Engine Rebuild Parts recommendations

[doitwright]

As I slowly get toward sending my engine (1970 280SL Automatic) to a machine shop for a rebuild I have been doing some gathering of parts I know need to be replaced. Already have a new gasket kit and had the cylinder head redone a few years ago. Never made it back on the engine and has been sitting on the shelf. I ordered 8 new cylinder head bolts and the wrong flywheel bolts. The wrong flywheel bolts (too short) were not too expensive. The correct ones are $50 each and of course I need 6. Oil Pump seems OK. When last running, the engine ran smooth, just burned a bit of oil and had low compression on 1 cylinder.

I am looking for opinions on whether or not to replace the flywheel bolts (I read that they stretch when torqued) or if I can reuse the original ones. The machine shop will also probably have an opinion on this.

[ja17]

Your flywheel bolts should be fine to re-use. You can measure the length of each one. If you find that one or more have deformed (stretched noticeably longer than the others), replace those. Normally they are ok. Also the head bolts on these engines are NOT stretch bolts. Unless the threads are damaged they can be used over. Clean the threaded head bolt holes in the block with the correct metric tap. Wire brush clean the head bolts and threads. Lubricate the bolt threads and its shoulder before torqueing in stages.

[doitwright]

Thanks Joe. You just saved me $300. Have a Merry Christmas.