Tightening Head Studs
#1
03-24-2009, 09:41 AM
Tightening Head Studs
So my engine is just about ready to be tuned in boost (just waiting for the clutch), but I need to re-tighten the ARP's since the engine is now broken in and they haven't been torqued since the machine shop. The cheapest price quote I got was $300, is it actually worth 3 hours labour? Seems kinda high to me, I've never done work on the internals of my engine but is this very difficult?
Maybe someone could let me know the steps to torque headstuds, all i've found through searching is what torque you need to tighten it to. A friend of mine told me I will need to remove the cam and it will mess up my cam timing, but another friend told me thats not true.
Maybe someone could let me know the steps to torque headstuds, all i've found through searching is what torque you need to tighten it to. A friend of mine told me I will need to remove the cam and it will mess up my cam timing, but another friend told me thats not true.
#2
03-24-2009, 09:51 AM
Wow $300 is way high it only takes maybe 30-45 minutes to torque head bolts on a d16. Take off valve cover locate, head head bolts/head studs, torque to ARP's required specs (as they will be different that stock) in proper order as per Honda Service manual. Then replace valve cover and torque to spec. Thats all there is to it, dont let a shop rip you off. Your tunner should willing and able to do this for you or the engine builder should do this free as part of the build.
#3
03-24-2009, 10:35 AM
Wow thats amzingly simple. So to get to the headstuds all I need to do is remove the valve cover?
This shop must be full of ****.
This shop must be full of ****.
#4
03-24-2009, 02:22 PM
Yeah I dont think you need to remove the cam. I will check the HSM to be sure and get back to you. I will also let you know the pattern you will need to tighten them in. Make sure you find out what you need to torque the ARP studs to as it is diff than the Honda OE head bolts.
#6
03-25-2009, 05:48 PM
Yep I checked the Honda Service Manual and no cam removal needed. Should only take you about 30-60mins to do yourself. You need a torque wrench and the needed tools to remove the valve cover.
#7
04-02-2009, 01:45 PM
It's pretty simple to do especially since you are just re-tightening them ... just removed the valve cover and tighten the bolts with a torque wrench. I don't remember but I think I tighten mine to 65 pound/ft ... 5 more pounds than what ARP suggested
Just remember to follow the tightening sequence
12 10 3 1 6 8 14
13 7 5 2 4 9 11
For the guys installing them for the first time...
Grease your bolts good with the ARP grease included, there is plenty of it so used a lot .
Hand tighten them first in the above order, use those little "L" things first to hand tighten the bolt all the way down and then hand tighten the nut.
Start torquing the bolts in increments.
For example torque all the bolts at 20 pounds/ft, then 40 pounds/ft and finally 65 pounds/ft.... all time following the bolt order (my cool diagram from above
)
Drive the the car normally for about a week and re-tighten the bolts at 65 pounds/ft again and you're done.
Just remember to follow the tightening sequence
12 10 3 1 6 8 14
13 7 5 2 4 9 11
For the guys installing them for the first time...
Grease your bolts good with the ARP grease included, there is plenty of it so used a lot .
Hand tighten them first in the above order, use those little "L" things first to hand tighten the bolt all the way down and then hand tighten the nut.
Start torquing the bolts in increments.
For example torque all the bolts at 20 pounds/ft, then 40 pounds/ft and finally 65 pounds/ft.... all time following the bolt order (my cool diagram from above
)Drive the the car normally for about a week and re-tighten the bolts at 65 pounds/ft again and you're done.
#8
04-02-2009, 01:47 PM
It's pretty simple to do especially since you are just re-tightening them ... just removed the valve cover and tighten the bolts with a torque wrench. I don't remember but I think I tighten mine to 65 pound/ft ... 5 more pounds than what ARP suggested
Just remember to follow the tightening sequence
12 10 3 1 6 8 14
13 7 5 2 4 9 11
For the guys installing them for the first time...
Grease your bolts good with the ARP grease included, there is plenty of it so used a lot .
Hand tighten them first in the above order, use those little "L" things first to hand tighten the bolt all the way down and then hand tighten the nut.
Start torquing the bolts in increments.
For example torque all the bolts at 20 pounds/ft, then 40 pounds/ft and finally 65 pounds/ft.... all time following the bolt order (my cool diagram from above)
Drive the the car normally for about a week and re-tighten the bolts at 65 pounds/ft again and you're done.
Just remember to follow the tightening sequence
12 10 3 1 6 8 14
13 7 5 2 4 9 11
For the guys installing them for the first time...
Grease your bolts good with the ARP grease included, there is plenty of it so used a lot .
Hand tighten them first in the above order, use those little "L" things first to hand tighten the bolt all the way down and then hand tighten the nut.
Start torquing the bolts in increments.
For example torque all the bolts at 20 pounds/ft, then 40 pounds/ft and finally 65 pounds/ft.... all time following the bolt order (my cool diagram from above
)Drive the the car normally for about a week and re-tighten the bolts at 65 pounds/ft again and you're done.
14??
I thought there were 10...
#9
04-02-2009, 01:49 PM
Yes I looked at a civic with the valve cover off today at the wreckers and it looked like it only had 10. Maybe vtec engines have 14, but it i think it should still be ten. I'm going to do this this weekend.
.