• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!

    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)

TR2/3/3A The steel head stud washers?

karls59tr

Yoda
Bronze
Online
I installed the head gasket today. i was missing a couple of steel flat washers so I installed these and torqued the head down. They are made of yellow zink but are the same thickness as the missing ones. How much of a mistake is this and is it going to come back and bite me on the ass?:unsure:
 
For head bolts or other important fasteners I request "hardened and ground" The hardening ensures they are as hard as your bolts and will not compress over time, and the ground ensures they are absolutely flat, so they carry the bolt load evenly to the head surface. If you already used those washers, then I would not go to the trouble to change them out...just be sure to check the torque a couple times to ensure they are holding tension. A softer washer is still better than none at all.
 
Most bolts, nuts and washers are Zinc coated, no matter what grade they are. Yes, Grade 8 does often have that yellow color, but anyone can buy a zinc chromate kit on the internet. That color does not indicate any specific alloy. Check ARP for quality grade 8 hardware.
 
I'm quite aware of this. I do zinc plating (plus other metals) and chromate conversion. I don't use a kit; I use electrochemistry.

 
Back
Top