holes.

If the 4 end bolts are just a little too long or the manifold flange is a little too thin (like an aluminum intake) you may be able to torque them down and not really have the manifold pulled down right. With my Edelbrock intake I had to use end bolts that were a 1/4” shorter, or I could have added more washers under the OEM bolt head to compensate for the thinner flange.

Maybe that’s why some of my bolts snapped? On my intake (edelbrock aluminum)
Did the original bolt heads have washers?

 

[75gmck25]

It’s been so long since I’ve had an iron intake that I don’t remember if it had washers. Directions for the Edelbrock intake definitely said to use washers, and at least two of the end bolts also had the engine lifting eyes to spread the bolt load.

It was my 2nd/current Edelbrock where the end bolts at the back were a little too long and it began to seep antifreeze. Finally it became a stream and I had to figure out why it leaked.

 

[Fastduramax]

Here is your leak solver and torque lube for intake bolts…

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[ChuckN]

Here is your leak solver and torque lube for intake bolts…

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Thanks! I do know some guys just use ultra grey or black.

Is that the same thing I’m supposed to use on the ARP head bolts? I think ARP has a special pipe dope that isn’t supposed to affect torque readings.

 

[Fastduramax]

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