98.5POS

So, there I was, setting up on a job, and a guy walks over and says "is that your truck leaking oil?", and I reply "No way, it couldn't be, my truck has a bullet proof Cummins in it" and the guy says "Should of got a Chevy!". After this brief encounter with a Chevy lover (which I used to be), I walked around to the front of my truck and sure enough there was a 4' trail of oil leading to my truck, ending in a large pool under my truck. OK, I say, no big deal, maybe an oil filter gasket or something little. NOT! I cleaned everthing off, started the truck and observed oil coming out from the front of the engine where the head and block meet! NO FREAKIN' WAY!!

2,000 miles ago I put on a reman head from Cummins, headgasket, and ARP studs. I called my diesel mechanic buddy who helped me do the job to come look at it, he says it's the head gasket, but also said it could be a cracked block!!

My question: Is there a better head gasket out there other than the Cummins replacement? I'm only running 34 pounds of boost, and if that is what blew this gasket then I say what a POS! Help please!

DH

ratsun

What did you do your retorque too? Is there a chance the HG got nicked in the instalation? Just thinkin out loud but studs and that boost level dont usually add up to HG failure?

98.5POS

My buddy that helped me, well more like did it while I watched, is a certified Cummins tech and has his own Cummins. I don't know, I don't remember him saying anything about the head needing to be retorqued, also I read the ARP material that came with the studs and didn't see anything about a retorque. If they need to be then maybe that's what has happened.

CarcajouCummins

Did he bottom tap the holes?

98.5POS

I don't know, is that an essential part of installing studs?

ratsun

Its pretty important when you use o-rings to do a few retorques after some heat cycles as the expansion and contraction tend to sink the o-ring deeper into the fire ring of the gasket in the begining cycles. I dont know how nessasary it is with out o-rings but its just a thought? What did you torque the studs too 125ftlbs?

98.5POS

I believe it was 95 or so with the ARP lube, but 125 with 30w oil. He went with the ARP lube. I was running a stock gasket, would a marine gasket be better? I found Part#'s for the marine gaskets, 12v I believe, are these the same for the 24V? Thanks.

ratsun

I would say the 95ftlbs was your problem.
I do 125ftlbs WITH ARP lube on mine

98.5POS

Then ARP will be paying for my Head gasket redo! They specifically put a lesser number with "their own" lube, how can they do that? Wouldn't they be responsible for it??

98.5POS

When you o ring, do you groove both the head and the block?

dieselfan

o-ring is just the head and firering is head and block, i think.

bigwhite59

when i use the arp bolts/studs on my customers buildups, eventhough they're Gm based gas v-8's. i torque to at least manufacture specs, if it's a boosted motor i'm building, i do 10lbs farther. I also go over the bolts/studs 3 times before going anyfarther, then i have the customers come back after they've gotten about 1000 MI on their motor to retorque. I've learned that from experience on one customer's car, ARP bolts will back out if not retorqued, he had one completely fall out. ARP will just tell you it's the builder's fault.

98.5POS

Thanks, I guess I'll put in another HG and retorque after awhile! So much for having confidence in a product!

John DiMartino

Right,good luck on that one,let me know how you make out.....you mod the truck,you pay.

BigBlue

If you read this site then you would see that studs and retorque are used in the same sentence at almost every mention. I've learned not to listen to what the manufacturer says but rather what the general public says cause the general public knows how to squeeze every last bit of performance out of the product. Also, gaskets have a tendency to compress a little after they heat and cool a couple of times and that compression could definately cause the studs to lose their torque. Not trying to be a smart behind just trying to share my .02.