Does it really matter?

 

doesn't really matter, only thing i can think of is studs would make it much easier to locate the gasket correctly. i wouldn't spend the money on them when bolts work just fine.

 

Bolts will make it easier to drop the pan with the engine in the car and as mentioned, studs make it easier to keep the gasket in place when installing the pan.

 

studs would be neat for installing taking off would be that mu ch of a drag but think of this in my own exsperiances of losing things a bolt is alot bigger vs a nut and it would make it a pain if one of the bolts happended to bend =) and you know the rule if it can it will

 

I have them on my block, and the only neg is getting the pan on the block. It takes a little persuasion to get that sucker on there, even if the pan is new.

You know - if you have room, studding the transmission pan makes more of a difference, because you would probably tackle that job more often than the oil pan.
If I could go back and do it again I would trade the oil pan studs for a one piece oil pan gasket!!!

I even have the ARP quick start pan studs It's not like I pull the pan off every week. It's overkill, but cool looking at the very least.

Ron

 

the little plastic install tools/studs fel pro sends with the one piece oil pan gasket sure is a slick way to install a pan, even with the 4 piece pan gaskets.

 

I prefer bolts, never had a problem getting the gasket to line up, I put a bolt on either side of the pan, put the gasket on and kind of like hold the pan in place and thread the bolt in.....

 

I thought you used studs if you disassembled the engine on a regular basis, otherwise bolts are fine.

With that in mind, those trans pan studs make sense.

 

if you have a windage tray i guess you dont have an option.... i could see how you would stud the lower end of a motor for a race car, but putting all those nuts back on with the motor in the car can be annoying at times, esp. without a lift

 

Oh yea, because of the number of studs, the pan is a turd to get on!!! It was tough getting it on with the engine on a stand. It has to be lined you perfectly, and you still need a rubber mallet. I hate to say, but It’s probably worse removing it.
The trannie studs or sort of the same way. You have to put it on straight, and remove it straight with studs. The nice thing, like mention above – they will hold the gasket on. Then again so does copper spray. I couldn’t get the studs to work with a thick aluminum pan. I could only get hex head bolt to work on those…
Now a water pump would also be a good place for studs!

Ron