Hi everyone,
I have just started my new build. I have some coolant seeping out of some of the head studs. I didnt add any sealer apon install. Question is should i replace the studs with bolts? Can i replace one at a time with bolts and sealer without compromising the head gasket?
Any advice greatly appreciated

 

Whether studs or bolts, you need sealant on the threads in the block.

I'd think / hope you would be able to change (or reseal) one at a time and be OK. but, we'll see if someone with better experience chimes in.

 

Take the studs out one at a time. Put some sealer on them and put them back in. Studs are not torqued into the block. Clamping force is applied by the nut.

 

Ok, sounds good. Yeah I put the studs in finger tight and torqued the nuts down didn't think anything of put sealer on them. Do think i should stick with studs or switch to bolts?

 

I would stick with bolts. Taking your heads off and on with studs can damage the threads on the studs and bolts work just fine.

 

He's going to run 10-15 psi of boost with a twin turbo setup next year sometime. I told him to stick with the head studs. I'm going to pull them out one at a time and throw some sealant on the threads then torque them back down.

AlkyIroc do you think it matters in which order I do the studs in? It's one at a time, do I really need to follow the bolt sequence?

 

I don't think it matters when replacing. you could probably double check the torque in sequence

 

I'll ask my buddy fred and see what he says about it. I'm not real sure about how to go a bought it. Normally you do the three step torque process and just go in order over and over. Doing it like this means one bolt at a time and I would have to just retorque straight to 80 ft lbs.

 

I run studs in my engine. Advantage is when torquing the heads, there is no twisting action on the threads in the block which can strip or distort the block. Clamping force from the nuts on the studs is more precise.

All the head bolt holes in my aftermarket block are blind holes. None go into a coolant gallery so no chance of a coolant leak. I just put some oil on the threads and screw them into the block.

When I do pull my heads, I remove all the nuts then unscrew all the studs before pulling the heads off. Unlike something like a dragster, there's no way you have any room to pull the heads off the studs.

Just do one at a time. You don't need to follow the pattern. Reinstall one, torque to spec and move on to the next. When complete, recheck the torque in sequence.

The reason you normally do it in a 3 step procedure is so that you don't warp the head. Doing one at a time, the rest are already at spec and holding the head down. Changing one bolt and retorquing it to spec won't change the clamping force of the others.

 

Thanks we are going to do one at a time and clean the threads the best we can and use Teflon based thread sealant and install and torque down. is there a thread sealant you recommend AlkyIROC?