Ok, I have been searching and searching and no one has a straight answer. I just received brand new OEM head bolts and plan on installing my 3mm head-gasket next week.

People say the head will lift with stock head bolts about 16 psi...

Fact or fiction?

I will be running around 20 psi.

 

Who are these 'people'? They're misinformed.

 

 

they have been pushed over 30+ psi with no lifting

 

this is a tough one. spoolin has arp head studs and has had zero problems i beleive.

however, i dont remember reading anyone lifting a head on a stock block'd stock headbolt car at 20psi. honestly, just do the head bolts, you already went a step further then most and replaced the bolts, most reuse as long as they are in spec.

worst case call evans and ask him what he would do. i wouldnt be surpised if he says just use oem bolts.

 

fiction. I ran at 22ish pounds for about 8 months on factory bolts and a 3mm hg. Mine were prestretched and reassemble twice before that though, and that may attribute to my success. I just had the motor built and the compression lowered the right way so i will be going with arp studs now.

 

25psi here stock everything.

If you see, Spoolin made that post in 2007, we have learned ALOT in the past 3 yrs.

 

I'm on 20+ lbs with new oem bolts.

 

I am at 20psi and they re-used mine.

 

As a rule of thumb, its adviceable to avoid reusing bolts that are torque + angletightened north of the permanent deformation point/stretching limit. These bolts have worse properties the second time they are used. This is only fact tho. Use at own risk .