The headstuds thing is debatable. It is more insurance then anything but if you do them it is a good excuse to do other things to the motor.

 

tephra, whether you do headstuds or not, take my advice and don't install with 1x1 method. Do it right and pull the head. In my opinion though, your stock botls should be fine.

 

thanks Eric - 1 by 1 not good?

I will probably just leave the stockies in there, but interested to know why 1x1 is no good

 

The 1x1 always end up leaking, the DSM guys learned that the hard way.

 

Well, I had my cams installed a little over a year ago. I had all the tools ready at home and was going to do it myself, but I figured since the install was so cheap, I would let a reputable shop handle it.

At the same time, they asked me if I wanted head studs installed. I really didn't want to have them installed 1x1, but I questioned whether they were sure it wouldn't be a problem, and they assured me it wouldn't (I was smart enough to know it was a risk, but I took the risk anyway).

Well, at my next oil change I noticed a leak along the back of the block. It's not enough to cause any oil on my garage floor or anything, but every oil change I have to wipe down the small amount that makes it way down to the back of the oil pan. It's hard to tell where it is coming from, but the back of the block now has a coating of oil on it. It's been this way for over a year now, daily driven.

The reason why it is concerning me now is because I noticed a couple drops that made it to my downpipe. Also, the mere fact that there is a leak concerns me as well.

If you search the forums, it's a pretty common occurrence to have a leak between the block and head at the back of the block after doing the 1x1 method. It's almost a crap shoot. The fact is doing the 1x1 method is not the proper procedure and it has the potential to leak.

Now, I have to have the HG replaced to fix this. I emailed the shop questioning whether they could give me some sort of discount on the work, since the 1x1 method caused the issue, but I have a feeling that they won't. I think I emailed them a while back and they made some type of excuse that they see leaks like that on stock cars, yet mine was bone dry before the install, and I know that for a fact since I have been the only one to do my oil changes since the car was brand new, and I have been crawling under the car inspecting that area every oil change.

So, it's up to you what you want to do, but I would recommend against the 1x1 method. You will get people who agree with me and people who disagree, but I'm just trying to save you a little trouble down the road. Either leave the stockers in or pull the head and do it right.


Eric

 

I heard the trick to successfully doing the 1x1 method is using an air chuck to blow out oil that drips into the bolt hole. I have not heard of any issues when doing it this way.

 

mine starts pushing coolant @ 32psi when I start adding timing with race gas...at 500awhp on pump it's fine but at 560awhp it fills up my coolant overflow. Studs done the 1x1 method for what it's worth.

i'm about to put in a built shorty/head so it'll be fixed then, both are decked and o-ringed and i'll put in a fresh set of ARP studs rather than taking a chance and using the old ones again.

 

Tephra, if you don't plan on running a huge turbo, just run the stock headstuds. There are guys here running E85 on evo green setups @ 30psi on the stock headstuds, zero issues.

I am SO SICK of comments like this, it is COMPLETE BS. Perhaps there is a special trick (as suggested above) but the 1x1 method works and it works well. I have been running my evo for well over a year at 25+psi w/ alky on arp's done the 1x1 method by Shane @DB Performance in Rogers, MN. There are literally HUNDREDS of DSM's and evos running around the twin cities/greater MN with zero issues for years and years on end.

If you try this and it does not work for you, it does not mean it 'doesn't work' it means perhaps you did it incorrectly

Tephra, sorry. Just run the stockers for now, you'll be fine

 

The stock 7 bolt mitsu fasteners are just as strong as normal ARP's. You actually do more harm than good by disturbing the OEM head sealing. If you MUST do headstuds go with A1's or ARP's L1 material. Its taken me about 4 years of drag racing to learn how to make headgaskets last on TRUE street cars that run close to 40psi boost on race gas and 30+ psi on pump gas.

I know guys who go single digits on normal ARP's blah blah blah, I'm talking taking motor out of junkyard and slapping it together without any resurfacing.

Unfortunately motors tend to go faster when the headgasket is leaking just a little like Mellons (no I'm not joking). So the ARP's might make you faster that way .

 

With 34PSI I get better TQ spike but it seems best power I make with 30-31PSI
Stock 9 Turbo.

 

Agreed.

Mellon quit using standard ARP's.

 

my head studs were done 1x1 with 27psi on stock turbo with no issues for year and half.

 

i have mods as listed in my sig, tuned by mellon last summer. havent retuned/logged it since. runs great. i usually (according to my mechanical defi gauge) hit 22.5 psi in gears 1-2-3 tapering to 20. and in 4th and 5th i spike at 24psi tapering to 20.

i am going to the track today and I upped my boost today for that. after several runs i have it dialed in to peak at about 23-24 in gears 1-2-3 and it peaks/spikes right at 25 psi in 4th.

Is it ok for me to have done this ?

will try to log it today before track but my new laptop is vista and im sure ill have problems getting mitsulogger/ecuflash to work etc....

 

I would log it before hitting the track if at all possible to make sure it's okay. I taper the higher loads for more fuel/less timing to keep it safe but it's not fool proof and could actually make you slower if you raise the boost.

 

Personally, I dont think ANY headstuds should be reused after you torqued them down. They usually end up stretching a bit and would be bad to reapply them to any motor. If I were you I would run A1's instead of ARP.... ARP's seem to be getting worse, especially in the DSM world. People are lifting heads like crazy.

Dan