ARP Head Studs

[98slushbox]

I recently had my head o-ringed, ported and polished and i put it back together with 12mm head studs. When i went to put the valve covers back on they actually hit the tops of the studs. The only thing i could do was trim the tops of the studs off and knock the webbing out of the tops of the valve covers they fit better but barely leak now. A friend of mine did his truck at the same time and has the same exact problem, has anyone else??? If so is there any way to get around trimming the studs, aftermarket valve covers???

 

[lmills]

did you bottom tap the holes? the last 1/4" or so of the bolt wholes need tapped for studs.

 

[PC12Driver]

I had to trim the front two studs to fit my 24v. You should bottom tap all the holes, since you want the tip of the stud to bottom out before the threads do. But for the front two studs, you will still need to grind some off of the bottom of the stud so it will thread down farther before bottoming out. That way you don't mess with any of the threads on the stud.

 

[McCRam]

I have this problem too. I did bottom tap, and grind covers down as much as I dared. They still barely touch the studs. I am thinking if it would be hard to put a small bulge in the aluminum with a heat source. An 1/8 inch would probably do the trick. Or way be a thicker gasket.

 

[Huff N Puff]

On the studs that don't go down all the way,you need to run a bottoming tap in the holes that are not tapped deep enough to give the studs the depth they need to clear the valve cover but more importantly it gives the studs more bite to give them the added strength they need to clamp that head gasket tighter.

 

[**ICEMAN**]

i think i know why you had the valve cover clearance problem.

if you looked closely at the studs you would have seen that there were 6 studs that are about 12 mm longer than the rest.

the longer studs must go on the exhaust manifold side.

mine is a 24 valve

probably an issue with 12v also,,longer studs on outside of valve covers.

no mention of this in the install instructions.

after i figured it out i called ARP to confirm.

 

[98slushbox]

There must be a big diff. in stud length between 12v and 24v cause the three rows of 12v are completely diff. lengths not close to 12mm difference. I looked in the stud holes and the threads look like they stop pretty far up before the bottom of the hole. I think if i would have tapped out to the bottom of the hole and ran the stud alll the way in there wouldnt have been enough stud sticking up to put the washer and nut on. The nut actually hit the webbing of the valve cover also, so no matter how long the stud is the nut still would have hit. The washers in my eyes could have been a little thinner but i went ahead and used them anyways. i did run a tap in to the end of the threads but no further. Every stud went in the same depth and hit every valve cover. i tried putting a raised spot in the valve cover, but didnt work, needles to say i found a wrecked truck and got one new valve cover. I would have liked to cut a hole in all of them and found a rubber plug grommet that had a raise to it but couldnt find any.

 

[TravisG]

what's up Lance? sounds like that 2 wheel drive should be running pretty good for Indy. Are you goin to make it? Take the dayz off of work and come on up. I'll be there.

 

[McCRam]

The nuts were the first thing to hit when I put the studs in mine as well, but after I have retorqued the head six times, the studs are starting to show. I have been looking to see if they are rubbing on the valve covers, but I haven't seen any wear marks yet. If I don't I will probably leave well enough alone.

 

[98slushbox]

Travis G, Hows it goin man? I heard you moved. Well, i'd ask how you been but we can catch up at Indy cause I am definitely gonna make it this year. already scheduled off. Did you stud your head on your truck, if so did you have any prob. like i did? McCRam, did you run a tap down and make a few more threads in the bottom of the hole before you put the studs in? I guess i should have done that. Its holding good for now and i give it no mercy :-laf

 

[TravisG]

Studs? What are those!!! I am driving on a prayer. No O-ring no studs no nothing. Knock on wood. Gotta get that done soon. Just got 'ol Whitey on the dyno yesterday. 422 uncorrected no torque reading. Not bad for 323K

 

[98slushbox]

No o-ring, no studs, Lucky!!!!! Yeah i dont think you can complain, thats pretty good numbers. I need to get 2 wheeler on a dyno to see what it is actually making. She gets the ice cream home from the store before it melts :-laf

 

[McCRam]

I ran a bottom tap and was able to get another 1/2 inch or so before I hit the bottom of the hole. Hardest part was getting all the metal out of the hole and not into the the rest of the engine.