texas69bee
Well-Known Member
Has anyone had a problem with the arp studs being to long and hitting the rear of the oil pan on a 383? Cap #5
what i've found using the arp studs is: they are slightly larger in diameter vs the stock bolts and that limits getting proper end play on the crank at the #3 cap; secondly they have a wobble in them and if the studs are not put back in the same location each time after honing, or bearing changes, they will change the location of the caps. moving the caps around a couple of thousands, which is possible, can really mess up the bearing /journal relationship. i've found this stuff out the hard way. if the bolt holes in the caps are opened .005"-.010" all these problems go away along with the necessity of align hone. i use the studs but i'm not convinced they always make sense. people think they strengthen the bottom end up but this is total nonsense. the weak point is the cap itself.It was align honed with the arp studs, would it be ok to go back to the stock bolts? Or should I check the clearance all over again.
the additional clamping force will change the bore I.D. in the vertical a few ten thousandths. a person really needs to use a dail bore gauge to check out the before and after differences. always check the shops align hone. sometimes it's a nightmare.You will need to align hone anytime studs are used, no getting around it as they provide more clamping force than a bolt!