well i have been trying to order some stock head bolts for my truck, but everywhere i check they ask me the same question, do i need the old design head bolts or the new design. i thought they were all the same. if someone knows how to tell i would appreciate the help.

 

easy fix go to dealer and give vin number that will say exactly which bolts you neeed

 

I'm pretty sure 2004+ is when they started using all the same length bolts.
Even ARPs web site shows 04' is the same length bolts.

 

Zick is right. I got the wrong bolts because of the bolt change. 2004+ has all the same length. But what messed me up is that my motor is a 2004 but made in 2003. I wonder if there is a certain month that they changed bolts to consider them a 2004 motor???

Well anyway Zick your bolts are on the way.lol

 

All short or all long bolts?

 

Thanks man, too bad I can't use them yet cause I have to find a new set of heads.

Flyer, I believe they are all long bolts. But I've been wrong before.

 

The switch was made in 04. Now more long bolts. 1 thre 10 are now all the same as the old 9 and 10. 11 thru 15 didn't change. I just bought a set of Stage II heads from Patriot. They sent me the old set of bolts which includes 8 of the real longs ones. Lucky for me I had ordered a set of ARPs which were the correct length. Now I have a brand new set of bolts for the 99 to 03 engine which I can't use. The heads even came with a 6.0 L head gasket set. I called them and ask about it since the bolts were wrong too. They told me that they use the 6 liter gasket on everything. I put them on and it's working fine.

 

Im going through this problem right now as well....The problem is the GM dealership say there are two desgins. I gave them my vin number abd it still showed two different designs. So what we did is we order both design set of bolts and we are going to match them to the origional ones...GM is messed up that they dont reference these bolts to a head casting number.....that should be the way things are done!!!!!!

 

Also I know on my 4.8 there are 5 bolts under/near the intake that are short.... maybe 2 inches long

Then the middle row the two that are on the end of the head/block are short full threaded - 5-1/2 inches long, and the ones that are in the middle are 1/3 threaded and are 6-1/2 - 7 inches long.

The row at the exhaust manifold are all 1/3 thread, and are like the middle bolts in the center row.....

dont mind the english system of measurement, but these are all measured in mm.