Head bolts

[Aziz]

Hi

Can I re-use the head bolts that have come off my cylinder head??

Some people I have asked have said yes as long as they have been cleaned.

Other have said I will need to fit new ones as I will lose torque.

Confused

Imran

[Demlotcrew]

Problem is Imran the bolts are strech bolts and can 'realy' only be used once! But i know countless times when i have seen headbolts being reused with no real problems even after a few years of use.

I would not reuse them on a performance/tuned/or hard driven car but on a 316i run around it wont hurt one bit.

Andrew

[Globulator]

The critera for deciding this is:

Cost of buying new ones
Cost of it going wrong (however unlikely)

Given that a new bolt set is about £20 (I think) you then need to judge
that money against the offchance that you'll be in a hurry, in the rain
and dark when the head gasket goes and trashes your oil + water +
gasket + bolts + time. Imagine yourself there and ask yourself: would
I give £20 not to be here.

In summary then - it may work perfectly, but if it doesn't - you'll be
kicking yourself!