Along with my heads the previous owner gave me the entire set of head bolts. Ive read before that head bolts should not be reused. Everything is in great shape, loctite is still visible on all the bolts. Can I use them again or should I start shopping for new ones?

 

It's been done but once they've been torqued they have stretched and will never have the same hold again.
I've done it on old straight six engines and even stock V-8s but on a performance engine new high quality bolts are the way to go,ARP is a good choice or at least new stock bolts if it's a mild build.
Just my 2cts

 

Head bolts are TTY (Torque-To-Yield) bolts, meaning after they are torqued (stretched), they will lose their elasticity and will not hold the correct torque setting. Coincidentally, the bolts are also weakened, and you run the risk of shearing one.

 

i've usually gone to studs vs bolts. they can be taken on and off many more times and not have any issues, which is great when using engines at school for dyno mules where they are rebuilt every 6 weeks. if you are going with a stock or mild rebuild, i would recomend new bolts, but i think you can get away with reusing them, just add an extra 10-15 lbs torque to them

 

do not reuse them!!!
do you want problems???
most would say no way,,,
so dont reuse head bolts ever....
its cheaper to spend a little bit now,,,
then to spend that little bit plus a whole lot more later,,
ive built a buttload of motors in my time so...take it for what its worth.....

 

then again, has anyone had an engine rebuilt at a shop? ever notice if you (or the owner of the car) was charged for new head bolts, or just as important, exhaust manifold or intake manifold bolts? i know where i work at, we just reuse the hardware. keeps customer cost low and we have never had an issue with it.

 

Yeah, it keeps the customer's cost low until you shear a bolt off into the head or block. Then their cost skyrockets. I don't know where you work, but the shop I work at I ALWAYS use new hardware on crucial items like head bolts and exhaust manifold bolts.

I tell the customer that if they don't want to pay for it, I can't guarantee or warranty the work. Usually that changes their tune. If they don't change their tune, I tell them to take it down the road because it's not worth my time.

 

its a used truck dealership. if we replace a head on a truck, we replace the bolts as well. if the head comes off for a new head gasket, the bolts get reused. we have also contracted outside work for in-frame overhauls where we just did the labor, and the customer supplies the parts, never once have they ordered head bolts. usually the only time hardware is replaced is if its broken. turbo studs are common to break because of the heat and stress on them so we usually have some extras, but typicly everything is reused

 

I'm afraid I'll have to be the desenter here. My 427 has been rebuilt twice, and the same head bolts went back in both times. I've had the car for 37 yrs. with this same engine. Lots of miles on both rebuilds, and it's still running fine, and no broken bolts.
As a matter of fact I've built a lot of small and big block Chev's over 40 yrs., and I can't say as I've ever broken a head bolt, or replaced one during a rebuild. Sure, I've heard people say they should be replaced, and if I was building a very radical engine for racing I probably would, but not for the average street hotrod.
Just my experience, and opinion.

 

Typically, you won't shear a head bolt. They're pretty stout. However, as I explained above, they are TTY bolts, meaning as you torque them, they stretch. When you re-torque them, they don't hold their torque setting accurately. Some of the higher grade Chrome Moly steel bolts won't stretch as much as factory head bolts, meaning you can generally reuse them without a problem.