ARP studs & HG Job questions (Attn Techs)

[JBakerFX4]

Ok guys, I'm getting curious about the HG/ARP job. I can't see myself geting a SCT and doing a Full EGR delete w/out the studs in there. I was talking to a buddy today and he had his done along with a full EGR delte by a Ford Tech on the weekend at this guys house and paid him. Apparently this guy can do the job with the cab on!? I just have to supply ARP studs, new HG's and intake gaskets and cash. I also wouldn't mind hanging out all weekend with him to help and watch, and take pics. He'll also do a full EGR delte while he's in there. So my Q is, how weary should I be? How good of an idea is it to do with the cab on? My truck is new and only has 15k on it, so I don't want any riggings. I'm actually a good tech myself, but never worked on dieseles and am intimidated by this monster 6.0. The thought has crossed my mind to do it myself here in my own garage, slowly, by myself and follow the FSM to a tee on specs to make sure it's done 110% right. Just scares me doing it by myself for the first time. How many hrs is it realisticlly with cab on at home with a ford tech and helper? Tips on procedures, or gaskets etc, part #'s.. any tips pleast give them here. Thanks in advance and sorry for the long rant.

[AvroAero]

Very possible with the cab on/motor in. Requires some extra work, removal of the evap core, and some firewall messaging. Lots of people on this board have done it. Check ebay for the gaskets though. Ford sells em for 300 a side in a kit. I got two full kits, and other gaskets for the upper half of the motor also for about 350.

If you had compression problems its best to get the heads resurfaced. Some techs won't. Be it lack of time, money, warranty coverage. Doubt its ignorance. My truck was done at 99 800m (stock bolts) and pulled em again at 110 000m for preventative. They were warped .004. Machine shop guy was surprised I wasn't getting terrible compression.

[Safir]

having replaced he head gaskets on my truck with the cab on, i suggest against trying it.
if you can't remove the cab, remove the engine - is is extremely difficult to first get the heads in and out without damaging anything, and also difficult to properly torque the bolts/studs with everything in the way.

it also takes some creativity to get everything in and out and bolted down, there is not room to remove/insert the bolts/studs/etc in the cab. I had my transmission and radiator out as well which made it easier becaus ei could rock the engine back and forth to buy me a little room when I needed it.

in short, it's something i never want to attempt again. I am against paying for labor because i know there is nothing mechanical I can't do (and i'm cheap.. feels like wasting perfectly good money to pay someone else to wrench for me,) but installing head studs is something I would pay someone else to do just to save myself the pain of going through that again.

[JBakerFX4]

ok. so cab off is better. I have no issues with my motor. only 15k on it, and it runs like a champ. Sometimes it starts better than others but that's it.

[Abrannan19]

cab off is the only way to do it right.

[Evil Eye]

Originally Posted by Abrannan19

cab on is the only way to do it right.

Not sure what you mean by that, Adam, unless you mean cab off.

[Abrannan19]

Originally Posted by Evil Eye

Not sure what you mean by that, Adam, unless you mean cab off.

LOL

yes..I meant cab off..I edited LOL

[JBakerFX4]

10-4 guys. I'm not sure it's even worth messing with at this time. I have no issues and only 15k. I just want the reliability/durability the ARP's and EGR delete would yield. And I wouldn't mind keeping the most current flash I have from Ford, just knocking the EGR code out of it. Just seems like no matter what/how I go about this issue it's going to cost me $$$$ and right now that's an issue; things are tight. I could pay for the studs and that's about it. I also looked into the HPOP fitting that international revised. Trying to kill the weak spots on this 6.0 to alieviate any future headaches.

[Abrannan19]

do and EGR up pipe delete and run it till they blow..then PM me when they blow..

[JBakerFX4]

But if I delete the EGR system now, the CHK ENG light will probly come on, so I could do an SCT to fix thayt. Then if the HG's go I have no warranty b/c it's mod'd. 3 issues here... Studs, EGR & Programmer. Trying to plan this out the best way. Rather than it blow up in my face and me having no idea what to do. So if I do anything before the HG's, I lose my warranty to do them.