302/351W Bolt Breakage

[Fordzilla80]

How many of our past/present 302 owners have broken any of the bolts on a 302/351W,especially the water pump bolts?I think I recall reading about this being very common.Today I was helping a buddy put the last bolt in to secure the water pump,and when I had about 1/32 of the bolt shaft still out,I heard a snap,and watched the bolt fall out,missing half the threads.

Anybody else experience this wonderful phenomenon?This is my second experience with a 302 Water Pump bolt breaking.

 

[5.0Flareside]

not that i've ever heard of. thats why ya buy new bolts when doing something to that extent. i would atleast...

 

[Fordzilla80]

not that i've ever heard of. thats why ya buy new bolts when doing something to that extent. i would atleast...

The bolt was in perfect condition,and it was one of the two sided bolts which are a pain to find around here.If you can find me all the bolts for the water pump next time around,i'd be glad to use new ones.

 

[flareside_thunder]

I have been lucky so far with not breaking off any waterpump bolts....My buddies have though. I did however break 3 intake bolts going into my heads........pulling them out....There's now ARP bolts in there.

 

[Fellro]

Seen it happen on older neglected motors with plenty of corrosion in the timing cover. Haen't had many to deal with myself, but they do happen.

I do recall one that had rusted so much it snapped off outside the block due to the thickness being less than half it originally was

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Havent done it on one of the trucks but I did break one on the jeeps motor.

 

[LEB Ben]

Never really worked on a 302/351 much before...but I have broken header bolts, intake bolts, head bolts, camshaft bolts, tstat housing bolts and a couple ground wire bolts. For some reason they always seem to break off flush or down inside.

 

[conanski]

How many of our past/present 302 owners have broken any of the bolts on a 302/351W,especially the water pump bolts?

That is common, the aluminum corrodes against the steel bolt and seizes it in the cover. Typically once the cover is off the remaining bolt pieces just back out of the block by hand or with little effort.

Today I was helping a buddy put the last bolt in to secure the water pump,and when I had about 1/32 of the bolt shaft still out,I heard a snap,and watched the bolt fall out,missing half the threads.

That's a different problem. Many of the holes in the block are blind meaning they don't go all the way through, if you insert a bolt that is too long it will bottom on the threads first before seating against whatever it is you are fastening, and if you crank on it more once the threads are bottomed you either strip the hole or break the bolt.