UPDATE: June 2, 2019
SHORT VERSION:
• Had binding issues with ARP Studs.
• Installed ARP Studs.
• Mounted head with Toyota head gasket
• Torqued head down to 75 lbs.
• Ready to put engine back together.
LONG VERSION:
I had trouble with several of the ARP studs – binding before fully seating in the block.
The ARP studs have rolled threads. The threads on the bolts are also rolled.
After chasing every thread in the block, on the studs, on the old head bolts, I still had studs binding in the block before seating at the bottom.
I cleaned every hole in the block with carb and brake cleaner and blew them out with compressed air. I chased every block thread hold, then a cleaned and blew them out again… probably 3 to 4 times each.
The chaser spun into the threads in the block with zero resistance after several insertions and cleaning with brake cleaner and hit with compressed air. The chaser on 4 of the 10 studs had some resistance by hand and 2 required a socket on the thread chaser nut. The stud nuts spun on the studs with zero resistance.
I cleaned all the threads on the bolts and they spun into the block with no problem.
I could NOT figure out why the studs were binding up inside the block?
I tried the studs in different holes in the block and switching the studs. I was able to get 8 of the studs screwed into the block with zero to slight resistance. Most went in by hand. Two of them bound up about 1/4” from seating. I had to use a short allen wrench and they twisted in with way more resistance than they should have.
At one point I decided to just use the old bolts – only 26,000 miles on them.
After sleeping on it, I ended up leaving the studs in and torqued down the head to 75 lbs. Jim at 22REP recommended 80 lbs, but my torque wrench may not be perfectly calibrated, so I stopped at 75 lbs. 75 lbs on that head feels very high. Considering the factory torque spec is 58 lbs, it’s interesting that ARP recommends 90, 22REP recommends 80 for ARP studs, and Tod at engnbldr recommended 63 lbs for new bolts. The torque spec on a Chevy 350 cast head is 65 lbs.
So far I’m not impressed the ARP Stud Kit. One concern I have is if and when I want to remove the head, the studs will have to be removed. I cannot get the head off with the studs in. Removing those ARP studs after mileage on the engine may be a serious problem. Just based upon removing the head bolts on heads in the past, I don’t believe the allen socket and an allen wrench on the top of the studs will be strong enough to handle the amount torque it will most likely will take to break the studs loose.
Gnarls.
