stainless exhaust studs in aluminum heads?!

[ourv12]

Im tired of fighting with rusted hardware when working on my exhaust! Im thinking of installing stainless exhaust studs in the heads and use either brass or stainless nuts to secure the headers. Any thoughts on using stainless studs in aluminum? Will that cause a chemical reaction? Should I use antisieze on the studs as well? Thanks!

[Terry Kay]

You can use stainless bolts, nuts & studs.
But that comes along with this warning;
The stainless connector's are more brittle than steel, and will snap with half of the effort of steel if you get too crazy when you tighten them up , or try and remove them.

No adverse effects in the aluminum if you choose to use them.
_________________
T.K.

[ALIKA T3]

I agree,I learnt it the hard way,SS is more brittle than good hardware.

Use copper nuts and anti seize,that helps big time.

Back home,I was also using brass acorn nuts on top to protect the whole thread.
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[BillM]

I would also use copper nuts with high heat anti seize
and doubled the nuts to help keep the exposed threads
protected. Seemed to work while I had it. I no longer
have any stock engines..
_________________
Bill M
87 Westy

[Terry Kay]

You can very well use stainless nuts & washer's on the steel studs--that will help later---
I'd use the hardened bolts & studs--
You can lube the connections as good as you want--with anything you want--anti sieze it all up real good.
However, when it comes time to crank off the connector's to work on the engine again--sometime down the road--you'll find that whatever it was that you applied--will be long gone, and they all will be as tough to remove then, as it is now.

Get a torch--this is the best thing you can use to do exhaust work.
_________________
T.K.

[ourv12]

Im going with stainless studs and copper nuts with plenty of antisieze. That should keep it easy to disassemble in the future.

[gears]

I've used that combo often. You definitely won't need antisieze .. but rather you will need to check that they haven't loosened from time to time.

[Jeff's Old Volks Home]

I've been using stainless hardware for a long time, the issue isn't the studs being brittle exactly, although it is a concern. It's the chemical reaction that creates an acid between the stainless stud and aluminum head/or block. (Ever see a seized bolt in the water-pump housing?) A trick I've learned is to use Pepto-Bismol or Malox liquid antacid as a barrier. I dip the threads just like lock-tight and the problem is solved. As for the nut, copper never-seize is the answer...
Jeff

[insyncro]

I use ARP stainless studs.
Same as the 914 studs.

[Gruppe B]

Does anyone have the part number for the ARP exhaust Studs and ARP 12 pt exhaust nuts?

I'm having trouble with their site.

New heads being installed and want the best...

[djkeev]

[Gruppe B]

I thought that the ARP exhaust studs are hardened and very high strength?

I'm not as worried about rust resistance but more on the quality of the part.

I purchased the $20.00 exhaust hardware kit from VCafe but found the quality only average (nothing wrong with the kit especially for $20.00). Just not what I want to install on new heads and new stainless exhaust.

I consider this to be a very important component of the engine and am willing to spend

Do you have a link to hardened regular exhaust studs and hardware?

[Gruppe B]

Stock Porsche Studs 8mm x 42mm
http://www.autoatlanta.com/Porsche-914-Exhaust-Studs-srch.html

ARP Fasteners 16 studs and 16 - 12pt nuts
8mm x 45mm Part Number 400-8033

The ARP Studs have been ordered, I'll post up some photos when they arrive

[Gruppe B]

Here are the Photos! Better late than never

[Wildthings]

Find exhaust studs off of some newer vehicle, they are apt to be way more corrosion resistant than the stuff you can buy from an autoparts.

[outcaststudios]

Galvanic reactions occur between dissimilar metals, especially steel(stainless or otherwise ,whichever is the more noble will go first) and aluminum.
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[Gruppe B]

[outcaststudios]

also jeff's suggestion upthread about using "pepto bismal" as an anti seize is based on the bismuth(subsylicate) that is contained in that product. bismuth can act as an ionic barrier between the two metals whatever they may be, becasue of what is called the 'oligodynamic affect', this has to do with the metal having a high atomic density and that allows it to transfer ions between itself and the less noble of the two metals in any given situation, instead of the normal affect of the galvanic reaction which would be to dissolve the anodic metal.
_________________
'88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791

[outcaststudios]

gruppeb

-good thing! aluminum exhaust studs wouldnt be very good! i would use steel and use a protective coating over them to block the galvanic reaction, even that brown shellac based gasket material would work.
_________________
'88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791

[Gruppe B]