How do I check headstuds

[SCadaddle]

Originally Posted by mr911er

I thought Dilavar was non-magnetic?

The Dilavar studs are non-magnetic. However, the barrel nuts on the end of the stud are quite magnetic, and your pick-up tool is going to contact the nut before the stud.

[mpetry]

When I check them using my Snap On torque wrench, click type, they "ring" a little bit when the wrench clicks indicating proper torque (23-24 ft/lb)

Ping !

If they twist and do not hold torque, they are probably bad :-)

[5String43]

Is your car making the telltale "playing-card-in-bicycle-spokes" noise? If it is not, you might be OK. My car, an '82, was making that noise. The resulting "while-you're-in-there" tab was far north of the $3,000 you mention. Good luck with this. It's way to easy to spend lots of money on these things.

[mr911er]

Originally Posted by 5String43

Is your car making the telltale "playing-card-in-bicycle-spokes" noise? If it is not, you might be OK. My car, an '82, was making that noise. The resulting "while-you're-in-there" tab was far north of the $3,000 you mention. Good luck with this. It's way to easy to spend lots of money on these things.

I havent noticed the sound, so I am hoping they are ok - but need to know for peace of mind and to prioritise what to do with the car. If they're ok I can put it off for a few years...

btw UK here, so I was thinking £ - even so probably more....

[theFONZ]

Quote de mr911er

+1

How did I know they were failing?



Simply because due to the one broken stud that fell out when we removed the lower left valve cover, and noting the regular hex head nut on the stud adjacent to that one....which made perfectly good sense seeing as how we found the starter attached to the transmission with not one but two barrel nuts, and furthermore intrigued by finding a valve keeper collet next to the screen on the oil sump plate (which we removed to have a look around while changing the oil) I decided to tear the engine down to replace all the dilivar studs. Once you get the cylinders off, it was pretty apparent as per the photos.



In the words of the Late Great Harry Pellow: "I have found the mark of the turkey", and to quote Walter Sobchak "Smokey, my friend, you are entering a world of pain."

Ahhh, that makes sense. For some reason I was under the impression you knew those were failing before removal.

Thanks!

[rs6er]

When I went to try my first valve adjustment, I discovered 7!!! broken studs. Previously did not hear bicycle spoke sound and car ran— not as well as after the rebuild by Dan Jacobs though.

[suprxman]

rs6er
7 broken dilivar studs arent too bad. I just found all 12 of the dilivar studs on my 80 sc were broken.
Is this rare?

[theiceman]

wow all 12 ? did you have performance issues or just get the car ? I cant belive you could drive that thing without noticing having 12 broken studs. i would be worried about corrosive exhaust gasses escaping betwen the cylinder and head and doing serious damage ..