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Oil pan studding - what studs?

440beep

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I'm thinking about going from bolts to studs for attaching the oil pan/windage tray to my 440. I've seen several people mention they've used studs, but no mention of a kit or anything. The oil pan bolts are 5/16-18 but can't seem to find anything. ARP makes an oil pan stud kit for a Ford 302/351 and stud specs are 3/8 12pt 5/16.

The Official ARP Web Site | Kits

In the past my oil pan bolts would loosen up and just thinking now with the motor out should I swap over to studs. What have people used for studding the oil pan, and do you still like it. What kit did you use please.
 
Studs will make it a bunch harder to pull the pan in the car, if you need to. However, if you want to do it, I would simply go to a decent hardware store and get some 5/16 set screws in the right length. Use the Allen head ones (they are grade eight, though you won't need that in an oil pan stud), loctite em in place. Add nuts, done.(a bunch cheaper than an arp set, if they did make em)
 
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Go to the hardware store and buy set screws the length you need and nuts. If you can you might want to try nylon lock nuts but you'll need to Loctite the studs.
 

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I have mine studed. So much easier with two gaskets, the windage tray and the oil pan. It all just drops on and tighten the nuts. In fact just about my whole entire engine is studed.

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Did you get the Milodon set or ARP? The ARP sets use for KB blocks, so that put me off.
I bought the milodon because they were $40 cheaper, and I figured milodon is a good brand. I haven’t installed them yet though, unfortunately I’m making very slow progress on my build
 
I didn’t think of that. Will these be full threads, and I twist them in until they bottom out? And how is the timing chain cover studs done since those don’t bottom out?

Go to the hardware store and buy set screws the length you need and nuts. If you can you might want to try nylon lock nuts but you'll need to Loctite the studs.
 
I didn’t think of that. Will these be full threads, and I twist them in until they bottom out? And how is the timing chain cover studs done since those don’t bottom out?
Don't remember did it 20 years ago. Probably put cover on put studs in cover with studs hex facing out. When tightening allen wrench to hold stud. Could put a drop of purple maybe blue loctite in the timing cover, might want to do them all. I'd bottom them out. You might want a bottom tap, just don't Break it.
 
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Did you get the Milodon set or ARP? The ARP sets use for KB blocks, so that put me off.
Read the listing more carefully. Mopar big block comma KB hemi. Meaning for regular big blocks, and ALSO the KB block. Hardware store set screws will work as well as the ARP kit..... for about a quarter of the money.
 
I didn’t think of that. Will these be full threads, and I twist them in until they bottom out? And how is the timing chain cover studs done since those don’t bottom out?
Thats how I do mine. In a blind hole, a drop of loctite, and bottom the set screw.
For a through hole that I want to stud, I find out how far into the hole I want it, then bugger a thread with a cold chisel so it won't go in too far, then loctite in place. Easy.
You can stud the front cover, the water pump, oil pan, valve covers, even the block/bellhousing/trans with grade eight set screws.
 
I have some kits.... I thought i got them from Mancini. They are Mopar OEM, obviously for some other later model or jeep application, but they fit great, even with a windage tray and two gaskets, but they are NOT super long, and they have rounded ends and shouldered anti loosening nuts. I'll look for the part number here in a bit.... For install, 33_Imp's instructions in the above post look to be very sane!! I also use the Loc-tite to keep them from backing out of the block....
 
If the stud kit doesn’t say how much to torque to, do you torque to the factory spec for factory bolts? Doesn’t seem right, so what to do? Do I find the ARP stud kit specs and use that?
 
I found my studs on Amazon. They are automotive grade. You have to buy nuts and washers seperate, but I just ordered ARP from summit.

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I found my studs on Amazon. They are automotive grade. You have to buy nuts and washers seperate, but I just ordered ARP from summit.

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If you are buying those for an oil pan, I don't think they will work. They are too long for one thing (not really a problem), but the shoulder between the fine thread and the coarse thread looks to be too long too. I think you will run out of fine thread before the pan tightens up.
 
I bought the Milodon studs and were a perfect fit

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