Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Grinding valve covers for ARP studs?

[JGheen]

Does anyone have any pics or good descriptions of how they modified their valve covers for the ARP studs? I have heard some people have to grind on the studs themselves or the valve covers but I am confused as to where exactly one would modify the covers. Any help on this would be appreciated so I can do my mods before I torque my studs down.



Thanks, Joe

 

[AAllen]

you have to grind the inside webbing of the head covers to clear the studs but I also took a little off the studs too I cleaned the inside real good then dabbed a little grease on the stud head and then fit the head cover back on to see where it was hitting and ground it down till it seated properly

 

[CumminsPower98]

Glad I saw this thread as I will be installing ARP studs on Friday and had not heard of this problem. Is this the case with all engines or does this happen only when the studs are installed with the head in place and the wholes are not bottom tapped?

 

[csutton7]

I believe all 12v'ers have this problem---some 24vers also--I didn't on my 99 24v--chris

 

[JGheen]

you have to grind the inside webbing of the head covers to clear the studs but I also took a little off the studs too I cleaned the inside real good then dabbed a little grease on the stud head and then fit the head cover back on to see where it was hitting and ground it down till it seated properly

Got any pics of your modifications? How much did you have to grind off the studs on the rocker pedistals? Did you remove them one at a time, grind them and torque it back down?



Joe

 

[walexa07]

I put the studs in with the head in place a couple months ago. I called ARP because the studs hit the valve covers and they told me I could leave out the washers for the studs that go through the pedestals. They also told me to grind the studs down for enough clearance. What I found was that if I ground just enough of the stud to lose the allen head recess, along with leaving the washers out, all valve covers cleared except 1. I ground the studs slowly on my bench grinder, rotating the stud as I ground, and didn't let it get hot enough to blue the metal. The last stud that still contacted the valve cover got a little extra ground off on it while installed. The reason for leaving the washers out is that the stud nuts will contact the valve cover if left in place. You will also need to make sure the holes in the block do not have liquid in them and that the threads are clean.



Waylan

 

[98slushbox]

If a person was putting in studs at the same time the head was off, you could run the tap a little deeper and make a few extra threads so the studs would go in a bit deeper when installing them. I wasnt aware of this problem when i put mine in last year and naturally they hit the valve covers when i put them on, so i knocked the webbing out of the covers as spoken above and i also took a portable band saw and cut a bit off the tops of the studs. been good for a year now with no leaks.

 

[Bloomy]

If you do happen to have the head off use a bottom tap to get as far down as you can. It still really won't matter. I bottom tapped all the holes and ground the valve covers and the studs. Mine are Haisley's though. It takes a lot of time to tap the holes and make sure they are clean.



Thomas

 

[JGheen]

Thanks guys, I have a bottom tap that I will be using in attempt to cut a few more threads but it sounds like I will still be grinding the studs and covers. Are the studs on the pedistals the only ones that need some of the top ground off? What about the ones in between each cover?



Joe

 

[walexa07]

Only the pedestal studs need grinding. The ones in between need nothing regardless of how deep or shallow they go into the block.

 

[Bloomy]

The pedestal studs should be the only ones you have problems with. I had some problems with the valve covers sealing. I ended up cleaning everything with q-tips and the gaskets finally sealed.



Thomas

 

[JGheen]

Cool, thanks guys, this shouldn't be too much of a headache getting the head installed this weekend. Oo.



Joe

 

[radcam]

Hi Joe tried to use your link on the other sight and couldn't get it to work. I posted the pics on my webshots sight they are in the album named Odds and Ends, use the link in my sig.



Cam

 

[JGheen]

Thanks Cam! Those pics are great, did you put yours on a Bridgeport to cut those ribs down? I see you used the washer on the pedistal, did that make you remove even more material in the cover?



Joe

 

[radcam]

Yeah, I used a Bridgeport to cut the ribs down, but you could just as easily use a die grinder. On the pedestal if you look closely you will noticed that I actually milled a step in it so that I could retain the washers.



Cam

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

A tip on the valve cover webbing. . . I used vise grips and clamped on them then twisted the pliers back and forth to break most of them off. That way it minimized the grinding and made the process way faster.



I was able to use my washers on the pedestals, and I ground the top of the studs flush with the nuts, and all cleared OK.

 

[GOTSOOT]

I too had problems with the valve covers hitting, so i to a surface grinder and took . 070 off the washers and the same off the top of the studs!TAH-DA!!

 

[JGheen]

I will be getting my covers done tonite with a friend's Bridgeport, but how much will I need to remove to be able to use the washers? I really don't want to torque them down without the washers, but if worse comes to worse then I could mill the washers down some to make them a bit thinner if that is needed.



Thanks, Joe

 

[CumminsPower98]

I just got my head back on and running. I bottomed out each hole on those going through the rocker pedestals (about 1/4" more thread). After everything was torqued down the nuts ended up flush with the top of the studs with the washers installed. I ground the webbing out of the covers and they touch the head with no gasket installed so it comes out perfect. I used a dremel with a cutting bit that had cutters on the sides and end to remove the material.

 

[JGheen]

Yours ended up just like mine. Got the holes bottomed out with no problems, nice and clean. Studs ended up flush with the top of the nuts and I milled down my covers where the ribbing was to clear and the cover sits flush on the head, no sealing problems. My stud pic looks just like that but I took a little more material off my covers than yours.



Joe