I recently was told my a machinist that if you don't clean out the block where the head bolts/studs go when you've got the head off.. any coolant that is trapped in there will heat up and blow out the headgasket. Anyone had this problem?

Also, if this is the case, then is it also bad to have 30wt oil down there (even thouugh you're supposed to use 30wt oil or molylube to lube the threads on the studs before r-installation)?

One of the reasons I thought that ARP headstuds were better than stock headbolds (besides the no-stretching-thing) was so you don't have to pull the studs out of the block everytime you want to pull the head. But, if you have to blow compressed air down there (or use q-tips, etc to clean it)... then you have to remove them anyway....

how do you all clean out this area?

 

The threads you are talking about aren't coolant hole threads. The only thing I've ever seen in them is oil. If you are worried about cleaning them out, just a tap and retap them to clean out anything thats in them. Then apply 30wt oil to the threads of the studs/bolts and torque normally.

 

You are correct: they aren't coolatn hole threads. But, I usually end up getting some coolant in there whenever I pull the head.

Where can you buy a tap? Which one will I need? Also, is it something you can use yourself (drill bit or something like that) without a machine shop?

 

There really should be anything in the threads, but if you really want to clean it out, just take one of the bolts/studs to a hardware store or something and find the correct tap size. its probably like a M12 or M10 with a 1.5mm thread or something similar. I don't know for sure though. Then just tap it by hand, and use a drill (very slowly) or a wrench to turn the tap, make sure it goes in smooth though.

Strange that coolant gets in there though, maybe it overflows when you pull the head off. You can always blow it out with air if you had to.

 

Well, I just ended up blowing it out with my air compressor.... and I spraywed it all over the garage... but it seemed to get the coolant out

 

hey thas what the garage walls are for