What bolts are needed?

[saidyene]

I'm looking at buying the studs/bolts I need for my engine rebuild. ARP fasteners are going to run me about 400. I'm just wandering which ones i need before i send the block off to the machine shop. I'm looking to buy now so i have them in a few months when i come home from Iraq. I don't want to get them all now cause my wife will freak out. Can I get away with only the main and head studs? or do i need more then that?

[fordman]

i thought i read on here that the rods were the most important. that is if you were going to race it. if no racing then one opinion was you didn't need new arp bolts. i do not know. i am only passing on what i read.

[oldschoolrods]

If your just doing a stock rebuild or mild engine, you probably don't really need head studs or main studs for that matter. I'd definatley get new Rod bolts and new head bolts aren't a bad idea either. But as fordman said if this is a race motor or something more extreme, Studding the block is a good idea.

PS thanks for serving the country, come home safe

[sgs]

unless you are building a very serious race engine all of your stock hardware is reusable. Would you like a nickel for every mile 360's have run with stock bolts? ARP fasteners are very good but not necessary for even Saturday night specials. Save your money. Bolts almost never break unless there is another problem that caused the failure fist. I ran a FE race engine in an off road race truck in the 70's and 80's. 12-1 pistons, 6250 rpms routinely, all stock fasteners. No breakage, no head gasket failures.

Thank you for your service!You are an American hero!

sgs