Thinking about installing head studs

[BIG DAWG]

would it be a bad idea to simply remove 1 bolt at a time and replace with a stud and torque?

 

[LBZ]

Nope just follow the torque pattern as per your manual and be sure to follow the reccomended torque procedure as per ARP.
Then be sure to go over and re-torque them all after it's done. You may find a couple loose ones.

 

[Circled-Mistake]

Sure would be a waste tho to do it that way IMO..... Your all ready that far into it might as well pull heads, check over and put back together.... I can just see it happen to me if I did it that way.... HG's pop right after I did so, mainly because your slowly changing the torque value throughout the head surface..... I pulled my heads as a last minute decision and I found 2 popped HG's and 3 cracks in the heads.... Not worth it to me.... You'll be in there again soon enough IF something goes wrong, and you'll kick yourself for not doing it RIGHT...
Cheers!

 

[deucesdeuces]

What truck do you have? I know quite a fue dodge owners have swaped in studs with out removing the head. Im planing on doing mying dodge this winter. If you have a GM or ford maybe a diffrent story cus just to chance the head studs you a ways into the motor maybe evan removing the cab

 

[AreWeThereYet]

What truck? A dodge you can do it to no problem, start in the middle and work in rotation of head torque

 

[LBZ]

Sure would be a waste tho to do it that way IMO..... Your all ready that far into it might as well pull heads, check over and put back together.... I can just see it happen to me if I did it that way.... HG's pop right after I did so, mainly because your slowly changing the torque value throughout the head surface..... I pulled my heads as a last minute decision and I found 2 popped HG's and 3 cracks in the heads.... Not worth it to me.... You'll be in there again soon enough IF something goes wrong, and you'll kick yourself for not doing it RIGHT...
Cheers!

Depends on how many miles you got on the truck. 50 000. Why not. 200 000, maybe not a wise idea.
If they are already leaking or using coolant then sure, you would be dumb to just put studs in.
As far as changing the torque values on the heads, what do you think happens when you start torquing a head with no bolts or studs in it? Or even when you re-torque it? Like I said follow the torque sequence. More people have used this method and been fine than those that have failed.
It takes maybe 6 hours or so to do this method on a Duramax if a guy knows what he is doing. Probably less on a Cummins. T
It takes about three times that time to do it and remove the heads plus sending them out to get checked so I say if you can do it in the truck without pulling the heads on a low mileage truck then giv'r.

 

[jpgmtech]

It's a gamble I wouldn't take for the extra time it takes to do the job right. If its a Dmax prior to 2006 you will want to upgrade the head gaskets anyway.

 

[kbrunlees]

Are we talking your truck, James or your quad?

 

[BIG DAWG]

its for my 12 cummins seeing as my 08 rad started to occassionally pressure up at the end with around 220000kms
the truck only has 40000kms on it now

 

[Polarblu]

i've seen this done twice, i saw it cause they came to my shop to pull the head for leaks. Also on a 12 valve remember that the rocker pedestals have to be machined to accommodate the studs! .200" i believe. And if the head is off why not have it done with good springs and fire ring groove cut into it........

 

[BIG DAWG]

not a 12 valve a 2012 6.7 got minimax 5"turbo back egr delete and cold air

 

[Polarblu]

not a 12 valve a 2012 6.7 got minimax 5"turbo back egr delete and cold air

Ahhh sorry i saw the 12 and assumed.