I just did a search on stud sealers and this came up and answered all my questions except for were do I find the Aviation sealer or the Hylomar?? Help please I am ready to install the heads and was going to use liquid Teflon.

It is by permatex and autozone, napa, pep boys, anyone with have aviation sealer. Comes in a little plastic jar with a integral brush on the cap.

BT

I use the ARP stuff never had a problem.

Thats what I'm going to use when I put my heads back on. The ARP directions say to torque the bolts to the same specs as the recommend for their regular thread lube.

Well if somebody out there is putting "Studs" not bolts in a GM block, with bolt holes that go into the water passages I want to hear about it. I used the Hylomar sealer on one side of the block and my old standby sealer liquid Teflon on the other side torqued the heads on Friday and bolted the intake on on Saturday. Made up a garden hose adapter so I could pressurize the block and little by little water started coming between the nut and the bolts, after about 2 min 85% of them were leaking on both sides. Heads are back off the motor and I am trying to decide what to do now. Somebody please tell me why you can use a bolt that is in not so perfect shape because of being exposed to water, over and over in this case and not have any problems with water, but install brand new ARP studs and use the best sealer you can find and they leak. It makes no sense at all.

Velocity Mark... curious, what pressure are you regulating your water to? City tap water runs between 70 and 80psi, way to high if you didn't have a pressure regulator.

BT

Im sure there are success stories but I have heard nothing but bad things about using head studs on a gm mark 4 block.

Im using a GM block and Vortec Heads. I used NEW GM Headbolts. They have sealer already on them. Do I need to add sealer to the sealant already on them?

BH

Be careful with the ARP bolts (or studs), if you're using them in salt water. I used the ARP head bolts (not stainless) on a 350 chevy. In 10 hours I burned a valve and had to take a head off. I had to use an impact wrench because they were stuck. When I got the bolts out. the ends of the bolts that protruded into the water jackets were gone! It looked like someone was taking the bolt out with an EDM machine from the inside. When I called ARP, and asked them why my stock head bolts had less corrosion after being in the engine 10 years, the guy really didn't give me a clear answer, and started in with some mumbo jumbo about the alloy, and tried to sell me the ultra expensive stainless bolts. So be careful. Just in case someone asks, No I didn't have any electrical problems that ate the bolts up.