Right after I got my engine back from Laskey Racing I called Earl (RIP) and had a long discussion with him about torquing the head to the block using ARP studs. His recommendation was to use a lot of Molly lube and torque them to 75 ft-lbs, and for sure, not to exceed 80. This seems to go against everything I have read on the F20C engine, but I trust his advice, so that is what I will be using when I install the engine in the next few weeks. Any of our forum experts care to comment on this?

 

if using regular motor oil as a assbly lude torque to 120lbs and if using the supplied moly (arp moly lube) lube yes go with 75lbs and not over 80 lbs

 

The AEBS studs torque in the same sequence as OEM bolts, and torque angle setting. Given the several headgasket failures with ARP's being torqued under 100ftlbs I wouldn't do it.

 

I think I'll stick with Earl's recommendation. He built a lot more engines than I have. On my last engine build I torqued the AEBS studs using the factory recommended procedure and motor oil. It took a lot of muscle power to make that final 90 degree turn. On my current build I torqued the ARP studs to 80 ft-lbs using their moly lube, and the moly lube made a huge difference. I can see the 80 ft-lbs with moly being equal to the 120 ft-lbs with motor oil.

 

Quite a few months back I had the same conversation with Earl too. He recommended that we torque the studs to 75ft/lbs, however he was not too certain on this as he has never tried them on an F20C.
Shortly after this I contacted the company who sold me the studs and they informed me to look at the install sheet. After I asked them if they've ever taken the time to look at these instructions themselves, they informed me they would call ARP and then call me back.
Approximately 20 minutes later I received a call from the individual who informed me to torque them to 86ft/lbs.

Thats the spec that I went with... we triple stepped it to 86 ft lbs. 35/60/86. Then after 1,000 miles we did it again, just to ensure they did not stretch at all.

 

Perfect.

 

with the supplied moly lube torque them to 80ft/lb that is what we run on our setup. If you use oil, then 120ft/lb

if you go to 85ft/lb it'll be fine as well.

 

Good information here. I wonder if a lot of the failures we have heard about using studs were the result of over torquing using moly lube?

 

I'd bet they where undertorqued with oil instead of moly.

 

what slows2k said will happen most of the time undertorqed with motor oil there goes a headgasket