Does anybody sell engine bolt kits?

[robkdx]

My google is weak. Anybody sell engine bolt kits? Prefer stainless if I can get it.

[K50X200]

Bolt Set eBay search

there's a few stainless sets on this search...

[Glenn]

I bought a stainless steel engine bolt kit for a clean atc 250r, '86 about 5yrs ago. After installing, I noticed a coolant leak on the head.rechecked torque, still leaked. Bought new head gasket,still leaked.checked for head war page on surface plate,there was none. Coolant upon further inspection found it's way up the head studs.after much cursing and head scratching I realized that the engine bolt kit came with regular stainless steel nuts and washers for the head. Stock is an acorn nut. This is used to prevent coolant from working it's way up the head studs by making a crown or cover which provides a seal. Learn by my mistakes. If an engineer designed a motor to have an acorn nut or other specialized piece of hardware, dont trust someone peddling a kit with different hardware. I would not do stainless again either. I've read on other unrelated sites that it can be to hard for certain applications

[bufftester]

OEM are nuts on the KDX and the head studs don't pass through the water jacket, so if there's a leak there its due to a bad gasket seal, an acorn nut isn't going to seal a fluid leak unless it has an o-ring or rubber gasket. Stainless has the benefit of not corroding like the stock fasteners (the source of the white chalky deposits on the motor studs) but tends to have the internal threads gall under high torque conditions (luckily, this motor isn't one of those conditions). For a KDX stainless is a fine alternative to the OEM fasteners. I just don't care for the shiny bits, but thats just my personal preference. As long as you know the correct sizes (thread pitch etc) you can pick up stainless bits individually at most hardware stores.

[Glenn]

Thanks for the input. I hadn't looked at my kdx to see what type it had. I was just relating my previous bad luck with a stainless kit that did need an acorn nut and no washer to work properly.

[pumpguy]

Leakage along fastener threads is a common problem in my line of work, pump repair. This is common when ordinary bolts are substituted for studs and nuts.

The OEM studs have an oversize thread on the casting side, and are installed so they top out where the thread contacts the casting at the joint face. This arrangement almost always results in a water tight seal at the threads.

An effective substitute is to seal the threaded assembly with Loctite. When using Loctite, it's important that the surfaces be clean and grease free. A good cleaner is Acetone. A good all around choice is blue Loctite 242. Wicking grade Loctite #290 can be used after assembly.

So, if leakage around stud threads is a problem, try setting the studs with Loctite.