Valve Cover Studs

289 - 351 cid Small Block Performance
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Joe Travers
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Location: Louisiana

Valve Cover Studs

Post by Joe Travers »

Old school cast iron guy with dumb question for you aluminum guys.

Been using bolts with anti-seize but studs would make installing wide-flange aluminum covers a lot easier/faster during valve adjustments. Takes me longer to fit and install the covers than to check valve lash. Blue Loctite work okay to hold studs in place in aluminum heads?

Joe
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1963 1/2 Custom Hardtop
342 stroker, solid roller, T-10, 3.55 posi

A/FX
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Re: Valve Cover Studs

Post by A/FX »

Joe Travers wrote:
Wed Mar 29, 2023 10:45 am
Old school cast iron guy with dumb question for you aluminum guys.

Been using bolts with anti-seize but studs would make installing wide-flange aluminum covers a lot easier/faster during valve adjustments. Takes me longer to fit and install the covers than to check valve lash. Blue Loctite work okay to hold studs in place in aluminum heads?

Joe
Joe,
I use ARP stainless studs in my aluminum heads with no issues. I tighten them with double nuts, and use anti seize but no loctite. I like the ARP because they have a ball tip which makes starting the hex nut much easier.
Jim
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

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Joe Travers
Posts: 2446
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 6:23 pm
Location: Louisiana

Re: Valve Cover Studs

Post by Joe Travers »

A/FX wrote:
Wed Mar 29, 2023 2:14 pm
Joe,
I use ARP stainless studs in my aluminum heads with no issues. I tighten them with double nuts, and use anti seize but no loctite. I like the ARP because they have a ball tip which makes starting the hex nut much easier.
Jim
Thanks, Jim! Had ARP studs and blue Loctite in my shopping cart before posting. Wasn't sure about the Loctite, don't want to mess up a set of expensive heads doing something stupid. Cracked a aluminum head on a 4 cyl. almost 50 years ago, might be aluminum PTSD coming back to haunt me.

Joe
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1963 1/2 Custom Hardtop
342 stroker, solid roller, T-10, 3.55 posi

User avatar
Joe Travers
Posts: 2446
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 6:23 pm
Location: Louisiana

Re: Valve Cover Studs

Post by Joe Travers »

Someone is looking out for me. Happy I cut new heater hose long enough to bend last year.
There's a trick to get the tall valve covers onto the studs on passenger side. Have to hold your mouth just right! :lol:
I have got to buy a set of polylocks for these rockers.

Joe
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1963 1/2 Custom Hardtop
342 stroker, solid roller, T-10, 3.55 posi

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