arp headstud torque, y are there 19 diff answers

[mjjstang]

ok well ive been searching and well first of all I have a redtop and will be putting in a cometic gasket, well arp says for aluminum heads, torque to 70lbs
phase 2 says progressively to 85, everyone else has other things to say, well anyone know what is correct.

[xxsptcuztomsxx]

ok well ive been searching and well first of all I have a redtop and will be putting in a cometic gasket, well arp says for aluminum heads, torque to 70lbs
phase 2 says progressively to 85, everyone else has other things to say, well anyone know what is correct.


i have a s13 redtop in my s14 chasis. i am using the same parts.

i torqued to 70 ft. lbs. with a cometic gasket and copper spray on both sides of the gasket. arp actually says "due to the expansion rate of aluminum heads torque to 65lbs" i would assume the higher the boost the higher the torque.

make sure you use the lube arp provides with their studs. also, put the head on before you thread the studs in. if you do not install the head first, you will have problems with the head hitting your chain guides.

[TAMTANIUM]

I finally torqued down those ARP head studs last week. I torqued them down to 85lbs with 10 30w oil. Hopefully I will finish the car up tomorrow and go from there.

[mjjstang]

cometic and everyone else i talked to said NOT to use spray or any other liquids or anything in addition to the gasket. whats your thoughts.

[98ka24det]

ok well ive been searching and well first of all I have a redtop and will be putting in a cometic gasket, well arp says for aluminum heads, torque to 70lbs
phase 2 says progressively to 85, everyone else has other things to say, well anyone know what is correct.

Ive got the ARP 10mm head studs and i did it just as the FSM state's to do it.
I havent ran into any issue's yet.

[coolnick]

The Cometic gasket is already coated, they do not recommend using copper spray. When in doubt call the manufacturer and follow their procedure. ARP has quite a bit of experience with their own fasteners, I would think they would know the best procedure.

[Sil Beer S13]

make sure you use the lube arp provides with their studs. also, put the head on before you thread the studs in. if you do not install the head first, you will have problems with the head hitting your chain guides.

Thats how i do and it work flawless.

When thread the bolts i do it by hand and thread them in till you cannot go anymore. Then I torque them down by what the FSM says.

Make sure you use the arp lubricant on the studs and on the nuts. So that you get a real torque not a friction torque.

[jdm_s14_zenki]

talked to ARP, G-Dimension, and Phase 2 and this is what each said,

ARP SAYS: with oil, torque to 80-85ft lbs in 3 steps, 25lbs, then 30lbs then 25 lbs to finish
they also say that with their molly lube provided with studs, only use 70lbs in 3 steps. Also, after studs have been torqued over 2 different times, the studs are then useless. but just to make sure, u can measure the lengths of the studs to see if they all match up the same.

G-dimension says same (80-85 with oil)

Phase2 says same (80-85 with oil)

[dopeassjackson]

i would TQ them to what the FSM says not what ARP says.

[coolnick]

i would TQ them to what the FSM says not what ARP says.
ARP uses a different material for the studs than the factory uses for their bolts. The FSM lists the torque required to stretch the factory bolts. Call ARP and tell them that you use the FSM recommendations and listen to what they have to say.

[98ka24det]

i would TQ them to what the FSM says not what ARP says.

^ agreed... just as i said earlier

[mjjstang]

yah completely different materials and whatnot, they are studs not bolts.. all these factors mean different torques, that fsm comment is pretty ignorant.

[anotherblusi]

The problem with the way the fsm asks you to torque them is that they ask you to loosen them halfway through. You CANNOT do this with studs. The purpose of a stud is so that it pulls the head and block together evenly. A bolt simply pulls the head down onto the block. This is why you only hand tighten the studs in first then torque the nut on. It evenly distributes the load on both sides of the stud. IDEALLY, If you even want to reuse studs, they should be pulled out and hand screwed in and then torqued accordingly.

You should also follow the torque setting that arp gives you not what the factory service manual tells you. The type of steel in the stock bolts is different from the type of steel in arp studs. You must remember that the harder the material becomes the more brittle it gets. Wonder why Easy outs Break off so easily? They may be harder than steel, but they are also more brittle. This the exact reason you should not torque to factory spec.

Also for something like the head it is a very good idea to torque in stages to help seat the head. This is why the fsm asks you to torque-loosen-retorque. But since you cannot loosen with the arp studs, torqueing in 3 steps as mentioned before will help to seat the head evenly

[98ka24det]

ARP SAYS: with oil, torque to 80-85ft lbs in 3 steps, 25lbs, then 30lbs then 25 lbs to finish
they also say that with their molly lube provided with studs, only use 70lbs in 3 steps. Also, after studs have been torqued over 2 different times, the studs are then useless. but just to make sure, u can measure the lengths of the studs to see if they all match up the same.

G-dimension says same (80-85 with oil)

Phase2 says same (80-85 with oil)

My machine shop guy told me to use motor oil on all the arp's threads. And to torque them down as the FSM states to do so..
I did this and im now at 1200 miles after the rebuild with MANY 20-22 psi runs on the street. I just did a compression test and its till in-tact..!!

[jdm_s14_zenki]

i would TQ them to what the FSM says not what ARP says.
I was told NOT to torque to FSM specs on ARP studs. You can overstretch the bolts. The Studs are MEANT to be torqued a certain way. If the shops are saying, 80--85lbs in 3 steps, then do it.

[98ka24det]

I guess everyone will do it their own way or which ever way this or that place tells them to do it. I did it the way my machine shop guy said to do it and the motor is still in-tact..

To each his/her own

[jdm_s14_zenki]

I guess everyone will do it their own way or which ever way this or that place tells them to do it. I did it the way my machine shop guy said to do it and the motor is still in-tact..

To each his/her own
true, they also did tell me if these arp studs are over torqued, you RISK stripping the inside threading of the block. IF that happens, ur really screwed. cant heli-coil that!