Hi just a q, has any one reused the old head bolts and not used new ones. and if you did use the old ones was the head ok.

 

Not on a Jag but I have on a DAF van, same deal the bolts are one use then ditch them.
We were going to a race meeting in East Germany and the gasket blew just before we got there, we got a tow to the paddock and managed to get a gasket but not bolts, beggars can't be choosers, so the gasket was changed and the old bolts reused.

The van ran fine all the way from East Germany back to Calais and onto the ferry, not sure how many miles but several hours driving.

We drove of the ferry but didn't get 5 miles from Dover when the gasket blew again.
I think the problem was when the engine cooled down and the bolts had already been stretched, they couldn't contract enough to maintain the seal.

Moral of the story, if the manual says change the bolts, do it.

 

Thanks, this is the first car for me that has used this kind of bolt. i am diying the car so doing it all on the cheap.

like you say if the manual says change the bolts thats what i will do.

 

I'm pretty sure they are tourqe to yield bolts if I remember right... not real safe to reuse. (They actually stretch when tourqed down the first time.)

 

I would recommend against it. Bolts are cheap, a trashed engine isn't.

 

"Joyces Jag" (Rick) has immense knowledge on the 3.0

 

Thanks for that!!! but I dunno about the "immense" part, maybe "some" .

As everyone above posted, get NEW bolts.

 

Hey Rick, for some reason I always think that the fella in your avatar is u...u can tell us Rick...that's u isn't it? LOL! Come on Rick....

 

ok thanks for all the info, why i ask is that jtis does not say anything about using new, but yet tells you to use new in the oil pan and are tourqe to yield. you would think that if it was that inportant it would be on the jtis.