[turtle1hp]

Bob and Ray, thank you for sharing you knowledge and experience with me and others on this and many other subjects.

I suspect the head gasket is of a poor quality, and or not designed for a boosted application.

This is what I just did, and what I am going to do.

I have Snap On dial torque meter. I used it to identify any loose bolts. All 10 bolts measured right at 60# of break away torque (tighten rotation) and all 10 bolts would not start to rotate, or tighten more, till they reached right at 85#.  At that point of 85# I would continue to rotate till the gauge would read 90#.  All 10 would rotate just under 45 degrees to reach 90#.
This would lead me to believe that it was not "re-torque" or a fastener issue.

I had already ordered the 8993 gasket and the ARP studs, so I plan on installing them when I get the opportunity in the next few weeks.  At that point I will be able to double check the dowel pin heights. ( I think I had checked that but not positive) I also plan on inspecting the gasket for detonation as Bob described.

When installing the studs and gasket, are there any 2.3 tricks or recommendations for this?
Should I go ahead and install the 1035 gasket while it is apart?

Again, thanks for the experienced recommendations and input.

[TurboRay]

Bob and Ray, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.......

LINK 

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I’m not a big fan of the standard ARP material in our application after trying to make it work at 38-40#

I’ve learned a lot, and am now building a 2.6 liter tall deck with a SVO head. This combo is going together with the 035 gasket and ARP 2000 studs.  

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I'm sure you've done your "homework" about ARP metallurgy, Bob ~ BUT...... for those who haven't, neither their straight nor undercut (151-4702) Lima studs are available in the ARP 2000 material. However, the undercut Volkswagen "TDI" studs (204-4706 = same thread, approx 5/8 longer) are made with ARP 2000 material. <thumbup>

■ This is the response I got from Zac Kimball at ARP after an inquiry about those two stud varieties: "The 151-4702 is not available in the ARP 2000 material and the 204-4706 is the ARP 2000 material."  (bold font mine)  

The 151-4702 is not available in the ARP 2000 material and the 204-4706 is the ARP 2000 material

[Bob_Myers]

Ray - there are lots of options in the ARP catalog for studs that will work if you want to piece together a kit. For sure nothing under one part number. I’m willing to deal with the length issue for a low cost set that I can mostly get from stock when needed, but there are options.

My comment about not liking the standard ARP offering was more in reference it versus bolts (either factory or TTA). There is no logical reason with a perma torque type gasket that people see something when they do retorque (and that’s been reported). I know why we retorque a copper or even a MLS gasket, but what’s moving on the others?

[TurboRay]

Ray - there are lots of options in the ARP catalog for studs that will work if you want to piece together a kit. For sure nothing under one part number.  My comment about not liking the standard ARP offering was more in reference (it) versus bolts (either factory or TTA).  

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My bad ~ I thought you were talking about using one of the two ARP Lima stud kits in the "2000" material, which is why I e-mailed their tech dept to check availability (NOT). However, the ARP 204-4706 "Volvo kit" (w/studs, nuts, washers, and ARP Lube)  - is available only in the 2000 material ~ but, as said, the studs are about 5/8 longer than those in the Lima kits.   

I know why we retorque a copper or even a MLS gasket, but what’s moving on the others?   

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Good question! Other than just "settling in"/normalizing as a result of heating & cooling cycles, the only other thing I can think of would be the reported "sinking"/squooshing of the h/bolt columns in some Essy aluminum heads (primarily the "NASH"/D-port versions?). Obviously, that would result in a loss of gasket-clamping force. <shrug>

Note the pic below of a sectioned Essy head with the top of the h/bolt hole "mushroomed inward" (the appearance of threads in the ID of the squooshed aluminum was caused by bolt or stud removal).  <shrug>



BTW ~ I don't own an aluminum head, BUT...... if I did, I would probably substitute THESE "large" ARP washers in place of the smaller ones that come in the Lima/Volvo "kits". They have a 12mm-ish ID and a .995 OD.  <thumbup>

[Bob_Myers]

With the aluminum head things moving is clearer (trying to clamp peanut butter). There are IMO 2 better options for the aluminum head, my SVO head has a "top hat" type washer that has a sleeve that goes down into the area you show as compressed and supports it. That's been done for years. The other method involved machining to use a tapered washer that gets more surface are (I've never seen or touched those).

To the stud material discussion, it's like you need to some secrete handshake but somewhere there is better / real info on the ARP Fastners. It's not in their printed catalogs and the tech support people sure won't look anything up, but there are people that have part numbers for various studs that will work. I sure wish they just made tables of lengths and threads you could pick from and order.

[TurboRay]

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THANX for the clarification, Bob! The "top hat" washer (with an integral sleeve) that you described sounds similar to THESE..... an ideal solution to what should never have been an issue. According to some, it was due to poor (or a lack of) heat treatment...... primarily on the NASH/D-port heads.

After numerous complaints and negative feedback, I recall Essy offering a "fix". that included special conical (tapered?) washers, as you described. BUT ~ the fix wasn't free, AND for fitment of the washers, customers had to have the bolt/stud seats. on their head(s) spot-faced with the matching 12° cone shape ( LINK ). <shrug>