Change to ARP without gasket change?
 

I'm buying SCT X3 and would like to do my ARP stud changeover myself. I do not have any head gasket problems and would prefer not changing them since they are not leaking. I read one reply to an ARP and Head gasket job posting that if you do not have a leaking head gasket, you can just replace the head bolts one at a time with the ARP bolts. Assuming that everything is torqued up per ARP instructions does this sound correct? If it can be done this way what are the obstacles and any time saving tricks that I need to be aware of?

:humm:you might be able to but i would not recomend it, once your in there and all that is involve with doing the headstuds on a 6.0 you might as well do it right.

Ive read about guys doing the studs without removing the engine or lifting the cab.

Yeah maybe you can but i would just change the gaskets too cause your gonna be one pissed off puppy if you do all that work then your headgaskets start leaking a little bit down the road

I'm not even sure what the stock tunes built into the SCT X3 add to the H.P. Do they add a serious amount of power and should I be concerned about the stock 2006 head bolts at these power levels? I'm not drag racing my truck. It's primarily going to be used to haul about 8,000# of toys on top and behind.

Im not 100% sure but i think the 6.0 headgaskets are a crapshoot, some will handle more then others, yours being an 06 i think they started getting some of the problems figured out by the later years so you might be ok:humm:

I had an 04 6.0 and used a custom tuned SCT Xcal2 and never had any issues other than not so good fuel mileage. Let me know if you need a Xcal2 I can can make you a great deal on one as well as some great service after the sale. :up:


Luke

What's the difference between the x3 and that? Just memory capacity?
What is loaded into it and how many vehicle changes are left in it?

Anther reply to my question on another site indicates that I may be able to raise the cab about 10" and getter done but involves disconnecting at least the steering and coolant hoses. Any other must remove items I'm missing?
I'm sure removing cab bolts and lifting and cribbing with several floor jacks is the easiest part of doing a slight lift.

There's a number of guys over at TheDieselGarage that have done it one bolt at a time and have no problems at all, did it without removing the cab or anything either. I think one of the guys did a bit of a write-up that I can try to find if you want.

If you get the SCT and get custom tunes written for your truck, that will greatly reduce your chance of having any problems... Heard of lots of folks runnin them for a very long time without issues. A lot of it is in how you drive the truck and take care of/maintain it. My tunes were written by Innovative Diesel and they are awesome tunes, put down lots of power, and are pretty safe. They told me that the levels they tuned it to are the maximun safe without studs, but I could add more if I studded the truck and some other things too... My race tune is supposed to be 430 at the wheels.

An approach that I think is good and I reccomend, is to start putting aside a little bit of money each month to save up for when the HG's do decide to go. At that time I am going to have a bunch of stuff done since the cab will be off.


I do realize I don't have much of a post count, but that doesn't mean I don't know anything about these trucks, I have been a member on another site for a few years and do most of my own work... Just didn't want anybody to say "he's a newbie, he don't know anything."

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X3 is newer and a bit faster. You can't buy an X2 new anymore

Allright StrokerDude and a Boorah to the "Yes We Can" tude:U: I like it when I find others that want to do their work themselves. No offense to those that go to a garage for their work but I enjoy doing it myself and like that feeling knowing that's one more thing I can fix or modify on my truck.
You can see from my Sig that I love getting in there too; doing conversions over to diesels. Got my son doing it too with a VW turbo diesel in a Yota pickup truck.
Oh definately appreciated. I have been searching for days and could only find a name of someone who was supposed to have it writtien in a post but could not find the writeup.
I got my workshop manuals for my xmas present this year from Wifey and could not find anything in there that said you need to raise the cab to remove or work on the heads. MOF it is written as an in-vehicle repair. I have built up my sequence list and parts to be replaced while doing it but would like to know if there are any other tricks. I also plan on doing the EGR plate and cleaning of the EGR at the same time.
I don't look at how long anyone is part of any forum. I'm in the same boat. I have been part of the Cummins 4BT community since 1999 and I can post over with a lot of personnal experience to diesel conversion forum sections because I've been involved conversions since 1999 and have done my own diesel work to various degrees since 1978 when I bought my first VW Rabbit.
Oh I like that... Can you describe what engine and drivetrain parameters were adjusted on these tunes?
Right now I'm not very pleased with the stock automatic shift program that is in mine. Going up hills it feels like it shifts into a lower gear way to soon. I will definately be changing that when the SF3 arrives next week if I don't like what the 3 modified tunes are doing with the shifting. Can you describe how your Innovative tunes differ from the three tunes available in the SF3?

I will look after church for the write-up.

I never ran the canned tunes off the SCT, I went straight to the custom ones because of how much better everyone on TDG said they were, and after running them I believe it. I will think a bit more on it today and try to post up some more of the info you are looking for.:U:

SHORT ANSWER: Change the gaskets when you are doing this.

My favorite thing I have seen so far is in diesel power's head stud install they instruct you to wipe off and re-use the head gaskets. :argh::argh::argh::argh::argh:

You can't put head studs in without lifting the cab or pulling the engine. I'd high-school the cab offa there, and put some new gaskets and studs in it while you are there.

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...0123090917.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...0123090918.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...0121091646.jpg

BY THE WAY:
You can't put the passenger side head on the studs with the exhaust manifold on it, the manifold hits the shock mount on early trucks, and the spring tower on the later (coil spring) trucks.

Change those head gaskets
 

Any time that you break the torque on those head bolts you will want to replace the head gaskets. first of all aluminum flexes (as do all metals). Even if you start with the middle bolts and work in cross pattern working your way out the metal will still settle in a different position on the top of that gasket. once this happens the gaskets will not seal as good as before. I would also recommend a use of 30 weight non-detergent motor oil as a thread lube for putting in the new head studs. not so much oil so that the oil fills the hole and creates a hydaulic lock and renders a improper torque value.

The rockerbox is aluminum, but the cylinder head is good ol' cast iron. Just ask my back :D

The idea is right, but the ARP stud kit comes with a package of moly lube that you use on the studs, washers and nuts - IIRC, it states in the instructions something about warranty voiding if you don't use their goop on the nuts. It also suggests for permanent installs to use loctite on the threads that are on the block end of the studs. It might not look like it, but there is just enough lube in those little packets to do all 20 head bolts! LOL

did you ever get them done??