Can heads and studs be replaced with motor in car?

[YellowDodge67]

Looking to replace my head gaskets and install head studs on my wagon. Can the cylinder heads be removed and re-installed with head studs with the engine in the car? It looks like it may be tight. Can the heads be set in place and the studs be threaded into the block afterwards? 440 in a 67 Coronet.

 

[747mopar]

Yes and yes.

 

[YellowDodge67]

Yes and yes.

Thanks, I was going to pull the engine out to do it "right" but I just don't have the room to pull everything apart right now.

 

[beanhead]

Biggest hassle in my opinion anyway is pulling out the headers, if you have them..

 

[YellowDodge67]

Biggest hassle in my opinion anyway is pulling out the headers, if you have them..

They're forward facing turbo manifolds and luckily they aren't too bad to get off.

 

[747mopar]

They're forward facing turbo manifolds and luckily they aren't too bad to get off.

Now you've got my attention, a turbocharged Wagon!

 

[fbs63]

ARP head studs have a 3/16" hex broached in the end so you can set the heads and put the studs in after.

 

[YellowDodge67]

ARP head studs have a 3/16" hex broached in the end so you can set the heads and put the studs in after.

That's what I was thinking, I've seen the diesel guys do it that way.

 

[YellowDodge67]

Now you've got my attention, a turbocharged Wagon!

 

[YellowDodge67]

Now you've got my attention, a turbocharged Wagon!

 

[Grabbergreendream]

No wonder it needs head gaskets, lol!
Nice ride! Bet its a blast to drive!

 

[YellowDodge67]

No wonder it needs head gaskets, lol!
Nice ride! Bet its a blast to drive!

It gets some looks lol

 

[zyzzyx]

Jeez, That looks fantastic! Uh, back to the head studs. If you're using ARP head studs to seal
the heads better and take advantage of the higher torque numbers you can get to, are you
forgetting that the added torque will distort the tops of the cylinders even more? The cylinders
should be honed with a torque plate installed on the engine at the specified torque of the studs.
I'm guessing around 110 lbs/ft. If you're running anything over 12lbs of boost I would think
O-ringed block would work great and never fail you. You've done a lot of nice work there!

 

[YellowDodge67]

Jeez, That looks fantastic! Uh, back to the head studs. If you're using ARP head studs to seal
the heads better and take advantage of the higher torque numbers you can get to, are you
forgetting that the added torque will distort the tops of the cylinders even more? The cylinders
should be honed with a torque plate installed on the engine at the specified torque of the studs.
I'm guessing around 110 lbs/ft. If you're running anything over 12lbs of boost I would think
O-ringed block would work great and never fail you. You've done a lot of nice work there!

The head gaskets and studs are more of a temporary fix. I'm not running high levels of boost because the motor is stock. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure I had a waste-gate issue and blew the stock head gaskets out. New motor is still in the works and I don't have the finances to complete it the way I want to right now, so instead of half-assing the new one, I'm trying to keep this engine alive so I can still drive it around and enjoy it, even at low boost.

 

[Grabinov911]

Man I love the wiring project! You're speakin' my language!!

 

[dvw]

Too much timing will kill small block head gaskets. Where did it blow out at? We've run 21lbs on small block with Cometics and studs no issue. Only 21 degrees total.
Doug

 

[YellowDodge67]

Too much timing will kill small block head gaskets. Where did it blow out at? We've run 21lbs on small block with Cometics and studs no issue. Only 21 degrees total.
Doug

I'm not sure where it is blown out. Just seems to be pushing coolant, smoking some and overheating quickly. Can you run cometics without refinishing the head and deck surface? I thought I was told cometics require a super smooth finish ( I could definitely be wrong lol)

 

[MarPar]

 

[dvw]

I'm not sure where it is blown out. Just seems to be pushing coolant, smoking some and overheating quickly. Can you run cometics without refinishing the head and deck surface? I thought I was told cometics require a super smooth finish ( I could definitely be wrong lol)

Yes Cometic use a smooth finish. I had good luck with Felpro after learning about the timing with my roots blown Volare. With proper timing and studs 13psi was not an issue. However it never steamed or lost water when it blew a gasket from detonation. Either between cylinders 3 and 5 or at the top of #5 into the valley. When it was in the valley it would pull oil and smoke. My sons turbo car at 21psi has never hurt a gasket (Cometic and studs).
Doug

 

[YellowDodge67]

Yes Cometic use a smooth finish. I had good luck with Felpro after learning about the timing with my roots blown Volare. With proper timing and studs 13psi was not an issue. However it never steamed or lost water when it blew a gasket from detonation. Either between cylinders 3 and 5 or at the top of #5 into the valley. When it was in the valley it would pull oil and smoke. My sons turbo car at 21psi has never hurt a gasket (Cometic and studs).
Doug

I'm not pulling the motor to get decked with a smooth finish, so cometics wouldn't work for me right? And if I used one with a factory compressed thickness I shouldn't have any problems with my pushrods right?