Head stud's or 10.9 head bolt's?

[Aaron Powell]

I'm putting new heads on my 94 3oh. I know they have issues blowing head gaskets at times. If I can avoid the possibility, I will. I was looking at Tom Morana's site and there's 10.9 head bolts and arp studs. Does anybody have experience with them or what will work just fine to help avoid blowing a head gasket?

She's used to pull and gets stressed out a lot, so I don't want her blowing her top as easily.

 

[RonD]

Never read about the 3.0l having head gasket issues, 2.9l and 4.0l liked to crack heads if overheated

1991 thru 1998 3.0l didn't use TTY head bolts, so used torque specs like this
Torque to 59 lb-ft
back off 1 turn
Torque to 37 lb-ft
Torque to 68 lb-ft
done


1999 and up did use TTY bolts and they were longer bolts
Torque to 37 lb-ft
back off 1 turn
Torque to 22 lb-ft
Turn 90 degrees additional
Turn 90 degrees additional a 2nd time
Done

So don't use the longer TTY bolts in the 1994 block

And don't exceed the 68lb/ft, well 70 is fine, lol, or you will crush the gasket

Any engine will blow a head gasket if overheated too much
Metal expands when heated
The head gasket maintains the cylinder seals with a softer metal ring
It can absorb the head metals expansions and contractions when engine is heated and cooled in normal operating temp ranges
If the engine overheats the head metal expands more, and it can't go up so it goes down and that crushes the metal rings between head and block, and you get a head gasket leak
So this is TOTALLY in your control, you have a temp gauge, and you can maintain cooling system, so......................

3.0l does run 9.3:1 compression ratio, so can get pingy if fuel is lower than 87octane or EGR system is not up to scratch
Pinging causes piston and head damage, and ALSO eats away at the softer metal rings in the head gasket
So keep an ear out for pinging/knocking and BACK OFF the throttle if you hear it

 

[Aaron Powell]

I understand all of that, I know how it all works, I've just seen a few things about them blowing head gaskets and was told it's common so I wanted to try and prevent it before it happened if it was in fact a common occurrence

 

[Aaron Powell]

Another note. My truck is a 94 B3000 and came with no EGR. I don't use 87 fuel in any of my shit, I use 89 so I'm guaranteed to get the 87or more but I don't use 91, because it's a waste of money/fuel.

 

[Blmpkn]

RonD is the ranger messiah, if he doesn't think the 3.0 has head gasket issues.... it doesn't have head gasket issues.

Factory head fasteners will be fine unless your building a race motor.. which morana specializes in I feel like.

 

[RonD]

Thanks for that comment but I am certainly not the last word on the 3.0l or any engine

I just haven't seen or read about 3.0l Vulcan engines having head gasket issues as a "common issue", any engine will get a blown head gasket if overheated
And engine's overheating is a common issue if cooling system is not serviced

Studs are certainly better than bolts when it comes to most fasteners
In the case of head bolts a stud allows more accurate torque specs because the stud is not turning, like a bolt must, when tightening, so torque spec at the stud nut is what you are reading/setting, so more accurate
This means you need to seat the studs first, so they are tight in the block, so they won't turn as you tighten the nut
Studs are also more reusable, which is why racers prefer them, heads are often removed and reinstalled more often on racing engines

Studs also require more clearance to place a head on the block, so check that, the rear studs on a "V" engine can prevent you from putting the head on because of firewall, steering shaft and AC/heater box clearance
You need to measure the length of the set stud + height of the head to get clearance needed

 

[Aaron Powell]

Another question for you @RonD . I've heard, and I'm currently experiencing, that the 3oh sinks Exhaust valve seats. I've had a few machinists tell me that. Is there any way to avoid that problem/ issue in the future?

 

[RonD]

That was only 2004 to 2006 3.0ls, there was a bad batch of valve seats used at the engine assembly plants

But any engine that uses compression ratios above 9.0:1 will have a higher incident of burnt exhaust valves
3.0l uses 9.3:1 ratio, this makes it "pingy" on 87 octane gasoline IF..............you get carbon build up in cylinders or EGR issues
So totally in YOUR control

Exhaust valves leak/burn for a variety of reasons and ALL engines that use valves can/will have that issue if they stay running long enough, lol

 

[Aaron Powell]

Well when I pulled the heads about 2 years ago, the valve seats for the Exhaust were sunk. I needed the truck the next day so I bought new valves and lapped them for like 30 minutes each just to get them to barely touch one side while the other side was seated within seconds.

It's bad enough when cold there's a raw fuel smell from the exhaust and I cannot run the truck with the MAF plugged in. I've replaced it and warrantied it out 5 times, checked ground, checked power and signal and ohmed the wires and checked pins. On a leak down test, at 90 psi, it leaks through the exhaust only holding roughly 50%.

I ordered new heads which will hopefully be in today.