Advice for rebuilding the head

95ram

95ram

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Oct 6, 2006
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I've got to pull the head due to a blown HG. I plan on orings, studs, and 60 lb VS, what else can/should I do to make it better, ie. valve seals. P&P is out of the question, not enough $$$. Thank for the help.
 
If it were me, I would skip the studs, get new bolts and torque them down to 150lb. I agree with the above that a good vlave job goes along way. I belive when you do the 60lb. and a decent valve job you will be thoroughly impressed.

I know everybody says studs, but It is my opinion that a good set of bolts, that are done right with an oring are just as good. Also my opinion, that alot of head gasket failures could have been prevented if the operator would have let the engine get up to temps before using lots of power.
 
I third the valve job i had mine done an a friend of mine has a flow bench we gained 10 cfm just from a valve job. That doesnt seem all that much but i think it helped a bit
 
Anyone know what to machine the head to for the new springs. I was thinking of buying a upper engine gasket kit, cummins # 4089650, and it has the newer seals.

And this thing is pretty much stock. I've only put about 2K miles on it since buying it and have always let it warm up. I thought about buying some new head bolts, but I'm not sure. They cost half of what I can get a set of ARP's for, but are only supposed to be used once. Granted I'd have to do some machine work for the ARP's, but atleast I could reuse them if I ever had to take the head off again. Or I could get A1's and just grind a little on the valve cover.

This isn't going to be an all out motor. I'm only looking to make 450-500 RWHP. I just don't want to have to ever do the HG again.
 
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Id try to maintain the stock gasket thickness, or if you need to mill the head down, recess the valves to compensate, instead of adding thickness.
Since I did my head gasket and added that .005 in the squish Ive lost 5mpg city and lots of low end. Depends what you use it for. I dont run 5k gov springs but I do run 110lb valve springs already so I could probably do just fine with stock settings in the head.
I could have something else going on that coincides with this change.. so take that with a grain of salt. Have been trying all sorts of ideas with no results so far.
 
I would get something better than 60 lbs springs. I have Hamiltons beehive 165 lbs springs. I wiil never buy a junk set of 60 lbs springs again.
 
If you do the heavy valve springs that -may- be enough extra load on the tappets/lobes to want to run a ZDDP additive as if you had a cam installed.
These motors are vulnerable when you mod the valvetrain, even with the older spec oils.. not enough ZDDP.
 
Well, if I were build a puller or racer I would give it some thought. But I'm not, so I think the 60lb VS will do just fine for a DD as they have for many years.

I'm installing the head right now. I ended up with a ported and oringed head, thanks CSnyder. I'm going to use factory bolts for now. I'm going to try to take them to 135ish with ARP torque lube. I would of probably had it done tonight, but my 4yr old decided to help. He rearranged my rocker pedistals and the damn timing pin didn't want to cooperate. Oh well, whata ya do.
 
I called Garmon today about using the stock head bolts since using the search feature brought up a bunch of useless info and smart ass comments.

He told me that if I'm going to use high temp axle grease fallow factory torque specs and then work up in 5lb increments. Once at 120 IIRC, mark the bolts so you can see if one is moving more than the rest. Let the bolts rest for a while to cool down due to the heat built up from torquing them down. Work your way up to 150lbs.
Apply axle grease to the threads and underside of the bolt head.

I told him I was using ARP torque lube. He said this was a little different because of how slick this stuff is. He said that 125lbs with ARP torque lube is egual to 150lbs with axle grease. Here's what I did and he said he wouldn't have done it any different.

Apply ARP torque lube to the threads and underside of the bolt head. Don't skimp.
60lbs, 80lbs, 90lbs, 100lbs, 110lbs. I let them rest for 5+ min between.
I let it sit over night because I was sick of laying over the top of the motor.
2nd day, 115lbs, 120lbs, 125lbs. This time I let it rest for about and hour between.

I asked him about heat cycles and whether to brake them loose or just check them after a couple heat cycles. He told me to do one heat cycle (operating temp and then cool down over night) and check them at 125lbs. If I was feeling brave I could take them to 130lbs. This is the way he does it and has never had one not torque to what he set it at. After the heat cycle and checking them, forget about them. Do NOT brake them loose and retorque them.

Hope this helps someone if the future. And IMO ARP torque lube is worth the few dollars it cost. I have the 1/2 pint jar and it last a lifetime for $22.
 
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