In the newest edition of Diesel Power there is a 12v project truck that they are building. In this months they are re-torquing the original head bolts to 125ft/lbs via 5ft/lbs increments to avoid blowing a head gasket. the method in involves taking each head bolt out in its torque order, oiling it with 30wt, torquing it to 90ft/lbs and working up to 125ft/lbs. Now the interesting part about this article is that they say that a lot of the high horsepower head guys in the diesel world use thing technique to produce 500-600hp before switching to head studs. Are there any 12v head gurus out there that can confirm this? If so I am very interested in doing this to my head. Has anyone tried this?

 

I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds pretty tempting to try. I have read about people doing that on here, some have good luck with it, some end up stretching the stock bolts.
But for free, I think it would be worth a try.
Cory

 

Do it!
My truck is o-ringed with stock bolts (71mm charger, 12.39@109 so far). I don't plan on ever going to studs. I know of a guy that has gone as far as 8xx hp on bolts (o-rings too) on twin turbos.
Use moly based lube instead of oil (don't be shy with it), take a break between 5lb increments.
Torquing your stock head bolts with a stock head gasket may work, but I still wouldn't push your stock head gasket much above 50psi. My $.02

 

I dunno.. my builder has said hes seen a few instances where bolts were removed and replaced with studs one at a time and the gasket has failed under 50psi.
I think if you disturb things by removing clamping force you might allow some settling to occur and make a leak more likely.. if youre unlucky.
Probably better to just torque the stock ones a little more if you can.
If you have the money saved up to do o-rings and a HG anyhow, why not?

 

I blew the side out of my stock head gasket with stock bolts @47lbs of boost I now am trying to decide whether or not to o ring it or just go back with a thicker gasket and studs. I do plan on having the head ported and polished while its at the shop getting decked. I blew the gasket on my last motor and didnt deck the head it rolled up like a banana and the new thicker gasket leaked with in a week. Tell me about the O- rings I know what they do but how expensive were they and do you know of anyone around the tulsa OK area who has the tool to do it? Has any one had any trouble with the o ringed heads leaking?


Sorry for the hijack BTW I would try adding torque to the stock bolts rather than loosening them all and going back with them.

 

I think you will be better off with a o-rings and stock head bolts than studs on a stock/thicker head gasket. And you will be out about the same money either way.

My o-ring job with decking the head $350.

 

Did you go ahead and have it ported while it was off?

How hard was it to get the o rings lined up just right on the gasket? I have heard this can be tough.