i have a question.

i know that if you stud your block for the heads it is better clamping force. but is it really necessary? for a motor that will make about 450hp n/a with about 150shot of nos?

also would studding your crank be worth it also?

I have been seeing studs for just about everything on a motor and I am just wondering where is overkill?

 

There are people that will sell you expensive sh** that you don't need. Studding the heads is needed on strip-only engines and big-bore blocks that have a really thin area between cylinders (such as a bored out 400 block).
I can discourage you really quick. Did you know that pulling the heads off a studded block with the engine in a car is nearly impossible?
I'd cough twice and pass unless you are having chronic headgasket failures.
Spend the money on a good NOS controller instead.
Studding the crank is no big deal (not expensive), go for it if it'll make you feel better.

 

I was wondering if studding the crank will make a difference in reliability or if it is just bragging rights to say i have a studded motor.

the motor i am talking about is a std. bore 400.

 

I've heard that the deck surfaces on the 400 block is a bit weak. A buddy of mine had the coolant holes (not the steam holes) drill out, tapped for plugs, then resurfaced. Apparently for better strength. Maybe ask the machinist about this, as i'd never heard of this before.

Using studs on the bottom end helps keep the caps in place a bit better. This is more for a higher RPM type of thing. It can help, and it's not super expensive. I'd just use the $30 ARP bolts if it were me, or upgrade the main caps themselves.

Studs for head bolts help with high cylinder pressures and nitrous, but as mentioned, you need to remove the studs to get the heads off with the engine in car (kinda defeats the purpose eh?).
I'd leave bolts, the head gaskets act as a "fuse" with the nitrous. Head gaskets blowing is a nice cheap ~$60 fix compared to pistons, rings, rebore, etc...

 

i agree with those guys.. i have head and main studs on my motor and i've tried to get the heads off in the car.. took a bit longer than it should have.. you basically have to pull the motor a little bit to get the heads off anyway.. and the head studs need to be resealed after you take them off(to prevent water leakage), so its just another pain in the butt step.. main studs are always a good idea since those will most likely never be off and theres no coolant to worry about..

just go ARP main studs and ARP head bolts.. that should be more than enough..

 

ok . thanks for the advice. I will be going with the arp head bolt kit and i am going to use a stud kit for the crank. my motor is a 400 with 4 bolt mains and from what everyone is saying the lower end is weak on them.

 

if you use a socket head stud you can remove the studs to get the heads off.

Feeling better is about all the practical benefit you'll see from studs.

 

so are you saying that the studs are only a way to make you feel better or does it have a benefit over using bolts?

 

They'll make you feel better, but you won't see any real difference compared to bolts.

 

Actually, you'll see one important difference....

They leak. EVERY time. At least, I have never yet, not even once, seen heads studs that DIDN'T leak. Maybe there's some out there someplace that somebody got to seal, but I haven't run across them.

 

What?!? The threads where the head studs go into the block leaks? Such that coolant seeps up into the oil? Wouldn't thread sealant cure that, just like with bolts?
I don't see the functional difference that would make it leak in a particular place..?

 

yes they leak i had a 406 with arp head studes. and afr heads i used sealer from arp still leak. so pulled them out and used arp 12p head bolts.. the trick is to use locktight red on the studes. i found out after. lower end i stud +win tray... that 406 ran 11.30 1/4 mile. in a 74 camaro..

 

Same here. Sure, it's nothing but hardware and threads, doesn't seem like it would be that big of a deal to stop a leak. But experience indicates otherwise. I've used all sorts of sealers on studs, seen lots of other people use any number of different materials and techniques; SOONER OR LATER, usually sooner, they ALWAYS leak. More often than not, the very first moment of pouring the coolant into the new motor. It oozes right up out of the row of head bolts below the exhaust flange, And of course if they fail there, then it's a virtual certainty the ones are failing that are inside the crankcase, too. Bad bad bad bad.

In a race-only car, with water and no anti-freeze and oil changes every few minutes of operation, they're fine. For a street car, they're nothing but a disaster.

Don't do it. Use bolts.

 

On these leaking cars were the heads and block countersunk around the bolt holes? Like fel-pro reccomends?

 

no countersink for me

 

Head studs + black permatex +1 jar of Bars Leak = 4000 mi. 0 leaks.

 

how would countersinking help in that situation... seems like that would almost make it worse

 

Head bolt holes should always be chamfered, regardless of whether you're using bolts or studs.

 

studs sound like too much trouble than they are worth. I just want to make my motor as strong and reliable as i can make it. would there be a difference if i were to use aluminum heads vs. stock type heads? i still have not decided on a set of heads for my 400. i have heard people say that the stock heads have no business on a performance 400 even with porting and bigger valves.

 

yes but counter sunk to me is much different than just chamfered

 

i don't know what you mean by chamfered.

 

Same idea, most people just use "countersink" to refer to a heavy chamfer to allow a countersunk fastener head to sit flush with the surface.

Whichever term you use, the idea is to keep the threads on the fastener from pulling the threads in the block up as they're tightened, warping the deck slightly and keeping the head gasket from sealing properly.

 

You'll be re-visiting it soon enough. Would be, even without the studs.

 

Yea, just about any stock type heads won't get you to 450HP N/A unless you cam it until it's undrivable.

Get some good aftermarket heads, AL or Iron is your choice. Set the CR based on that choice though obviously. You also want decently large ports,200-210cc or so. 170cc won't cut it with a 400cid, and 230cc would be a bit large for street type cams (and street driving).

 

thanks for the input. are there any specific types that are better than others. dart, vortec, edelbrock. I have never bought aftermarket heads before i just want the best bang for the buck. I see heads on ebay they say are new but they are cheap in comparison to summits prices.

 

poor choice of words, that was the idea i was going for

 

what?

 

For the most part, you get what you pay for.

Vortec heads are 170cc ports. They work ok for low RPM (on a big motor like a 400), but you'd want larger ports for higher RPM.
Edelbrock makes good street heads, not a lot in the race catagory.

Canfield, AFR, Dart, Brodix, etc are good bets. Again look in the 200cc intake port size. I'd want to see a flow chart before buying heads. Compare prices apples to apples, ie. if it says "bare" don't compare to the price of heads that are "complete" eh? Complete includes the valves, springs, retainers, and locks.

Final note - be sure you drill the steam holes!

 

thanks for the info. I have been looking at a few sets of heads. but vortecs are out. i do want a set of heads that will let me go up to 6500 or 7000.