7A-FE connecting rod bolts, Is the BGB specification incorrect? Options

[Langing]

Beginning to rebuild my Celica ST 7A-FE engine (finally).

Page EG-132 of the repair manual asked me to measure the DIAMETER of the connecting rod bolts (at the measuring point - some 20 mm from the head of the bolt).

They specify the standard diameter: 8.860 - 9.000 mm (0.3488 - 0.3543 ")

And the minimum diameter: 8.60 mm (0.3386")

My bolts measured about 7.22 mm (0.284"), which is less than the minimum, which means I need to buy new bolts.

Then I checked my Haynes manual and found they had a different minimum bolt diameter spec of 0.2992". Still, my bolts are 0.015" smaller than the minimum and I still need to buy new bolts, BUT. . .

The Toyota manual spec seems so much larger than my bolts, AND the Haynes manual spec is quite close, so I question whether Toyota has a mistake in their manual, and would like to know if anybody has a correct spec for this bolt, or can tell me where I might find it. I am suspecting that I would not get much help if I called Toyota. Maybe I am wrong.

[Langing]

Late at night, on the interstate, she just shut completely down, unexpectedly. All my fault, of course, because I had let the instrument cluster light go so dim I could not read it. Coasted to a stop on the side of the highway, with no lights or power, barely in front of a State Trooper, luckily. Steam was pouring out of the engine. . . with help from the trooper I was able to get a tow to put her into my driveway. The point is, what happened to her was an extreme heat event that blew out the head gasket such that there was no compression in any cylinder.

Long before that night, I had run a lawn mower without oil and know the damage that can come from engine overheating. That time the piston 'seized' to the cylinder wall so it could not be moved at all. In my Celica's case, the pistons did not seize to the walls of the cylinders, but I imagine that they expanded due to the intense heat and probably created a lot of friction (or drag) being in contact with the cylinder walls. That makes me believe that the connecting rod bolts experienced enough force to cause them to stretch during the event, which would translate into their measured undersized diameter. I had already ordered new bolts from the local dealer before getting a response here (about $58 for 8 freaking bolts). I have a chance to return them before they arrive, but I am kinda of Bitter's mind-set, afraid of having something worse happen should I trust those bolts, though I sincerely appreciate your voice of experience, Smaay, and admit that my engine is not a work-horse and isn't going to be abused.

I originally posted to ask if anyone knew whether the spec in the BGB was incorrect, being that my measured diameter was so far below the specified worst case diameter. My Haynes manual is in line with the spec on that bolt for the other engine (5S?) in my BGB, so I kinda think the 7A spec is incorrect. It would be nice to know. It is my first experience rebuilding, and I am trying to learn every thing I can during the experience.

I have another 'burning' question to ask, concerning engine balancing, but think I had best post it at the top level, so it gets seen by people with that kind of experience.

Thanks again for your kind responses.