Doing head studs one at a time

[tuckman]

Friends 07 f350 just had a new short block put in and they wouldn't install arp's under warranty. So we are getting arp's and gonna do them one by one.
For those that have done it, am I going to have to pull the heater box out on the passenger side to get the studs in. If so how many does it block from being put in?
We will be in there for injectors, egr delete, turbo swap, banjo's, fuel spring kit and a ficm. So I am guessing that it wouldn't take much longer to pull that box out...would it? The A/C system needed to be recharged anyways, so I don't think there is much refrigerant in there anyways.

Any tips or pointers on pulling the box? I have done 5 sets of injectors, 3 turbo swaps and 1 egr delete. So I know my way around under the hood but have never pulled the box out.

[the06wildebeast]

Not to get off topic but have you ever done the one by one before? I'm curious how well it works.

[tuckman]

Originally Posted by the06wildebeast

Not to get off topic but have you ever done the one by one before? I'm curious how well it works.

From all of the threads I have looked at in the past year. I would only recommend doing it if your head gaskets were done recently. Some guys get lucky but there has been a few failures doing one at a time with old gaskets.


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[2003kingranch]

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[Dave]

Removing the heater box wont help. If you want to do it while the cabs on and motors in the truck you have to smash the firewall.

[tuckman]

Originally Posted by Dave

Removing the heater box wont help. If you want to do it while the cabs on and motors in the truck you have to smash the firewall.

How bad to get the bolts out and new studs in?


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[Dave]

I wouldnt do it.

[tuckman]

I dont have the room to pull the cab, so how much "massaging" does it take to do the head gaskets with cab on?

[tuckman]

I have heard of guys lifting one side of the cab at a time to get extra clearance, I may do that. I am still thinking of one at a time, they were just put on last week.

[side2002]

judging by the things ive done, it would be a lot. if you know your way around the engine bay, you know how tight it is. . .ford made it "easy" (always find that funny, seein as how its nearly impossible for anyone without a lift of one form or another) to pull the cab for a reason. i've gotten away with leavin the cab on the truck, pivoting off the rear cab mounts and lifting the front only, but ive never had to do extensive work this way. its the only way i see it happenin without a lift though, unless you spent a weekend devising some sort of cab lifting device (or a series of devices) with redneck ingenuity.

there shouldnt be anything wrong with 1 at a time as fresh as yours is, assuming they did a good job. the largest problem is the fact that there are so few bolts on the 6.0. . .each bolt is clamping a larger %age of area vs other motors, so each bolt removed provides uneven clamping surface to a larger percentage of area, increasing the risk of problems. no1 ive ever known has had problems, and everyone i know with a 6.0 installed studs one at a time before they ever had problems (fresh motors). its hit hit or miss, if it were me, i'd feel better doing studs 1 at a time vs none at all, especially on a 6.0.