2000 jeep cherokee 4.0L

I replaced my cylinder head a little while ago and then I developed a very loud tapping sound. Pulled the valve cover and turns out to be a bad lifter. The bad lifter went with the exhaust valve on cylinder #2 and I've also got a bent pushrod for the intake valve on that same cylinder(2). That was just a little background.

My question is I used new fel-pro head bolts when I changed the head and was wondering if I can reuse them? I only drove the jeep about 50 miles before it started tapping and back firing out the throttle body. Also what do ya'll think caused this lifter to go bad? My guess is I probably got some gunk down the hole the lifter is in when cleaning the block.

Thanks for any comments.

 

Generally, you're fine re-using the head bolts once


Its not the miles on them that would make them un useable. Its the stretching the bolt does when you torque it

 

thanks for the help man.

 

The rule of thumb for fel-pro bolts are 12 point heads are good for 1-3 uses but 6 points are torque to yield are are to be thrown away after one use.