Not necessarily. As long as you don't see any evidence of water seeping out from under the bolt head, it just may be from moisture collecting. Usually you can see a trail of what looks like a hard water stain or rust trailing down from a bolt head if the portion of the head gasket around the water jacket has failed.
The bolts don't make the seal.They just hold the head up against the block.
Then the motor heats up and kinda melts the gasket.
The rust/corrosion are just from moisture and 2 different types of metal being used.
Why'd you remove the bolts?
like most ppl they don't know who had it before or if regular maintenance was done thus Im reinstalling a new gasket.
But question is why not the other bolts?
I want to do the most maintenance possible now before work goes crazy and I cant do anything...
also just eliminating maybe some water intrusion in the bottom cylinder
Most heads do not use a gasket between the water jacket and top plate. This is where you can get a little weeping into the bolt hole. It is spotty with no rhyme or reason. Some bolts will get water on them and corrode a bit, some will not.
Clean the bolts before reinstalling them and coat with anti-seize, Vaseline petroleum jelly, or silicone rubber RTV.
Most heads do not use a gasket between the water jacket and top plate. This is where you can get a little weeping into the bolt hole. It is spotty with no rhyme or reason. Some bolts will get water on them and corrode a bit, some will not.
Clean the bolts before reinstalling them and coat with anti-seize, Vaseline petroleum jelly, or silicone rubber RTV.
