[DeTomaso] Head Bolts or Studs?

Will Kooiman wkooiman at earthlink.net
Fri Dec 21 22:27:59 EST 2007


I guess as long as you're comparing quality studs to quality bolts, there's
probably little difference.

I've used head studs and main studs with the 3 engines I've had - a 302, a
428, and the current 351C.  The 351C has main bolts, but that was mostly a
budget decision at the time.

I switched to ARP head bolts with the 428 because you couldn't get the heads
off in the Mustang w/out pulling the studs.

I believe the heads came off in the 302 Mustang w/out any problems, but that
was over 20 years ago, so I don't really remember.

My Pantera doesn't have the high pressure bottle, so it isn't in the way.
The left side lifts off pretty easy, even with the gas tank shield.  The
right side does too, since the water bottle is gone.  Being made of aluminum
makes it a lot easier.

It's a lot easier to break the head gasket seal with bolts than it is with
studs.  They seem to give a little extra grab.

I prefer studs but I can't really argue why.  I guess I just feel safer with
them.  They're a little more of a pain, but how often do you remove the
heads anyway?

I respect J.C., but I don't buy the comment about the bolt holes being
slightly off.  If the holes were off that much, you wouldn't be able to get
bolts in either.

Will.

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of MikeLDrew at aol.com
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 8:55 PM
To: artstephens at charter.net; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Head Bolts or Studs?


In a message dated 12/21/07 16 41 57, artstephens at charter.net writes:


>      I have to decide whether I want studs or head bolts to hold my new
CHI 
> aluminum heads to my Cleveland block.  My concern with studs was that I 
> thought it made it impossible to get the head off in the car,  is that
right?  
> Someone told me that it would be better to use the studs since I have
aluminum 
> heads on a cast iron block and because of the different expansion rates of

> the two metals,  the stud would give more to allow the aluminum to
expand?  I'm 
> planning to use ARP fasteners.  One potential advantage to the bolts,  is 
> that the small headed bolts should allow retorquing without removing the
valve 
> train.  So what do youse guys think?
> 

I posed this same question to John Christian the other day, when considering

the issue for my 331 stroker build.   He opined that studs are a pain in the

butt for several reasons.   Besides the fact that it is difficult if not 
impossible to get the heads off with the engine in place, he also mentioned
that if 
the threads in the block are just slightly off, the studs won't line up 
perfectly, and it simply won't be able to get the heads on, or off, period,
without 
first removing one or more studs.

So for me, bolts it is.

ARP makes the Good Stuff in two different flavors for the 351C:   Excellent,

and even better than Excellent.   The price delta is remarkably small
between 
them.

Mike


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