LB7: To do head studs or not?

Bustedknuckles

Bustedknuckles

Honey Badger
Sep 25, 2010
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Well my head gaskets are blown in my 04 lb7, I'm going with merchant automotives head gasket set and getting the heads decked and resealing the injector cups. My question is whether its worth installing head studs or not, I still have a stock turbo and injectors, I just have a built trans, airdog, and Robs tunes and will probably leave it at that because its fun and reliable. I'm considering a HTT 66mm turbo someday because of egts but gonna stay with stock or 30% injectors. What do yall say?
 
blk smoke lb7

blk smoke lb7

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If you have it torn down IMO its a little insureance, and if you go the the htt i would for sure.Stock 1s would hold for a long time but .......i would do the arps
 
Bustedknuckles

Bustedknuckles

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Sep 25, 2010
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I only drive around 15,000 miles a year and don't drag race or pull it. I would wastegate the HTT at 40-45 psi. I just dont wanna skimp and be doing it again in in 30,000 miles.....
 
Bustedknuckles

Bustedknuckles

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Sep 25, 2010
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On my brothers cummins we just overtorqued the head bolts and its been holding 55 psi of boost and a young driver for 2 years, is that doable or are the bolts TTY? I guess I should man up and do it but I'm a tightwad and just had a accident that wasn't cheap.....
 
Bustedknuckles

Bustedknuckles

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blk smoke lb7 said:
"sometimes to need to spend a little in the front to save even more on the end" from 1 tightwad to another.Another thing i learned it no to over tighten either do you know how much cast iron flexs? only tighten to proper specs.....check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cLjdr2GSwU dont mess around get the studs and dont over tighten
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Aren't studs overtightening compared to stock? 125 ft lbs is 125 ft lbs..... I've read (the internets) that its not a good idea to do studs on a duramax with out getting the block line bored with a torque plate because it will distort the bores and cause excessive blow-by, any truth to that? That video is nuts!
 
blk smoke lb7

blk smoke lb7

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ripmf666 said:
I would add stud I know were you can get the studs and gasket for a good price.
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LOL Henry can hook you up with both thats for sure and at prices hard to beat from others......... all i can say is call arp and talk to a tech thay can be installed on a new engine or for just doing head gaskets i installed on a 5000 mile motor and had no blow by,if your doing same ft lbs should be the same right? weather studs or gm bolts?
 
Bustedknuckles

Bustedknuckles

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Sep 25, 2010
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blk smoke lb7 said:
LOL Henry can hook you up with both thats for sure and at prices hard to beat from others......... all i can say is call arp and talk to a tech thay can be installed on a new engine or for just doing head gaskets i installed on a 5000 mile motor and had no blow by,if your doing same ft lbs should be the same right? weather studs or gm bolts?
Click to expand...

Aren't studs torqued to higher ft lbs than stock bolts?
 
IOWA LLY

IOWA LLY

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Stock bolts are tightened using an angular tightening method. So what the final torque is, is hard to say. Part of the reason head studs hold better is because there are a stronger fastener and don't flex or "stretch" under load. You can't over tighten a softer fastener and achieve the same result....:thumb:
 
Bustedknuckles

Bustedknuckles

Honey Badger
Sep 25, 2010
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ripmf666 said:
I would add studs I know were you can get the studs and gasket for a good price.
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Can you pm me a price both ways? I had talked to Darryl earlier about a turbo but decided to hold off because I knew the head gaskets were iffy. This truck has had excessive coolant pressure and the radiator hose is always hard after sitting all night ever since I got it but it never looses coolant???? I assume its head gaskets but it got any worse in 15,000 miles so Idk, I was just gonna fix it before winter to be safe. You think I should just run it till they let go or just do the head gaskets? What else could be causing it?
 
Bustedknuckles

Bustedknuckles

Honey Badger
Sep 25, 2010
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IOWA LLY said:
Stock bolts are tightened using an angular tightening method. So what the final torque is, is hard to say. Part of the reason head studs hold better is because there are a stronger fastener and don't flex or "stretch" under load. You can't over tighten a softer fastener and achieve the same result....:thumb:
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Those are normally tty so I bet that's what stock ones are so yea, overtorqueing is definitley a no go. I hate to spend $600 that could be wasted elsewhere but if I have to do head gaskets twice I'm gonna be a tad upset, pulling the trans twice pissed me off enough!
 
ripmf666

ripmf666

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Sep 20, 2006
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Bustedknuckles said:
Can you pm me a price both ways? I had talked to Darryl earlier about a turbo but decided to hold off because I knew the head gaskets were iffy. This truck has had excessive coolant pressure and the radiator hose is always hard after sitting all night ever since I got it but it never looses coolant???? I assume its head gaskets but it got any worse in 15,000 miles so Idk, I was just gonna fix it before winter to be safe. You think I should just run it till they let go or just do the head gaskets? What else could be causing it?
Click to expand...

Has the injectors been replace at anytime if so a injector cup could of came loose. Do you have any coolant leaking anywere.
 
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