ARP studs, reuse, stock bolts, not reuse. I'm with Sav, the studs lets you lay the head down so much easier without having to move it around to get the dowels aligned. Worth the little cost just for that.

 

thanks, this is for a cheap/lowbuck set-up which should only make around 200hp.

i have arps on my other boosted bp car, just wanted some inside if i could maybe get away with a it for this one.

 

Five head gaskets later, my oem bolts are still holding strong. I would have loved to have studs to line up the head though, as others have said. Only issue with the stickers is a crappy socket stripped the stupid 12 point head. A quality socket tapped on fixed that issue.

 

I am replacing the stock cylinder head bolts with the ARP, Do I have to remove the cylinder head at all?

Cross fingers not to get flamed on such question, just wondering if it is necessary for correct torque etc.

 

No.

Dann

 

I would be more worried about the head gasket not sealing right if you just change to studs. I would at the very least pull off the head and put on a new HG.

 

Bringing this back from the dead....again!!

Question isn't about head studs though, that has been covered to death.

Going to be rebuilding my motor from a failed head gasket in the coming months. Want to get everybody's take on on whether I can re-use the main bearing bolts, rod bolts and camshaft cap bolts? If not, I will replace the rod and cam bolts with OEM. Are the main bearing bolts worth upgrading to the ARP main studs? Thanks for the help.

 

Mains, yes. Cam caps, yes. Rod bolts, no.

The main bearing bolts do break, but only at big power levels (350whp or better). I recognize your username from M.net. I would recommend a Cometic HG and ARP main studs, and only torque the main studs to 65ft.lbs (ignore their 80ft.lb instruction, it will crack the head).

I would also strongly advise putting aftermarket rods in the motor.

 

Sav: Thank you for the recommendations. Only duplicated posts (kind of) on MT.net because the topic was more specific to my needs.

I am currently looking at getting the FM engine rebuild kit with their MLS head gasket, confirmed over the phone that they use Cometic. Then my idea was ARP head and main studs, OEM cam and rod bolts. My power level is definitely south of 200hp. I would like to avoid rod if I can just for cost reasons but which would you recommend if I went after market?

This whole process is going to be interesting because I know some parts of my motor are non-OEM from the previous owner. It has been opened up before. I have already found upon dis-assembly that the intake and head has been ported in the past. I also know there are some sort of aftermarket pistons in the car, will know more when I get it apart. I believe the bottom end (rods, bearings, crank) are stock.

 

Also just to clarify for myself. I was getting head and main studs confused in the above posts. Please confirm I not wrong still...

Head studs: ARP, torque to 65 ft/lbs
Main studs: ARP, torque to instruction spec
Cam cap bolts: Reuse, torque per manual
Rod bolts: Replace, torque per manual
Connecting Rods: Look into forged rods
Head Gasket: Get Cometic or equivalent