Thread: Heat cycle head-studs with block heater? Even possible?

I'm doing a headgasket + arp bolts upgrade, and a coworker of mine suggested this crazy idea, to use the engine block heater to heat cycle the engine.

That way you wouldn't need to run the engine before re-torquing the head bolts. Does anyone here think it'll even work?

Coolant temp should be at around 60*C (140*F) after being plugged in overnight. Would that count as a heat-cycle?

Passive heater, there's active in line ones you can install into lower rad hose and you can pop it off when you're done. I don't f around with frost plugs unless I have to. Had one fall into the engine....sucked.

I already have a block heater, so that is why I started thinking more about it.


And yeah, I did exactly what you said, dropped a freeze plug into the engine. Took almost 2 hours to fish it out :P

I kind of left it in there. Young and dumb at the time, meticulous me now wouldnt dream of it.