ARP2000 ALH Head Stud Install (trying to stop a coolant leak)

If you are replacing the head gasket, the correct way to do it is the way explained with the provided paperwork. I only did mine differently because I wasn't replacing the head gasket.

As for me, still no coolant leaked!

thanks for the update Dave.

As an update; although swapping the head bolts for the ARP2000 studs was a great band-aid for quite long-term head gasket leakage, my timing belt ended up snapping due to an unrelated issue (installer put a chinese belt on), so I ended up replacing the head and gasket in the time since this thread.

Glad to hear the ARP2000 headstuds held up.

No complaints here with my set. :>)

Sorry to hear of your mis-hap. :>(

df

arent you supposed to back of the studs a bit before tightening everything? i've heard that if the stud is bottomed out when tightened, only the last 2 threads are the one's holding. if you back off the stud a bit before tightening, all the threads in the head are holding instead of just two... anyone else heard of this?

Never heard that.

I installed the studs with an appropriate wrench by hand. Then I torqued the nut to spec in three stages.

df

blu_jet_92 said:

arent you supposed to back of the studs a bit before tightening everything? i've heard that if the stud is bottomed out when tightened, only the last 2 threads are the one's holding. if you back off the stud a bit before tightening, all the threads in the head are holding instead of just two... anyone else heard of this?

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Where did you hear that?

Every bit of documentation I've ever seen anywhere about head studs require the studs to be bottomed out in the block.. I've installed a ton of them over the years in high performance applications and every single one of them said to bottom the studs.. Some give you a torque spec for the stud in the block too..

My buddy who installs a lot of performance Duramax heads told me that all the ARP instructions for those heads have them back off the studs before installing them.

Well, maybe on a Duramax, I don't know.

A TDI is a totally different beast (or can be if it's modded right, lol!)

df

Wow that is just like a cummins the cummins can slightly lift the head and then reseal some times. Wierd.

I have to admit this job is tempting me. My 1Z pressures up and holds it in the coolant bubble overnight. On hot days with the AC on and several hours at 75 mph it will push out some coolant too, so I have probabaly had a HG leak for at least 6 mos.

You guys that have done this.. R&R each bolt/stud in the normal torque sequence in 3 stages to 125 lb/ft?

Yes. But it didn't help in my case either.

I fugure it's easy to try, and if (when) I do the HG, I'd opt for those studs anyway. Can't hut anything except my wallet I guess.

That's the reason I'm running them as well.

Yblocker said:

You guys that have done this.. R&R each bolt/stud in the normal torque sequence in 3 stages to 125 lb/ft?

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That's what I did. Great thing is, these studs are re-usable. So, if you ever want to use them on a different engine, you could.

Abacus said:

Yes. But it didn't help in my case either.

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Dave's problem was not the studs not holding. He had a timing belt failure.

The studs did there job and still would be, if the tb failure didn't ruin his cylinder head.

I'd much rather try the stud than do the head gasket. If the studs don't work, then you have a major problem. Meaning the head would have to be shaved and trued, and the difference made up with the proper thicker gasket.

df

I don't think you understand, I was also trying the head studs to alleviate a head gasket leak. For some people it worked, but it did not for me and I had to change the head gasket.

^^^ Fair enough.

To me, your post read like Dave's studs failed, that's all.

I believe your case is the only one I've heard of that didn't fix the coolant seeping issue. At least someone who doesn't "track" their TDI.

I do remember ToTheMax tried the studs and it worked. He runs his on Track Days. I don't remember if he had an issue with the studs after he installed them.

df

Well I've pretty much decided to try it. I should have the parts by mid next week. Abacus- When you subsequently pulled yours apart, was there a breech in the gasket or was the head just not flat anymore?

And another thing.....
After reaching operating temp,the cooling system will stay pressured up for hours- even overnight like 15 hours or so. Seems like a leak like that would have to be pretty small for it not to leak down overnight. The pressure depresses the coolant level so that when the cap is cracked open allowing the pressure to release, the level rises to the line again. Sound familiar?

Neither. I couldn't find the leak and the head was fine. It wasn't losing a ton of coolant but it would dump some when I pushed it hard.

Head lifting? But your new gasket solved it...

Possibly, I honestly don't know. But if the ARP studs didn't cure it, I doubt the head was lifting. I think the leak was just small enough to be a nuisance.

Digging up bones here.....

I had a lifter let go in my 2002 ALH Jetta in Aug 13. I had to have the head sent off to Frank Irving for service. I replaced the HG, Upgraded the cam, got new head bolts and went ahead and put a new timing belt on. Everything worked great until this month. I notice my coolant light comes on now and then. I got to refill it to max and all is good. Now lately the car has a hard crank sometimes. Just got a new Batt (Last week) so i know its not that. Today the car would crank to a point and just stop. Im guess its got coolant on the piston and its hydrolocking. Its sat for a few days.

Im going to pull the injectors tomorrow and clear the cyls and see if it cranks and discharges any water/coolant. If it does im going to order a set of ARP's and see if that helps my issue. I know my head was level when i got it back. I know Frank does good work. Might as well try before i pull the head again. It wasnt that bad of a job but i dont want to do it if i dont have to. Ill post up results when i get em.

Thanks all for all the feed back on this thread.

Well my studs didnt stop the leak and now (After sitting for a few days) tried to crank only to bust 2 to 3 teeth off my flywheel after the pistons locked up:



It was only under starter power but now the tranny has to come out to replace the starter ring gear.....and prob go ahead and do a compression test. I tired to roll the engine by hand and its locked....don't know why....maybe a tooth got pinned. Either way i need more time and access to the crank/balancer.

SO now i get to pull the head an now the trans....and maybe looking at an engine rebuild. Getting my money's worth on this project......

pull the glow plugs and see if you can turn it.

TDIJetta99 said:

pull the glow plugs and see if you can turn it.

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Already out. Can't get it to move. Going to spend some more time on monday looking at it. I was too frustrated to think last night.

I just started the APR stud install on my 1999 Beetle. Had a very faint smell of coolant on my first big road trip in the car. Hoping this will solve my little leak. Makes me laugh that I have to do this to a tiny 1.9L diesel and many guys with Cummins 5.9 can handle huge programmer power, water meth injecton and big exhaust no leaks no issues...

Thanks for this thread.

God bless...
Mark

m_mcgranahan said:

Makes me laugh that I have to do this to a tiny 1.9L diesel and many guys with Cummins 5.9 can handle huge programmer power, water meth injecton and big exhaust no leaks no issues...

Thanks for this thread.

God bless...
Mark

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Two major differences being that not only does the cummins use and iron cyl head but it also has 6 head bolts per cyl.

m_mcgranahan said:

I just started the APR stud install on my 1999 Beetle. Had a very faint smell of coolant on my first big road trip in the car. Hoping this will solve my little leak. Makes me laugh that I have to do this to a tiny 1.9L diesel and many guys with Cummins 5.9 can handle huge programmer power, water meth injecton and big exhaust no leaks no issues...

Thanks for this thread.

God bless...
Mark

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Smell of coolant in the car? That could be the heater core going. When my HG went it was pressurizing all the coolant system and blew my heater core too. Thats a fun job.