water pump housing bolts

[Princess Valiant]

I have evaluated 6 big block engines around here with non-A/C setups and none are complete, most are almost there ...salvage yard engines that have been sitting for years and this is the conclusion I have come to regarding bolt length. they are a uniform bolt that are all 9/16 head wrench size.

the only part that is unknown is why, on the majority of the evaluated engines they seem to agree that a washer is not used on only two bolts ..... if anyone knows why that is...please give your input

 

[grassy]

Having taken one original, non molested mopar completely apart I can only say that the use of washers seems to be random sometimes. When I am installing parts again, I add washers

As one member said, there is a lot of r&d goes into these things..perhaps Dodge did a study....

is there another answer out these ?

Grassy

 

[jabdusty57]

I don't have any idea what the answer is but I have to state that I just love hand drawings.

 

[Princess Valiant]

I add washers

yea, im thinking of adding them too.

 

[grassy]

I know there is a big argument out there but sometimes I use lock washers as well. Plus blue or red locktite.. I just want to do the assembly once Oh, and for those places that I know will have to be taken apart, I use anti seize.

I think this car is going to be within the family for a long time...

Ian

 

[krazykuda]

Are you sure that you are evaluating "virgin" engines? Someone could have removed them at one time.

If they are virgin engines, they may not have had washers due to limiting cost. It won't hurt to use washers on the bolts.

 

[grassy]

I believe it was the same for my "crate" 360...

 

[Princess Valiant]

has anyone ever seen a bolt with 2 washers ......I ask because I think I figured why some bolts had washers and others didn't from the factory.

 

[Princess Valiant]

I think I know why some bolts have washers and some don't.

the bolt holes end up having different depths from the casting variances .....I have standardized the bolt length and location on all my big blocks and today I found a block the has a more shallow bolt hole than my other blocks. the same bolt that tightened up on one 440 block bottomed out on this block and the same bolt tightened up with 3 less turns than the first block I tried on even another block.

so I think when engines are assembled at the factory, they have a way of determining bolt hole from the fresh cast block and use a washer to compensate for tolerance where as if the bolt hole is cast and has enough room to not bottom out within the last 3 turns, then no washer is used. Like with anything that is mass produced there has to be a tolerance.

it has been a long time mystery to me as to why some bolts have a washer and some do not.