200 TDI Head Bolt upgrade, anyone know of any?

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Where did you get the bolts from?

I've found the quality stretch bolts depends on the manufacturer, not all are created equal.

in my opinion It depends who made them. My worry is that even genuine Land Rover ones may not be made to the same spec as the 30yr + year originals. I've used stretch bolts on other things in the past and you can feel when they start to stretch as they suddenly become easier to turn (and if they were never intended to stretch, that's just before they break). The first time I used the stretch bolts on a V8 head, that didn't happen, I was just hanging on a long bar to manage the second 90 degrees. When the thread is going into the aluminium block, I was concerned I was going to pull the thread out. I would advise against getting the cheap ones as they are made of chocolate and will snap off half the time or stretch too soon.

Hence my recommendation for turners, as they tend to have the good stuff ;)

I don't think there is a stud kit for the 200 the upside of studs is the finer thread means there's much more control on the tension and they don't need to be torqued up nearly as tight..

But as said you don't need studs for the 200 just quality stretch bolts, if you were running crazy boost and other performance upgrades then yes I'd stud it, but being stock nah!! ;)

Thanks for the detail. The Boost max is at 21PSI, I haven't gone above 18 as I am (was) running it in. Not sure what HP or Torque output I have, it will be more that stock, as it has a VGT, 2.7 bore, gas flowed head, bigger injectors etc. Plus air in and out paraphernalia
 
If certain you need tougher head bolts then talk to ARP directly, not their UK resellers.

ARP have a huge std off the shelf range in the US, many of which are multi-application, but not listed. I have had them make me aero grade studs for racing applications, come with bolts and torque settings. fyi this is the link to their catalogue measurement sheet https://arpcatalog.com/22/ and head bolt pages. If using ARP be sure to 100% chase out threads and you must use thread lube upon assembly.
 
Thanks, but not relevant to this request. Its gone, it's either a faulty gasket or not up to the job, hence upgraded gasket and looking for upgraded bolts or studs. Just wanted to know of any sources.

I don’t understand what you mean by upgraded bolts and I suspect you don’t either? They are stretch bolts just get a new set of the standard ones. From what you’ve describe I doubt the bolts are your issue.
 
I don’t understand what you mean by upgraded bolts and I suspect you don’t either? They are stretch bolts just get a new set of the standard ones. From what you’ve describe I doubt the bolts are your issue.

I would hazard a guess there is a bit more science to it than just get a new set?

I can tell you the alloy threads will only take so much force before they fail, not pulling force on its own, but the twisting AND pullling force as they are initially tightened, whereas a fixed stud with a nut can be done tighter before failure.
 
I would hazard a guess there is a bit more science to it than just get a new set?

I can tell you the alloy threads will only take so much force before they fail, not pulling force on its own, but the twisting AND pullling force as they are initially tightened, whereas a fixed stud with a nut can be done tighter before failure.

The standard bolts do fine for the rest of us. My concern would be attributing a failure to something that works perfectly well (not to say you can’t have a poor batch first time they were fitted, should still replace like for like) or worse over compensating for a problem else where. Came of the factory using those bolts for a reason in my opinion and I can’t think of any reason to change them.
 
The standard bolts do fine for the rest of us. My concern would be attributing a failure to something that works perfectly well (not to say you can’t have a poor batch first time they were fitted, should still replace like for like) or worse over compensating for a problem else where. Came of the factory using those bolts for a reason in my opinion and I can’t think of any reason to change them.


I think the op has tuned the car?
Have a read sure its on this thread?

Edit post number 21
 
I think the op has tuned the car?
Have a read sure its on this thread?

Edit post number 21

I’m not a huge supporter (aka party pooper) of tuned TDIs either. If your having to clamp the head down even tighter to make it all work it sounds more like a homemade warhead experiment than a Land Rover to me ;-).
 
I’m not a huge supporter (aka party pooper) of tuned TDIs either. If your having to clamp the head down even tighter to make it all work it sounds more like a homemade warhead experiment than a Land Rover to me ;-).


To be fair, I wouldnt mind a go in one!
Learnt my lesson over the years, standard is the way to go for longevity and reliability.
 
To be fair, I wouldnt mind a go in one!
Learnt my lesson over the years, standard is the way to go for longevity and reliability.

I watched a video of a defender at a drag race with a something ridiculous transplanted under the bonnet. Left the competition (a Porsche I think) in the dust. The look on e spectators face was priceless.
 
I don’t understand what you mean by upgraded bolts and I suspect you don’t either? They are stretch bolts just get a new set of the standard ones. From what you’ve describe I doubt the bolts are your issue.

I would hazard a guess there is a bit more science to it than just get a new set?

I can tell you the alloy threads will only take so much force before they fail, not pulling force on its own, but the twisting AND pullling force as they are initially tightened, whereas a fixed stud with a nut can be done tighter before failure.

I lost interest in this once it turned out that the engine is bored out, and has a bigger turbo and other tuning bits.

These are old engines, based on an even older design, and there was never any intention, or need, for them to produce masses of top end power.

If he wants a lot of power, he would be better to get a powerful engine. I think he will continue to blow gaskets, and probably get other issues as well. And I think he knows this, which is why he hasn't come back.
 
I lost interest in this once it turned out that the engine is bored out, and has a bigger turbo and other tuning bits.

These are old engines, based on an even older design, and there was never any intention, or need, for them to produce masses of top end power.

If he wants a lot of power, he would be better to get a powerful engine. I think he will continue to blow gaskets, and probably get other issues as well. And I think he knows this, which is why he hasn't come back.

100% agree with you. Was on Islay a few months back and met a guy with a Cummins under the bonnet of his 110. Never seen one in the flesh before
 
100% agree with you. Was on Islay a few months back and met a guy with a Cummins under the bonnet of his 110. Never seen one in the flesh before
I have seen plenty, but not in Land Rovers. I don't actually like them much, not a patch on a Gardner.

For a wheeled vehicle, if you want performance, petrol is always going to be the way to go.
 
I have seen plenty, but not in Land Rovers. I don't actually like them much, not a patch on a Gardner.

For a wheeled vehicle, if you want performance, petrol is always going to be the way to go.

I mean I'd never seen one in a defender. I wouldn't do it myself but always interesting to see how it all fits in and a different bit of engineering
 
I mean I'd never seen one in a defender. I wouldn't do it myself but always interesting to see how it all fits in and a different bit of engineering
It is a big project, and interesting. But a good power gain, and much less weight, is available by fitting a tuned V8, which is much less difficult.

There is a big thread on the forum about fitting a Cummins in a Defender, but it was a few years ago, and I can't remember who posted it.

In the meantime, here are some proper diesels in their natural habitat! :)

maxresdefault.jpg
 
It is a big project, and interesting. But a good power gain, and much less weight, is available by fitting a tuned V8, which is much less difficult.

There is a big thread on the forum about fitting a Cummins in a Defender, but it was a few years ago, and I can't remember who posted it.

In the meantime, here are some proper diesels in their natural habitat! :)

maxresdefault.jpg

Nice! Would that be on a boat by any chance?
 
Nice! Would that be on a boat by any chance?
Yes. Two propulsion engines, twin screws, the little one at the back is for a generator.
They are an amazing engine. You can do almost anything with the engines in place using the crankcase doors for access, and you can do a lot of things without even turning the engine off, because you can turn off the fuel supply to one or more cylinders with the engine running.
Not that you often have to do anything at all. They can run for 40 years on basic servicing alone.
 
Blood hell, nice thread derailment on to the boat topic :D

I used a reinz head gasket and head bolts from turners and 9 years later all is still fine.


To be fair, I wouldnt mind a go in one!
Learnt my lesson over the years, standard is the way to go for longevity and reliability.

absolutely, over the years I have progressively moved away from aftermarket mods in favour of reliability
 
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