Should iron heads have washers?

[B-nut]

1935 rebuilt engine with 1936 iron cylinder heads came home from the rebuilders with washers on the studs . Isn't it only aluminum heads that should be held down with washers? If no washers is correct can they just be removed one at a time?

[ken ct]

If this is in a pass car not a truck why not just leave them alone. Tha heads are wrong for a pass so whats the diff if it has washers OMO ken ct.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by B-nut

1935 rebuilt engine with 1936 iron cylinder heads came home from the rebuilders with washers on the studs . Isn't it only aluminum heads that should be held down with washers? If no washers is correct can they just be removed one at a time?

It may depend on what you are doing or want to accomplish. The iron heads don't really need the washers but if the tops of the studs are close to being flush with the tops of the nuts, with the washers in place, then I would consider just leaving them there. They will not hurt anything being there. If you are building a show vehicle, then that may determine what you will need to do. JMO, JM

[ford1]

they are not needed but they wont hurt anything, leave them there, if it aint broke dont fix it,trying to fix a non problem can lead to more problems stripped or broken head stud

[Charlie Stephens]

Another problem with removing them is if you have a problem with the engine the rebuilder will have an out becase you took the engine apart to remove them (even if it was one nut at a time and could no way be related to the problem).

Charlie Stephens

[36tbird]

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The theory that I am working on is shouldered washers used to keep the studs or bolts centered in the holes away from the sides so that electrolysis is negated. To do this involves a special bit that drills down the head and the shouldered washer sits into the cavity created by the bore. When the engine is assembled, special attention is applied to seal the bolt/stud into the block and anti-seize is applied to the shank. Makes sense to me.

[Fe26]

Originally Posted by 36tbird

The theory that I am working on is shouldered washers used to keep the studs or bolts centered in the holes away from the sides so that electrolysis is negated. To do this involves a special bit that drills down the head and the shouldered washer sits into the cavity created by the bore. When the engine is assembled, special attention is applied to seal the bolt/stud into the block and anti-seize is applied to the shank. Makes sense to me.

I like the thinking behind that idea, a little bit of extra work at the beginning can save a whole lot of work and skinned knuckles at the other end.

[fordy_nine]

Originally Posted by 36tbird

The theory that I am working on is shouldered washers used to keep the studs or bolts centered in the holes away from the sides so that electrolysis is negated. To do this involves a special bit that drills down the head and the shouldered washer sits into the cavity created by the bore. When the engine is assembled, special attention is applied to seal the bolt/stud into the block and anti-seize is applied to the shank. Makes sense to me.

Electrolysis is only negated if you have a true dielectric joint with the aluminum head electrically insulated from the block, stud and washer. Good Luck, Bob L