Back to OEM HG...Should I Use Studs or bolts?
04-09-2012, 07:18 PM
#1
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Back to OEM HG...Should I Use Studs or bolts?
So after deciding to keep the car I went out and had some fun lol. Anyways my temps have been running a bit hotter than normal but not enough to boil over or get out of check. I was fiddling with the car today and started it on a dead cold engine and decided to check the coolant and when I opened the rad cap it was pressurized and squirted coolant all over the place. I left the cap off and the coolant level continued to rise (this is after only idling for a max of 1 minute or so)
So out came the leakdown tester and when I pressurized cyl#3 the coolant was rising over the neck of the radiator. This was a SCE copper headgasket sprayed with permatex copper spray and the ARP headstuds torqued to 90 ft/lbs
I'm done with aftermarket headgaskets. I gave them a fair chance and after blowing a inline pro 3mm and now a SCE 2mm I am returning to stock!
So now I have a OEM honda headgasket ready to be installed. Question is do I use my ARP or should I put in my used OEM bolts? What are the latest suggested torque specs? Any other news I should know before installing?
Thanks in advance!
So out came the leakdown tester and when I pressurized cyl#3 the coolant was rising over the neck of the radiator. This was a SCE copper headgasket sprayed with permatex copper spray and the ARP headstuds torqued to 90 ft/lbs
I'm done with aftermarket headgaskets. I gave them a fair chance and after blowing a inline pro 3mm and now a SCE 2mm I am returning to stock!
So now I have a OEM honda headgasket ready to be installed. Question is do I use my ARP or should I put in my used OEM bolts? What are the latest suggested torque specs? Any other news I should know before installing?
Thanks in advance!
04-09-2012, 07:50 PM
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Im not going to comment at all on the other thread,
That being noted, go with new oem bolts or new studs and new oem gasket. But dont reuse your bolts unless you can effectively measure stretch with the fsm.
I dont see why people hate on headstuds so much when i have never had any problems with them if you know what you are doing when you install them. I think people with issues put them in like blind cave men and then wondered wtf happened.
Oem hg and retune!
That being noted, go with new oem bolts or new studs and new oem gasket. But dont reuse your bolts unless you can effectively measure stretch with the fsm.
I dont see why people hate on headstuds so much when i have never had any problems with them if you know what you are doing when you install them. I think people with issues put them in like blind cave men and then wondered wtf happened.
Oem hg and retune!
04-09-2012, 08:09 PM
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Im not going to comment at all on the other thread,
That being noted, go with new oem bolts or new studs and new oem gasket. But dont reuse your bolts unless you can effectively measure stretch with the fsm.
I dont see why people hate on headstuds so much when i have never had any problems with them if you know what you are doing when you install them. I think people with issues put them in like blind cave men and then wondered wtf happened.
Oem hg and retune!
That being noted, go with new oem bolts or new studs and new oem gasket. But dont reuse your bolts unless you can effectively measure stretch with the fsm.
I dont see why people hate on headstuds so much when i have never had any problems with them if you know what you are doing when you install them. I think people with issues put them in like blind cave men and then wondered wtf happened.
Oem hg and retune!
I think part of the problem with the ARP is the discrepancy with the proper torque value. ARP had two different torque specs at one point.
I remember people on here saying about preferring used headbolts for some reason since they were already stretched or something crazy?
I think the ARP would be the safer bet? Also Realstreet's motor seemed to only fail from the head lifting (stock bolts)
04-09-2012, 08:23 PM
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I have arps on stock hg, cant remember the torque, but i called arp and got the latest numbers from them to use while incorporating molly lube.
Pull whatever is in there, chase the threads and then carb clean and blow the holes out with air. Then get the new studs/bolts, molly lube, tighten by hand with a T-handle, and continue normal torquing methods.
Pull whatever is in there, chase the threads and then carb clean and blow the holes out with air. Then get the new studs/bolts, molly lube, tighten by hand with a T-handle, and continue normal torquing methods.
04-09-2012, 08:30 PM
#5
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Well said!
I've got ARPs as well and I'm quite confident I'll have no problems with them. I measured the stretch properly on my OEM studs, they were fine but I'd rather go ARP.
ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT!!!!! The new installation lube they have is FAR better than the old stuff and greatly helps clamping force be achieved, be sure to do exactly as they say in the proccess. Follow the directions EXACTLY and make sure your head is flat enough for install, if it's out of spec, mill it! Follow the other recommendation given by the above post, it's exactly what I did too. Make absolutely sure there is no liquid in the bottom of the bolt holes, that will create a hydro-lock situation as well as a uneven pressure on threads and results in potential failure.
Also as with all studs, DO NOT put them in anymore than hand tight, studs work differently than bolts in some aspects. Just thread em in FULLY but only hand tight.
I expect you'll have a great experience. I know plenty doing well on ARP as well as OEM but I typically prefer a product designed for what it's doing thus I go ARP.
LAST THING, ARP studs were NOT designed for aftermarket head gaskets such as the 3mm cometic people use, there are some potential issues in that respect.
I want to say the new spec is 95ft/lbs, likely changed due to the superior installation lubricant but PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK!
-Greg
I've got ARPs as well and I'm quite confident I'll have no problems with them. I measured the stretch properly on my OEM studs, they were fine but I'd rather go ARP.
ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT!!!!! The new installation lube they have is FAR better than the old stuff and greatly helps clamping force be achieved, be sure to do exactly as they say in the proccess. Follow the directions EXACTLY and make sure your head is flat enough for install, if it's out of spec, mill it! Follow the other recommendation given by the above post, it's exactly what I did too. Make absolutely sure there is no liquid in the bottom of the bolt holes, that will create a hydro-lock situation as well as a uneven pressure on threads and results in potential failure.
Also as with all studs, DO NOT put them in anymore than hand tight, studs work differently than bolts in some aspects. Just thread em in FULLY but only hand tight.
I expect you'll have a great experience. I know plenty doing well on ARP as well as OEM but I typically prefer a product designed for what it's doing thus I go ARP.
LAST THING, ARP studs were NOT designed for aftermarket head gaskets such as the 3mm cometic people use, there are some potential issues in that respect.
I want to say the new spec is 95ft/lbs, likely changed due to the superior installation lubricant but PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK!
-Greg
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04-10-2012, 05:22 AM
#10
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I've already been in contact with LJ from FBM. I'm just wondering if the l19 are overkill for my power. The l19 are a pretty penny to pay if I don't really need them? I'll be keeping the car between 600-700whp. His thread says they had problems with the head lifting around 30psi but I shouldn't have to be anywhere near that much boost on a stock hg to reach my hp goal.