HG oil leak!

[theman53]

I don't want to come off as a jerk or know it all, but the new ones look exactly like my undercut ones. If a stud is undercut it will have less tensile strength then a straight stud, but the new ones are made with a stronger alloy. At almost 40,000 more PSI tensile strength I don't care what they did to the shape of the stud it is going to clamp more at the same torque as the previous. The only way it wouldn't would be if the new alloy was seriously affected by the temperature.

    I also sell fasteners and have "fixed" many problems that customers have had just by getting the correct bolt for the application. The stock TTY bolts are inferior to the ARP studs, the only thing lacking with the old that the new has is a proper torque procedure. The last studs were for a ford cosworth, not a VW and didn't have accurate ratings. They work fine, but we usually need to clamp them a bit tighter than the 80ft/lbs that the cosworth had...if you are going with the MLS.
     To the OP, what torque did you finish at? If you are just leaking a little oil it really should only be annoying and not hurt anything as long as it doesn't get worse. I would use the hylomar if you have a problem again.

[maxfax]

The last studs were for a ford cosworth, not a VW and didn't have accurate ratings. They work fine, but we usually need to clamp them a bit tighter than the 80ft/lbs that the cosworth had...

Exactly...  Same goes for the 11mm studs as they were for the 8v gasser..  IF the block wouldn't break in the process they also typically needed more torque than specified..

I have twisted the heads off 2 of them at the 1,000 mile torque and stripped one out in the drive.

You too??  I have to wonder if like everything else that the quality is getting even more so inferior..  I did a head on an Eco a couple years ago, no breach of the combustion chamber, just oil in the coolant.. Had the head straightened, surfaced, pressure tested..  About 2500mi after the retorque it started getting pressure in the coolant, wasn't overheated though..  The second time around we checked the block, rechecked the head, the head was slightly out of whack again..  For the heck of it we measured the bolts, 2 of them on that cyl were stretched more than the others..      Side by side you could almost see the difference...

[theman53]

That and the fact I am cheap. I would much rather spend 130.00 once than buying the stretch bolts that fail over and over again. Now I think autohaus has them for 1.20 each so it would be 10 sets, but still. Also if you broke the bolt or stripped the drive like I have and removed it with an air chisel you feel like that HG isn't going to last. OR worse you take them all out buy new bolts/HG all over and do it again.

[ffgb]

I initially torqued the studs to 80ftlbs, then the leak, so backed off 1/4 turn, re-torqued to 85ftlbs, leaked again, backed off 1/4 turn, re-torqued 90ftlbs, then leak stopped.  Now just the weeping.  So this summer, I will definitely change the HG, just haven't decided if I plan to use a fiber or metal HG on my mechanical head.  I will use Hylomar on the gasket surfaces though.  Hopefully the ARP studs are now good to go, just like the ARP connecting rod bolts that need to be torqued a total of 3-times.

[theman53]

I bet you would have been fine if you didn't loosen them at all and just added 5 to 10 pounds on your first go around. Teh 1/4 turn loose probably let some excess coolant/oil run past. That may have let it not want to seal there. If it was dry it may or may not have had the same results.

 And, if you didn't use the lube I think you could have went up to 120 with 30wt motor oil. I always wished that ARP would tell you how much lube to use. Too much and I think there would be a hydraulic effect that would keep the nut up off the washer a bit. If you are boosting I would use the MLS, if not I would go with the fiber.

[ffgb]

Thank you...I did use the provided lube.  The reason why I loosened the studs a 1/4 turn because I have had experiences where just merely moving the torque setting 5ftlbs more on the torque wrench didn't do anything while tightening. I can see maybe 10-15ftlbs more with the 1/4 loosening, but didn't want to risk damaging anything, like as in cracking the block.  I am not boosted, so I will replace my HG with a fiber one, but only with an application of Hylomar, and with an increased torque on the studs to 90ftlbs.  Also, after the first heat cycle on this HG, I will double check the torque on the studs and hopefully this will end the weeps!

[maxfax]

I'm gonna x2 on the loosening starting your trouble..  But I know what you mean about small increases not always moving..  With a 12mm block you don't have to worry too much about cracking it and after running the engine a bit most of the ARP lube will be washed away anyhow..  If I'm doing a retorque I'll usually push it up to about 100 - 110 ft/lbs...  I have crack engine torqued at 130..  

Otherwise, sounds like you have all your ducks in a row...  

[ffgb]

I'm sorry, can you clarify that last statement...did you crack or not crack the engine block at 130ftlb torque?

[nathan_b]

"I have crack, engine torqued at 130"

I think he is attempting to sell you drugs??

jk, he meant that he had trouble cracking blocks at 130ftlbs, but not at 100-110

[maxfax]

Hahah..  To clarify I was referring to my beloved cracked 11mm engine I been babying along in my Rabbit..  It got the typical cracks around the head bolt holes, attempted to weld them, and threw it back together....

But if you're interested in some drugs, I think I have some aspirin here I'll give you a good deal on.. 

[ffgb]

haha!

[macka]

Hahah..  To clarify I was referring to my beloved cracked 11mm engine I been babying along in my Rabbit..  It got the typical cracks around the head bolt holes, attempted to weld them, and threw it back together....

But if you're interested in some drugs, I think I have some aspirin here I'll give you a good deal on.. 

I don't like aspirin

[maxfax]

More of a Tylenol man Macka???