So I guess that sound I hear of shreaded aluminum cans in my muffler isn't a head stud issue, but a muffler issue?

Man that SS muffler that woulda bolted right up to my SC that just sold on the classifieds thread for $400 is looking good now....

I've learned alot simply by starting this thread. I'm still interested in P-Car ownership though. I'm not scared off...yet!

Thanks for the information.

Gene DiGennaro
Baltimore, Md.

I agree that mileage has nothing to do with breakage. Lack of might though. I broke the studs in my SC in 92, and on my carrera in 03. In the case of the SC, it happened right after I bought it. On the carrera, same thing. One day after I bought it. Both were from south Florida where they saw a lot of rain and humidity. Both were not driven very much. Both probably sat in humid garages with the usual condensation. Or probably outside. And both were not driven very hard. After all, it was not bad luck which caused me to break studs on both cars within one week of purchase. This was due to the introduction of a brazilian driver of italian descent to vehicles with weak, corroded studs. I replaced the SC's studs with dilavar in 92 and they are still going strong. Oh, oh, where is that wood? But the car has been driven almost daily since then. And since 97 it has been in Arizona. Another thing I have noticed is that the guys I knew in Florida replaced a lot more studs than the guys here in Arizona do. After all, my sister's Arizona 84 is still on the original studs and has much higher mileage than my 88. Not only that, my 88 had studs done before I broke them. From bad guides or a stud break, I will never know.

Bottom line is:
-Humidity is bad for studs
-Salt is bad for studs
-Lack of driving is bad for studs
-SC's and Carreras both break studs

And while rain is unavoidable, especially in the east, driving often can remedy that. Certainly driving hard the day after putting the car away wet can get rid of condensation.

Nobody should be scared off by these stud breakages. In my own case, regardless of the stud breakages, I still find these cars to be the most durable I have owned. By far. Besides, if they break, chances are they will not break again for a long, long, time. Hence, my rule of thumb when it comes to 911 ownership. Never, ever, buy a 911 for the short term. Because if the car is not kept for long periods, one will never reap the rewards of extreme durability after costly repairs. Not to mention lack of depreciation.

Not counting the cost of special tools (which can be re-sold), it cost me around $500 to replace all 12 lower studs.
I spent more on things i did just because I was in there, but they were not necessary at the time.
My point? If you are handy and can read and follow directions, you can replace your own head studs without too much problem or $$$$.