Head bolts or studs.
I wouldnt do a had install without ARP studs...but thats just me. 
It really takes the bolt hole cleaning out of the equation. Do it once and never do it again. Of course I have a vette.
It really takes the bolt hole cleaning out of the equation. Do it once and never do it again. Of course I have a vette.
Originally Posted by Aegnor
How about this idea: Remove your head bolts before swapping heads, then put in studs, then take off the heads? Wouldn't that avoid the necessity of cleaning all the coolant/oil/other crap from the bolt holes?
Haven't done it, just asking if that's a good idea.
Haven't done it, just asking if that's a good idea.
I took a few steps to limit the amount of coolant in the bolt holes, and it worked fairly well - still had to clean them out though:
1) drain the coolant from the radiater
2) remove the temp sensor in the driver's side head and plug at the rear of the pass side head, and allow to drain
3) when removing the head, loosen the bolts enough so that you can lift the head up an inch or so from the block, and allow the coolant to drain. But don't remove the bolts! This way you keep the holes plugged while whatver coolant was left in the head drains out (all over the engine bay and garage floor of course).
As I said you'll still have to clean the holes, but at least this minimizes the amount of water and junk that gets in them.
The ARP studs are torqued at 65lbs for aluminum heads and 70lbs with cast iron heads with moly lub and 85lbs with 30 wt motor oil, Put the studs in the block hand tight with red loktite on the lower theads that go in the block right before torqueing them down.This is what the paper saids laying right in front of me.
After removing the factory bolts... I can tell you, I wouldn't use those things in anything LOL. I could feel the bolts twisting as I was taking them out of the block, I was really afraid I was gonna snap one off.. I was actually shocked that none of them did. I guess it's normal, but after that feeling, I was really glad I bought ARP studs to replace them with, at least this way if I ever have to take it apart again, I know that I won't ahve to go thru that experience again.
Originally Posted by JL ws-6
After removing the factory bolts... I can tell you, I wouldn't use those things in anything LOL. I could feel the bolts twisting as I was taking them out of the block, I was really afraid I was gonna snap one off.. I was actually shocked that none of them did. I guess it's normal, but after that feeling, I was really glad I bought ARP studs to replace them with, at least this way if I ever have to take it apart again, I know that I won't ahve to go thru that experience again.
They said i'd be fine w/ GM bolts, they're installing, so hopefully if they ever need to take em' out they'll be the ones to break em' and not me lol.
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From: Warner Robins, GA
Originally Posted by JL ws-6
After removing the factory bolts... I can tell you, I wouldn't use those things in anything LOL. I could feel the bolts twisting as I was taking them out of the block, I was really afraid I was gonna snap one off.. I was actually shocked that none of them did. I guess it's normal, but after that feeling, I was really glad I bought ARP studs to replace them with, at least this way if I ever have to take it apart again, I know that I won't ahve to go thru that experience again.
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Verdad Gallardo ^^ lol. I'm a newb mechanic and am having a pro do it.. i already tried playing mechanic and stripped my spark plug hole in #1.. 
so enough of that. I'll keep my beer drinkin for nights out lol
so enough of that. I'll keep my beer drinkin for nights out lol 
Originally Posted by JRracing
I am ready to order bolts or studs. Is it worth paying for studs or will arp bolts do just fine?
Originally Posted by NHRATA01
You could try that to at least keep most the water and junk out, but as Jay said some will probably still get in there. So you'll still want to clean out the holes, definitely worth the trouble.
I took a few steps to limit the amount of coolant in the bolt holes, and it worked fairly well - still had to clean them out though:
1) drain the coolant from the radiater
2) remove the temp sensor in the driver's side head and plug at the rear of the pass side head, and allow to drain
3) when removing the head, loosen the bolts enough so that you can lift the head up an inch or so from the block, and allow the coolant to drain. But don't remove the bolts! This way you keep the holes plugged while whatver coolant was left in the head drains out (all over the engine bay and garage floor of course).
As I said you'll still have to clean the holes, but at least this minimizes the amount of water and junk that gets in them.
I took a few steps to limit the amount of coolant in the bolt holes, and it worked fairly well - still had to clean them out though:
1) drain the coolant from the radiater
2) remove the temp sensor in the driver's side head and plug at the rear of the pass side head, and allow to drain
3) when removing the head, loosen the bolts enough so that you can lift the head up an inch or so from the block, and allow the coolant to drain. But don't remove the bolts! This way you keep the holes plugged while whatver coolant was left in the head drains out (all over the engine bay and garage floor of course).
As I said you'll still have to clean the holes, but at least this minimizes the amount of water and junk that gets in them.
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From: Indiana boy
I ened up buying arp bolts. I got a good deal on them. Brand new in the pakage.
I pulled the heads tonight and the bolts felt like they were gonna break as well. Screw them.
I pulled the heads tonight and the bolts felt like they were gonna break as well. Screw them.
The GM ones work, if they didn't you'd hear about people lifting heads sitting in traffic LOL... but I wouldn't reuse those things for a swingset, and I never just put anythign back the way it was, I always try to go the best possible option with everything.
Originally Posted by 67Ranger
yeah you can. But you will have to clean out all the holes again whenever you take the heads off if you do the bolts.
It would be nice to chase the threads first.
I would get a dremel, and make one out of a stock bolt, just deburr the bolt with a small file before using it... any more then that is kind of overkill, you'd take more of a risk using an actual tap then the bolt, the actual tap, if not done right could do alot more damage then good. my .02
Originally Posted by JRracing
I ened up buying arp bolts. I got a good deal on them. Brand new in the pakage.
I pulled the heads tonight and the bolts felt like they were gonna break as well. Screw them.
I pulled the heads tonight and the bolts felt like they were gonna break as well. Screw them.
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From: Indiana boy
Originally Posted by LSmokin1
When i was pulling my heads off a few months back. I snapped 2 bolts off in the block. One was broke high enough to grab with my fingers and turn it out. But the other i wasnt so lucky. Its down like 2 inches in the hole. and im still trying to get it out.
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From: Northern Va
Originally Posted by LSmokin1
When i was pulling my heads off a few months back. I snapped 2 bolts off in the block. One was broke high enough to grab with my fingers and turn it out. But the other i wasnt so lucky. Its down like 2 inches in the hole. and im still trying to get it out.