ARP head studs issue

[darrenjlobb]

Hey guys, recently got some ARP head studs for my engine, but have a few problems / questions..

Basically, the studs screw down into the head nicly until they hit end of threads, then i drop gasket on, followed by head..no problems so far..

BUt then, with head on, the threads at the top of the stud , barly reach the head...so the nut will bottom out its threads before it torques down on the head... anyone seen this problem before?

Ive also noticed, with head sat on studs, you can move the head fowrd / back 2-3mm on the studs so it dost seat in an exact place...this dosnt seem good..

advice?

[87octane]

The ARP washers should take up enough stud shaft to keep the nut in the threads. If not, take everything apart and chase the holes in the block with a bottoming tap.

As for the gasket slopping around, I had the same problem. Just eyeball the amount of gasket hanging out all 4 sides and center the gasket on the block,and center the head on the block by eye. Hot rodding has it's perils, and this motor does not have alignment dowels. Oh well.

[darrenjlobb]

The studs are screwed as far as possible into the block...they havent bottomed out, simply reached the end of the threads on the studs...

[darrenjlobb]

Also its not the gasket moving thats the main thing, altho it does, but the entire head can move on the studs....

[rallydiesel]

What engine do you have and what's the part number of the studs?

[darrenjlobb]

Peugeot engine....(probebly not noticed other posts on here to have known that)

Peugeot XUD9TE engine...

[Powered by Spearco]

I had a simular case. I use two old head bolts, cut off 2" from the bottom , grind a groove on top for a flatheaded screw driver, and thread those in the back outter bolt holes in the block and then set the gasket on, then the head. Hand tighten some of the stud nuts and then unscrew the head bolts used as fitment studs, thead in your two remaining ARP studs and then start tourqeing them down.

M2C?

[Syncroincity]

Just get another set of thick washers and stack them with the originals, that should eliminate your issue.

[theman53]

Yeah you could contact ARP and ask them for some washers that are a liitle thicker. They have theirs parallel ground so that the clamping force is equal around the fastener. Or you could get som thru-hard washers from a guy like me that sells fasteners. They will not break, bend, or distort in any way without some sort of bomb going off. You would just need to figure out how much the HG will compress as not to have a really bad day.

Also, did ARP recommend the set that you have? If so you should be able to get them to fix the situation.

[darrenjlobb]

The main issues were that i dont have enough threads...but washers will fix this...where can i get strong washers from, can you supply me (above?)

And that the head can move on the studs... i was thinking, can i not just put in stock bolts in the outside corners, tigthen it a bit to hole in place, then put arp studs in the other holes tighten to hold, replace stock bolts with studs, and torque it down, with washers so theres enough threads...surly then it shud be sat central...or is there a concern it might move once running?

[theman53]

I could get you some washers to experiment, but I would need to know what the OD is...I know the ID would be 12mm and then the thickness you want to acheive.
 I think you would be fine with the studs/head after it is all torqued down it should never move.

[darrenjlobb]

A few pictures of the thread problem...

Surly the studs should be 1-2cm shorter so that this dosnt happen?

[theman53]

What part# studs do you have?

Is the head gasket on when you are taking these pics?

As dirty as the top threads of that stud are did you break clean the block out and run a bottoming tap in it to make sure there is nothing there?

It doesn't look too different than my 1.6L it looks like it is almost there especially once the ARP washers are on it.

[darrenjlobb]

I ran a tap in the block, and the bolts screw in perfectly until there totally out of threads...and yes the head gasket is on in these pics....

When i put the washer on, the threads are flush with the washer, so its going to run out of threads pretty much straight away....

[Turbinepowered]

Do you still have the washers that sat under your old head bolts? If nothing else, use those + the ARP washers, or whichever is thick enough to do the trick if one is much thicker than the other.