Im doing a Cometic Headgasket on my S14 SR20 motor, I have bought the ARP stud kit and have had mixed advice on install. I searched but could not find a answer. Any help would be appreciated. First time doing head off on SR

1. Been told to hand tighten the studs with no lube and head off, Then add the nuts and torque them down to 75lbs with the head back on using factory seq.
2. Been told to Torque the studs down using and allen key and torgue wrench before installing the head and then intsall the head with lube and re torque the fasteners factory seq to 75lbs.
This is not something im familiar with and I dont want to mess this up being that it is critical. I will also be installing the new cams, rocker arm stoppers, and re timing the car if anyone has any advice just for the heck of it...
PS, I was told I can keep the VVT with 264 step 2 cams. ?? any truth to this

 

1. Put grease on head studs
2. Finger tighten
3. Take it back out
4. Put more grease
5. Finger tighten back in
6. Get allen wrench, tighten maybe a 1/4 turn after finger tighten
7. Put head on
8. Put grease on washers
9. Put grease on the inside of nuts
10. Put on
11. Tq starting at 45lbs from the inside out
12. Go up every 10lbs to 75lbs

 

Great step by step, I will do that in like 30 minutes...thanks alot

 

That's the way we have been doing it. We have done 2 heads like this with NO problems.

As for the step 2 cams, your head has springs? The stock springs are not sufficent for the step 2s.

 

make sure to re torque them after about 1000mi. i used 264 step 2's on my s13 with stock springs and have had no problems after countless hours of high rpm drifting

 

264 step 2's will float after like 7000 rpm on stock sr valve springs, you have to have had step 1s

 

here's how XAT told me to do it:
1. Put grease on head studs
2. Finger tighten
3. Take it back out
4. Put more grease
5. Finger tighten back in
6. Get allen wrench, tighten maybe a 1/4 turn after finger tighten
7. Put head on
8. torque to 30-60, untighten, 30-60-75-85
9. Put grease on the inside of nuts
10. Put on
11. Tq starting at 45lbs from the inside out
12. Go up every 10lbs to 75lbs

Just thought i'd throw in that step #8 since it wasnt in there

 

Ok, well I torqued the head down, Following the FSM order with the 75 ft/lbs being the final result. Im now adding the rocker arm stoppers and lubing the valvetrain along the way. Hoping for this to be complete sometime tonight. I will be doing the timing very soon after the cams get added. Thanks for all the help.

 

I have read that one of the ARP stud's are not threaded right and may come off. You may want to look into the greddy head studs.

 

I have researched and talked with many of the big 240sx guys, Entalpy, Ken, Taylor, They all recommend ARP, Thanks for the advice though.