i remember reading something about being able to re-tourqe the head bolts on the stock stuff to help prevent a BHG. i searched for a lil and couldnt find anything. any info on this?
re-tourqe
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^ How hard did you try? :icon_bigg
Just barely break the stock bolts loose, and retorque to whatever spec you feel like doing. Do this in the same order as you were going to use to install them. Oh, also, make sure to drain all of the antifreeze from the engine... Take out the little plug on the block, don't just take the bottom hose off. Skipping this step could cause water to get in your oil which could help speed up some RK.
So, start in the center, crack one loose, retighten it. Move to the other side, crack loose, retighten it move over to the next one, crack it loose, retighten it... you get the pic. Search for the online TSRM, I don't have the link handy, but it's in the "helpful links" or w/e section.
Some people also say retoqueing a stock hg *one that was originally on the engine* may be a bad idea, since it's been on there so long and there is a good chance that doing so could speed up any failures that were working their way out. If you haven't replaced it, why not take the bolts completely out, remove the head, get it checked/rebuilt, clean your block really good *decked would be best*, get yourself a new OEM type gasket, some ARP studs, and just do it and get it over with. It's gonna happen eventually, why not do it while the weather is crappy? :icon_razz others who are more helpful will eventually chime in, don't worry.
Just barely break the stock bolts loose, and retorque to whatever spec you feel like doing. Do this in the same order as you were going to use to install them. Oh, also, make sure to drain all of the antifreeze from the engine... Take out the little plug on the block, don't just take the bottom hose off. Skipping this step could cause water to get in your oil which could help speed up some RK.
So, start in the center, crack one loose, retighten it. Move to the other side, crack loose, retighten it move over to the next one, crack it loose, retighten it... you get the pic. Search for the online TSRM, I don't have the link handy, but it's in the "helpful links" or w/e section.
Some people also say retoqueing a stock hg *one that was originally on the engine* may be a bad idea, since it's been on there so long and there is a good chance that doing so could speed up any failures that were working their way out. If you haven't replaced it, why not take the bolts completely out, remove the head, get it checked/rebuilt, clean your block really good *decked would be best*, get yourself a new OEM type gasket, some ARP studs, and just do it and get it over with. It's gonna happen eventually, why not do it while the weather is crappy? :icon_razz others who are more helpful will eventually chime in, don't worry.
i did mine a few weeks ago. took around a hour or so. got a chance to clean up the engine a lil while i was there too.
really not that hard to do.
really not that hard to do.
i dont trust retorques, as the bolts are really old and they might be even mope innacurate when you torque them down the second time! i would just replace then with arp headbolts.
well i really didnt search that hard, i had to go to work. is there anyway to put arps in without taking off the head? basically if i take of the head it will void the warrenty. which i want it to drive it first to make sure it is not messed up. is there anyone with experiance on this?
yeah, you can swap them. pull out one old bolt and replace with a new one then torque it down. if using studs i hear the rear couple of ones are a real p.i.t.a.
notice i said headbolts?mkiiSupraMan18 said:
yeah i agree with you studs are impossible with the head on.
i gots studs o well, ill just try to not blow it for atlest 30 days. after this a headgasket job will be nothing.
o well, ill just try to not blow it for atlest 30 days. after this a headgasket job will be nothing.
what makes getting the nuts onto the studs impossible with the head on? is it spacing for tools, or just that you can't see the studs as your dropping the nuts into place?
-Dave
-Dave
i think it's trying to put the head on with the studs. the cylinder head goes under that piece of metal on the firewall and with studs it has to go straight down right over the studs and that's pretty impossible with that long metal thing unless you loosen the tranny mount and lift it up tilting the engine forward.
I think it's physically impossible to get the nuts onto the studs w/ the head on the block. When you do it off of the block and out of the car you have to hold the head above the block 1/2" or so and start all your nuts or they wont go on. I think that the studs are a bit too long and the nuts will hit the inside part of the head when you try to put them on.
I believe Grant (Oneandgone) did his w/ the block in the car, but you'd have to loosen all of them up, then it's bye bye warranty for you it seems. If you get new ARP's, you do know you'll have to do this all again, right?
I believe Grant (Oneandgone) did his w/ the block in the car, but you'd have to loosen all of them up, then it's bye bye warranty for you it seems. If you get new ARP's, you do know you'll have to do this all again, right?
good info! so I understand it as:
you can't replace the head gasket with the block in the car if your using studs, unless you remove the studs themselves too.
And, the studs are the right length that if you try to put the nuts on the studs with the head sitting on the block, the nuts wouldn't start because the cams are in the way. Catch 22 lol so the moral of the story is if you like to blow head gaskets, you have to like pulling the engine if you like using studs.
you can't replace the head gasket with the block in the car if your using studs, unless you remove the studs themselves too.
And, the studs are the right length that if you try to put the nuts on the studs with the head sitting on the block, the nuts wouldn't start because the cams are in the way. Catch 22 lol so the moral of the story is if you like to blow head gaskets, you have to like pulling the engine if you like using studs.
^ Mostly correct except for the part about the nuts...
They dont hit the cams, although you have to keep turning them to tighten up the nuts anyway... The nuts will hit the head itself and you wont even be able to get them started.
And you CAN replace the HG w/ the block in the car and use the studs, he can't because he cannot seperate the block and the head because is Warranty will be void. It's a lot more simple than I can explain it, I just lack the capacity to do so. lol
They dont hit the cams, although you have to keep turning them to tighten up the nuts anyway... The nuts will hit the head itself and you wont even be able to get them started.
And you CAN replace the HG w/ the block in the car and use the studs, he can't because he cannot seperate the block and the head because is Warranty will be void. It's a lot more simple than I can explain it, I just lack the capacity to do so. lol
I replaced the HG with the block in the car.. I used ARP studs too... You just have to put 2 stunds in the front and then set the head on.. Get a 12point thinwall socket and turn the crank until the socket will slip by the cams. If I remember correctly there were 2 places on the cams that are a tight fit but it can be done...
mkiiSupraMan18 said:
not true at all.
what the downside to studs is, with the motor in the car you must remove the studs in order to remove the head, which is a bit of a pain.
other than that you can install and remove the studs with the motor in the car.
^ Maybe both heads I did the studs on weren't finished getting cut then, because I could not get the nuts on either without lifting the head off the block.
If your thinking about retorqing the bolts, I'd say it's about time to replace the HG with a metal one, along with necessary maching involved. I'd just save up and have it all done at the same time so you would save some money in the long run, not to mention time, sweat, and tears. ARP head studs FTW.
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