Head studs in and heads stayed on

[crash86]

i installed my Arp headstuds this weekend with some help from 65sixbanger.
we got them installed without pulling the heads or motor and torqued them down to 90 lbs.

 

[69dieselfreak]

how did you accoomplish that does your truck have a/c
know every body around here says it cant be done but im willing to be educated

 

[65sixbanger]

Yes it does have A/C. The only problem ran into was the A/C condenser cover, but after taking it off it was all pretty simple.

 

[Diesel JD]

Can surely be done and has been done by a lot of members here. Same as with head bolts you have to hold them out of the heads with tape or rubber bands so you can clear the firewall.

 

[david85]

So you didn't even replace the head gaskets?

 

[subway]

So you didn't even replace the head gaskets?

not yet......

that would be my concern, it does save a ton of work though....

 

[icanfixall]

Well lets see how long "things" last... I'm sure you know these motors run high compression numbers. My motor runs at 530 lbs of compression. I think you are the first at trying this direction but... It sounds to me like you didn't read the ARP installation directions. It makes it very clear to torque down the studs 5 times to set the stud. This allows the frictin to be settled between the nut, stud and the washer.... I do wish you the best of luck and hope it works out for you. I can learn too but gees... I'm not that brave...

 

[david85]

I was thinking the same thing, icanfixall.

But since nobody that I know of tried this before, I eagerly await the results.

 

[icanfixall]

Me too David85... Me too....

 

[hesutton]

we got them installed without pulling the heads or motor and torqued them down to 90 lbs.

Heath

 

[dyoung14]

i really dont know if it will hold or not, altho i have used head gasket over on lawnmower engines as long as they looked good, but lawn mower engine is somthing completley different, so i guess we will see how it turns out. wish you the best of luck.

 

[65sixbanger]

Honestly We didn't see what the big deal was, we took one bolt out at a time and replaced with a stud. And we tightened them down in four steps, ARP Rep. said to torque them down to your factory specs, which is tighten to 80 ft/lbs in four steps. We did bump it up to 90 ft/lbs though. Also we reversed the tightening sequence when removing them.

 

[crash86]

ya i called ARP and they didnt say anything about doing the sequence 5 times or anything

 

[icanfixall]

Well... The tightening sequence is written up on their web site and when I was up there talking with 2 of their top engineers they told me why I needed to do it that way so I did. Others have not done the 5 times torqueing and loosening and they have plenty of miles on their motors too but... There is a correct way and there are "other ways" of doing something. Remember information is power... The more info you have the more power you have... To do anything..... There is limits but until we "test" the limits we wont know how far things can go... I just learned that recharging my truck ac needs the fan to be turning drawing air over the condenser... Or the pop off valve will blow off. I have done my own ac work for about 25 years and never knew this till I tried running without the fan. It worked fine just driving down the road without the air turned on so I found out what works and what doesn't. Now others learn from me... I'm just not brave enough to do studs like you did. I haul very expensive horses all over the US and Canada. I can't afford a breakdown on the road. Wife and horses get hot and angry....

 

[crash86]

We never took the heads off we took one bolt out and put one stud in and tightened in so the head so the gasket never came loose and yes I did it in a sequence so I didn't warp the head