Troubling find.

[Darius2250]

So I have had issues with my head and head gasket since I replaced it(decked and all that) I leak oils from right about the #4 piston on the driverside, I have retorqued the ARP studs and now I have an exhaust leak, so I figured I would just go ahead and take out the cometec, and put in a new stock HG, seeing how I am going back to the stock turbo since I broke one of the studs for the turbo elbow and I think that is where my exhuast leak is coming from. Well now on to the troubles I found, so I was taking the heasd studs off (3 stage removal) when I noticed that 3 of the studs(nuts) were noit torqued anymore. I have heat cylced and retourqed them twice now, any body have an idea why this is happening? This is kinda scaring the crap outta me seeing how I have about 500 miles on the freshly rebuilt motor.

[r34 gtr]

what were they torqued to? and are they the correct set for the CA? mine arent, so they all sit at different heights when they are in the car. i had to double stack the washers on one so the nut would pull down on the head and not just tighten up on the shoulder of the stud. sure it sounds shady but it works. also, if the stud is loose thats okay, as long as the nut isnt loose. you dont have to torque the stud down really well, as the nut should pull down on the whole deal and make it work. sucks that they are trying to jump ship on you. i crunked mine down to 88ft/lbs and have not had to deal with them since. maybe you are going a little easy on them? i know the fsm says 75 or so.

[float_6969]

That's weird, AFAIK, you're the 3rd person (including myself) that has had an oil leak in the exact same spot after rebuilding.

I also decked the block and head, used ARP head studs, but I was using some unknown HG. I've simply blamed it on the HG, but I'm starting to see a trend....

[Darius2250]

They were torqued to 80 and it's the nuts themselves, so when I go to un-torque them the one that are still torqued are a really tight and then go loose, like they should , but 3 of them feel like they aren't torqued. oh and mine are the SR main stud kit (pre ARP CA specific)

and float I have seen several posts (on SXOC and here) about the cometec leaking and even a few of my V8 friends(yes I know and accosiate with V8 people) say the MHGs especially cometec seem to leak.

[float_6969]

Maybe it's the iron block/aluminum head. Perhapse the cometic gaskets can't cope with the shear forces imposed by the different rates of expansion from the iron and aluminum.

I know that I have no desire to use a Metal HG. I've always thought of it this way. If I'm making enough power (or the motor knocks) to break something, I'd rather have the HG be the weakest link as opposed to the rod, or the ring lands.

Just my personal opinion...

[Darius2250]

I am starting to strongly agree with you, I have a stock OEM one laying around, I am thinking I might just throw it on and call it good.I don't think I need the MHG seeing how I am only pushing around 200 if that.

[r34 gtr]

im running a nismo MLS gasket and its leaking in the same place. its also sprayed with a half can of copper spray. i would blame my arp bolts but they have loads of washers on them and i doubt they would be the problem now. i havnt had the head milled but it was within spec. think its worth milling the block when i do the head next week? itll be a lot of extra work...

[mbmbmb23]

Do folks with OEM studs have problems with metal HG's? What about people with ARP's and stock HG's? If it were me next time I tore the block down I would ditch one or the other and by process of elimination figure it out.

-m

[boost_boy]

I haven't had one leak on me yet! But then again, I know the secret to your failures. I'll give you all a hint..........shhhhhhhhhhhhh, here it comes! Can you hear me now .

Dee

[Darius2250]

Hey Dee yeah I know you know I read a post about it while back, deck and plate 80lbs torque or something like that.. did that didn't help.