1G installing head studs... Don't be like me...

[TK9er]

Ok, I need to vent before my car ends up on the "part out" section before i have even had the chance to drive it. So, long story short, i have been trying to put a 2g head on a 6 bolt bottom for about a week now. The engine in out of the car and fresh back from the machine shop. First obstacle was that one of the holes in the head wasn't deep enough or it was clogged up, so i had to get a bottoming tap to fix that. Ok, great, got that figured out. Next was when i went to put the head on the block the machine shop forgot to open up the holes... ok, no biggy, got that all sorted out in less than a day. which brings me to today... all excited to get this thing together. Head studs go in nice, head goes on nice. when it was time for the washers is when things go south. About half of them don't fit past the springs (kiggly high pressures). So, i thought i'd just tap them past with a socket... bad idea. I messed up the threads on one of the studs.... Ok, so not a very short story, but the moral of the story is, put the head on, put the washers in place, then thread the studs in.... So, does anybody have a spare stud they want to donate to a DSMer down on his luck

 

[bastarddsm]

You should be able to get a replacment from ARP. When i put one on, I make sure the bolt holes are clean and dry. Set the head on. ARP lube both sides of washer, then drop them in place using a screw driver to guide them. Then studs, oil on block end - just a drop, then ARP lube in threads. Drop them in and run them down just past finger tight. FInally nuts, ARP on bottoms and in threads.

 

[TK9er]

Yeah, gonna do that the next time for sure... Thanks for the help though. I don't remember seeing this info any other place... did I just miss the obvious? I guess I just assumed it would be like putting head bolts in. Oh well, I wont let this beat me!

 

[bastarddsm]

It's always best to stop and ask/think about it if you encounter something you are not sure about. Patience, patience, patience!!! Anyway rome wasn't built in a day, and we all got to learn. Yesterday you learned not to try and jam the washer over the head stud. A wise man once told me: "Going to school isn't cheap"

How bad are the threads mashed up? Can you fix them with a thread chaser?

 

[TK9er]

Yeah, learning isn't cheap for sure! especially on cars : ) i only messed on one stud. I have another one coming. It'll be here and i'll be able to get the head on this weekend!