Nice pic and a question
 

Firstly, a little Pelican Parts commercial with a pic of my darling 4 year old holding my latest purchase and takin' my sticker....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...alve cover.jpg

Next a question....

My engine is now "on the floor" at my mechanic getting a new clutch plate, oil thermo oil ring and hoses replaced, and as many other leaky oily things he can get to....great!

The bad news, he's reasonably sure I have one broken head stud one of the middle cylinders, compression is good, no popping, sounds etc but the leak from that area is pretty telling....He's not pressuring me to fix this right now knowing that a $3K top end is not in the budget and claims he knows of SC's that go years with a broken stud...so if you have had this issue (which he assures me most SC guys will or have had)
1) How long did you go before fixing?
2) What is a realistic cost?
3) Did you also do valves, pistons, cylinders while you were doing the top end?

The saga continues...
Adam

call me crazy but this is what i did. i had 1 stud on #6 broken. i continued driving it untill it started to leak oil from the cylinder base.
i had a local shop replace just the stud and all the usual oil leak prevention measures. its been ok for over 12K. just did a valve adjustment and checked the new stud myself. i guess it would depend on the condition of the rest of the motor if a fix like the one i did would be right for you.

if i ever break another stud (more like when) im gonna rebuild this baby myself

Please excuse if this is an ignorant question, but, could you not pull the jug with the broken stud and replace just that one? That's something I've wondered for a while now.

BTW, very cute baby girl!!!

Good question and one I plan on asking as I examine my engine on the floor tomorrow....I'll certainly update the board with his answer and post of few gratuitous pics of my exhumed motor knowing that everyone likes pics anyway....

hmmm, thats what i had done

I agree with Jason, if you not racing...and the small oil leaks don't bother you...I read somewhere three studs will hold...let something else determin if you need a overhaul or not.

Yikes!!
I was faced with the exact same senario (broken stud) but motor was running fine. 3 opinions - all the same. Posted on this board too, yep, I had a broken stud. ????????????? Crap X 2 for me. Every penney I spend on man toys, my wife gets an equal amount for women toys. She's got quite a little stash since I've bought my car :)

I did alot of research Adam, more than most would I'm sure? I was told driving your car like this is much like driving around with a loaded hand grenade? My thoughts were "what if this thing drives great until the worst opportune time, like the middle of summer, during a Pcar vacation. Then goes. I'll lose all my best driving season?"

Probably in New Jersey, like here, we don't get to drive our cars all year round and I wasn't about to take this chance. Fortunately, the funds were available and I rebuilt the engine completely and it will be going back on the road this weekend :).

I needed the chain tensioner upgrade anyway. I did a few mods to make my 2.7 put out 210 HP. I did all the upgrades I could figure out, which included case savers, new studs and inserts, chain tensioners, turbo valve covers (I see you have already), later style oil pump, new valves and guides. I also installed new bearings, pistons & cylinders, had the block and head machined to adjust the deck height to 9.5 compression and reground the cams to SC spec.

I don't have all my costs yet, but I'm in over $5000.00

Keep in mind I needed a mechanics assistance for this work and availability of a good mechanic had alot to do with the decision too.

As a father of 5, I must add that your daughter is a real sweetheart! Kiss and hug her as much as you can because they don't stay that size for long!

All the best, look forward to hearing how you make out?

Adam: What is the mileage? Just curious: Do you have MAHLE Piston&Cylinders? Or KS? How did you determine the broken stud? Did you, or the mechanic, re-torque the nut?

In order to pull the jug with the broken stud you have to remove the cam tower and chain on that side of the engine, if you are into it this far it is not a big deal to remove 2 more heads and jugs and replace all the lower studs on that side.

As far as running with one broken head stud if funds are scarce at this time I would run with the single broken head stud on that cylinder. Many have done this knowingly and unknowingly.
All that has to be done is pull off the vavle cover to examine if the head studs are broken.

Start saving now for a top end rebuild figure about 2,500 - 3000
to replace all the lower studs and rebuild the heads....
Of course at some future point do it yourself and save $$$

Paid a visit this morning, forgot my camera so no pics sorry...not much to see but a heck of a lot of oil anyway....
The major oil leak that was dropping puddle loads was definitely attibuted to a leaky o-ring and the main engine seal (is this what its called, behind the clutch?).
Also putting a new clutch plate and bearing in (I thought the 911 clutch was supposed to be that stiff....)
In terms of the stud, he can't be 100% sure unless we pull the valve covers and fully examine, the car was just fully tuned this past fall with all new gaskets, wire set, etc and compression was good back then, his issue is that it doesn't make a lot of sense spending the time and $ getting at the one stud when the car's running fine and I 'aint got the cash for a top end right now....He's seen them run 10 years with a bad stud...not that I'll let it go that long, started saving my pennies.....
Aren't 911's fun....

My 2 daughters do the same thing with my Pelican stickers...last one I got now is on my oldest daughters chairs, now my 2-yr-old wants one...I think Waynes marketing people have hidden messages in the sticker b/c they keep asking for 'em... :)

Why do stickers need to go straight on the clothing....can't tell you how many hours I've spent picking them off after a run throught the washing machine@!#$#$%^

Oh and the turbo covers didn't even go on this time b/c the exisitng don't leak a drop and he didn't want me to have to spend the money on new gaskets etc if I didn't need to, next valve adjustment they go on, what a guy.....