jakesz28

First off my forged LT1 stroker short block is finally on the way. This short block was built with a callies rotating assembly and custom wiseco pistons. The short block was assembled with a large ring gap with the intentions of seeing 350 shot of nitrous routinely and I may go up towards 450 when eveything seems good.

I have a set of converted Brodix -10 heads that I'm going to run on this and I would like to know the correct way to go on installing ARP headstuds and using cometic head gaskets.

The block and heads both have a fine finish so that I can use the cometic gaskets. But what sealant should I use on the lower portion of the head studs? Do I have to use anything on the headgaskets to help them seal? Should the nuts have a light oil on them when torque the heads studs?

Thanks for the help. It has been a few years since I put a motor together and I never used this type of head gasket.

rskrause

You have the right ideas about the head studs. They need sealant at the bottom where they enter the water jacket and lube under the head. I use high temp silicone. The threads need to be in good shape (chase them) and free of grease (use brake clean) to decrease the possibility of leakage. The torque specs are going to differ depending what lubricant you use. Oil requires more torque than assembly lube. The torque depends on the fastener material, diameter, and lube used. ARP has a nice chart on their website. http://www.arp-bolts.com/Catalog/Cat...talog_0024.jpg

Sounds like a nice combo, please post your results.

Richard

Honduh_head

plus arp's should come with a lube/silicone that you use going into the block...and like you said use oil or assembly lube when torquing down the head.

i've used these a lot with all my hondas, and usually just went 5 ft lbs over factory spec.

Pampered-Z

Check your gaskets, You may need to remove/cut off the rivets on the part of the commetic gasket, that are at the bottom (by exhaust ports), the one on top/near intake can remain.

There should be insturction with the gaskets. Mine didn't come with these sheet so I have to pull the motor apart because of major collant leaks! The rivets will keep the head from seating properly.



I finally get to answer an advance tech question!

cause4panic

Is this the reason for a good 1/3 of them leaking coolant? I helped install a set that leaked. Tore it back apart and threw some felpro 1074's in and no leaks whatso ever.
How did u find out about the rivets?

jakesz28

I hope to have it going in about a month I decided to go a little more aggressive then what I original planned because of the LT1 shootout but it took too long getting the short block built and now I won't be making it. I left all the choices to the engine shop. I mentioned what I wanted to spray and they decided on 6" rods with the custom pistons and decided to give it a little more ring gap incase I wanted to push it a little harder. Cammotions lowered the duration of the cam a little over what the engine builder first told me but it should still peak at about 8000rpm's.
I was going to go fuel injected but since the street use is going to be small I'm thinking of selling the converted brodix intake and getting a 4500 holley carb.

I can't wait till I get it going. I will have to dial in the suspension good and see how hard I can get it to leave the line. I'll be running a powerglide with a brake. I still need a stall that can handle that much power and I need to set up the rocker arms, oil system and pan. Money's getting short or I would still try to make the shootout.

Kevin Blown 95 TA

I used Cometics - I took out the rivits and coated the cometics with Hylomar spray. They dont leak. I used ARP head studs and used the ARP pipe dope teflon sealer and put some in the hole threads as well as on the stud threads. At the top side I used the ARP moly lube and torqed to the spec that they gave me for that. They recommend that lube over oil.

Pampered-Z

Probably a good portion, you also have to have the block and heads surfaces finished for them. mine leaked, pulled out the studs and went with bolts, still leaked, called commetic and they said there should have been a paper informing me to remove the rivits. After I removed the rivits I also sprayed them with copper coat just to be safe.

rskrause

I learned about the rivets on my own too. No instructions about removing them came with the gaskets. Why bother since the Fel Pro works so nice?

Rich

Fire67

I only had to remove the rivets on one head (cant remember which) using stock castings. With a set of AFR's we had to remove the rivets on both. None of the Cometics Ive installed ever came with a sheet saying to remove the rivets. Thankfully the first time I was installing the heads/gaskets was with the engine on a stand and noticed the interference right away.

My engine builder originally used some blue colored sealant on the threads in the deck and around each water passage. The stuff worked awesome, but I cannot get it around here... So I use permatex non-hardening aircraft gasket compound in all the same areas. No leaks ever...

On my buddies daily driver we used ARP teflon sealer in the deck threads and eventually had water leaking out the top of the head studs. It seems the higher coolant pressures that stock LT1's run causes this... Because the same car, with everything the same except a 7psi radiator cap never leaked again.

Pampered-Z

My piston~valve clearance was a bit close with the felpros, so I optid to go with a thicker gasket, commetic has .50.

jakesz28

I got the gaskets the other day and they came with instructions that said to check for clearance at the rivets but it also said to install the gaskets dry. So I'm wondering if I should install them dry or spray them. The shop that that put the short block togather said that they spray them.