Put some absolute speed heads on last week, used ARP head studs, on the block hand tight and used moly lube bought from the store, and followed JMXs howto on TQing them down, 50-60-70, and a week later, the car started running really hot, and I noticed the exhaust was puffing a faint white smoke, so I was suspicuos, well after pulling the thermostat out, to verify them overheating issue wasnt the Tstat, well pulled the plugs and found em wet, so we tore the motor down and the gaskets looked fine not blown, but I did find oil on the bottom side of the gaskets, so im pretty sure they just didnt seal.....

I read online that you have to tightem ARP studs down then loosen them up and do it over a bout 4-5 times on each stud to acheive proper TQ due to stretch, and ARP says use thier lube of head gasket failure may occur, is there any truth to this and what are people TQing thier heads to with ARP studs?

I was thinking of going to 80 Ft/lbs and 25 on the little ones? what do you guys think? I don't want to take this damn car apart again!!!! haha I just want to drive!

 

http://www.arp-bolts.com/pages/tech/fastener.html

I guess the 5 times is true! doh!

 

...are the head surfaces flat? ...how about the block deck? ...are u using GM head gaskets..?

 

dude, use stock ones bolts, 4-5 times for each bolt is a major PITA
-Steve

 

seems that they would be diffrent with the moly-lube nick. i'd give them a try, just dry, as not to risk breaking a bolt or stripping the head. this is an aluminum block after all man, and your looking at steel bolts now, not the TTY alum composition stuff anymore.

 

got off the phone with ARP, 5 times with new fastners not everytime also they said that you should retorque the heads after a warmup and complete cool down, and definitely use their moly lube.....

 

I just installed started my motor for the first time, got a trickle from the front bottom of the head right under the stud. Cometic gaskets, ARP 12-pt at 70ft-lbs, double-checked torque, bummed out.

Looks like removal of intake/supercharger/head is in the cards next weekend.