I'm planning on installing ARP head studs on my 1.6td while I have my car out of commission, and I am wondering if I need to replace the head gasket when doing this. I put a 1.9 metal hg on it just a few months ago. I'm not planning on pulling the head.
I didn't. I had a HG leak. I de-torqued the stretch bolts gradually, kept some snug tension on them once loosened, then replaced them one at a time in the sequence with ARP's. Brought it back up gradually, no more leak.
Thanks guys. Anyone else with opinion or experience?
Headgaskets are considered single-use by VW and I'd agree, since they squish a bit as they are torqued. For 40 bucks I always replace 'em... cheap insurance and one less thing to worry about when you are roaring down the highway.
Headgaskets are considered single-use by VW and I'd agree, since they squish a bit as they are torqued. For 40 bucks I always replace 'em... cheap insurance and one less thing to worry about when you are roaring down the highway.
Agreed. It's good preventative maintenance while you are already in there.
I heard of leaving them all torqued and completely de-torquing one at a time and replacing..
Safe or not?
I can't speak for anyone else, just for what I did and what worked for me.
I de-torqued the stretch bolts as gradually as I could in the standard pattern, but kept the final tension to 20 ft-lbs. I replaced them one at a time with the head being unmoved and under 20 ft-lbs tension from either the bolts or the studs, until I got all of the studs installed. I brought them up 10 lbs at a time till I hit 80 (with the molly grease). I ran it with coolant cap off until up to operating temp. Let it cool and re- torqued one last time to 90 and left it there. Works fine for me. YMMV.