navy02ws6

I've found the torx bolts on my TPI intake to be the biggest pain in the butt bolts of any car I've ever worked on. Broke probably 4 or 5 sockets getting the intake off, and even had to heat up and cut a bolt that was stuck. That being said, does anyone make a set of non-torx replacements that don't cost an arm and a leg? I saw the ARP's on Summit's site, but they're $75 for the set.

Abubaca

iTrader: (3)

I bought a stainless set of allen head bolts for mine. Cost about $45 bucks. I don't remember where, but I remember I just google searched it.

...that being said, I'm sure you could go to Lowe's or HD and find some real low cost hex head or black oxide allen heads bolts for cheap.

Abubaca

iTrader: (3)

10 seconds....

http://www.jimsperformance.com/carty2.html

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

The quality of the factory bolts isn't the problem... in fact, torx are less likely to strip than allen bolts, which is exactly why you broke bits instead of stripped bolts.

The problem is that you have a steel bolt in an aluminum thread. Any time you have dis-similar metals, they cause galvanic corrosion, which makes them very difficult to remove. You can prevent this by either using a little bit of anti-seize on the threads during re-assembly, or loosening and retightening the bolts from time to time. You can also fix the problem by using stainless bolts. I bought a stainless allen head kit for my IROC, but I will say that they are fairly soft, so care does need to be taken that you don't strip the allen head on them.

If I were you, unless you want the look of stainless, I'd buy the one or 2 replacement torx bolts that you broke, and re-use the rest of your existing stuff. Just make sure that you apply some anti-seize when you reinstall and you'll be fine.

puddingmmmmmmmm

iTrader: (5)

Replace all the torx bolts with hex heads. Don't listen to that guy above me.

I had 5 of the damn things strip on me on my own car, and than I was at a junkyard pulling off an a/c / power steering bracket from trans am, and it stripped too. I hate those stupid bolts!

I just used regular hex heads my girlfriends father got me from work.

86White_T/A305

I wouldnt go so far to say not to listen to Jim85IROC when the information he supplied is indeed true.

Just because we all hate those bolts doesnt mean you throw cheap over the counter bolts to fasten your intake down.Keep in mind that also using the wrong grade of bolt will corrode or become loose with heat if you dont know what your doing.

The torx bolts are great if you do apply anti-seize as stated earlier.I learned this the second time I had to remove them.then when I had my intake polished..i choose to get polished allen head bolt kit for my tpi from tpiparts.com and I still applied anti-seize on them aswell since they are softer and more prone to to stripping the head.

how hard is it to apply a drop or 2 of anti-seize on each bolt before putting them back on to eliminate breaking your knuckles and breaking the tool your using to remove the bolts next time?

And when I had to remove my tip in favor of going HSR..every bolt came back off without breaking a sweat..just a small tug and it cracked loose and turn by hand.Its always the small details that will make or break you while workin on a car and not every has the patience of mind for it.

puddingmmmmmmmm

iTrader: (5)

If you need another excuse to not use them, they're ugly as ****. No one told him to go to kmart and buy crappy bolts. Mine came from allison transmission since my girlfriends father works there and he gets things for me, machines me stuff, etc. Anyways, the first time I went to take them off they stripped so why waste time replacing them with ****** torx bolts when I could just use hex bolts?

86White_T/A305

There isnt anything wrong with the torx bolts,they work well and can handle being torqued down to spec if you care about there specs or not.The main reason ppl strip the torx is its hard to get a good seating on the bolt to actually losen them in the tight corners which is what causes ppl to strip the heads and then resort to trying different size torx..and before you know it..you pulling with both hands on a bad angle and snap goes the torx bit.

Use hex bolts if you prefer..its your car, but if you dont use anti-seize on them either then your going to find yourself still in the same situation and just stripping the head of the bolt itself.Just be sure the bolts you use are upto the task and dont overtighten them either or your asking for more trouble lol..been there and done that when you strip the threads of the head and screw up the bolt.

All Jim and I are stating is aside from the looks of the bolts..there is a reason this happens and it can be prevented very easily.

I switched to allen head polished bolts just recently but point is I never have this issue anymore now that I found out how it happens.This applies to almost all the bolts on the engine I applied anti-seize to knowing i was swapping blocks and re-using everything on my 383.

Now if you were talking about my header bolts...I thread locked the S**t out of those guys and wrenched them down lol.

puddingmmmmmmmm

iTrader: (5)

All I'm saying is it's a little hard for that to actually happen when it's been 20 years since someone touched the bolts, so they all strip/break the first time you try to take them out.

ATX-Iroc

pb BLASTER!
It works, I pretty much only work on cars made before 90 and I use it on everything. Hardly ever brake a bolt not even on exhaust manifolds but you have to apply let sit for an hour apply some more then when you start wrenching apply some more.

puddingmmmmmmmm

iTrader: (5)

That's what I used when I took off my exhaust manifolds. Worked like a charm