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When re-installing a head is it common/good practice to replace the cylinder head studs? And - if it is, who makes the best ones for Healeys?
Thanks.
Thanks.
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Cyl Head Stud Replacement
- Thread starter HealeyDave
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Yes, it's a good idea. As Greg said, ARP has good ones.
A couple of extra notes -
On the studs, use hardened washers under the nuts.
Use a clean out tap on the stud holes.
Torque the studs to tension & release them about three times. This puts the permanent set into the studs so that the final tension does not change. It also takes the high spots off the threads so that you get more precise clamping for the applied amount of torque.
Lightly chamfer the stud holes in the block to remove any high threads & prevent threads from pulling up which prevents full head seating.
Lube the studs/nuts & torque as ARP recommends.
Some studs may require sealer on the block ends if their holes penetrate into water jackets.
I probably don't need to mention it but, make sure that the head & block surfaces are perfectly clean & flat. I would accept no more than .002" out of flat.
Some folks run the studs into the block with a certain light torque, some run them in finger tight. Both ways work. Once a stud has bottomed on it's top thread or bottom of the stud, any additional torque will just try to raise the top thread & interfere with full head seating.
D
A couple of extra notes -
On the studs, use hardened washers under the nuts.
Use a clean out tap on the stud holes.
Torque the studs to tension & release them about three times. This puts the permanent set into the studs so that the final tension does not change. It also takes the high spots off the threads so that you get more precise clamping for the applied amount of torque.
Lightly chamfer the stud holes in the block to remove any high threads & prevent threads from pulling up which prevents full head seating.
Lube the studs/nuts & torque as ARP recommends.
Some studs may require sealer on the block ends if their holes penetrate into water jackets.
I probably don't need to mention it but, make sure that the head & block surfaces are perfectly clean & flat. I would accept no more than .002" out of flat.
Some folks run the studs into the block with a certain light torque, some run them in finger tight. Both ways work. Once a stud has bottomed on it's top thread or bottom of the stud, any additional torque will just try to raise the top thread & interfere with full head seating.
D
nevets
Jedi Knight
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Dave
I assume the tension & release procedure applies to torquing down the head (not just the studs). If this procedure is followed, is it still necessary to retorque the head after an initial break-in period? And if it is, what is the downside of not retorquing the head? Thanks
I assume the tension & release procedure applies to torquing down the head (not just the studs). If this procedure is followed, is it still necessary to retorque the head after an initial break-in period? And if it is, what is the downside of not retorquing the head? Thanks
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Yes, it applies to torquing the head nuts. As I said, the studs are only very lightly set into the block.
Retorquing the head after break in depends mostly on the head gasket used. Steel shim or multilayer steel gaskets don't usually need it. Copper - asbestos gaskets can often use it. In either case it doesn't hurt to retorque after the engine is cold, after the first warm up. Good insurance & peace of mind. If you wait until complete break in, the gasket may be leaking beyond correction when you finally do it.
There are a lot of different opinions about all of this so you may get different advice. Go with whatever you are comfortable with.
D
Retorquing the head after break in depends mostly on the head gasket used. Steel shim or multilayer steel gaskets don't usually need it. Copper - asbestos gaskets can often use it. In either case it doesn't hurt to retorque after the engine is cold, after the first warm up. Good insurance & peace of mind. If you wait until complete break in, the gasket may be leaking beyond correction when you finally do it.
There are a lot of different opinions about all of this so you may get different advice. Go with whatever you are comfortable with.
D
OP
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Thanks for all of this great info. Now, if I can just find those ARP studs. Summit lists them for the 4 cyl, but I can't yet find them for the 6.
Dave
Dave
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Denis Welch, UK has the studs, nuts, & hardened washers. Might be a bit spendy though, or maybe not. The last I looked, about $6 US each for the studs, $2 for the washers, $2 for the nuts.
D
D