First off, are the 4 corner studs from ARP shorter than the 6 center ones? I have seen pics of engines being built up and their corner studs are look longer. I ordered the parts from the main page so I hope I recieved the right ones. The corner studs use two washers on top of the head instead of one.

I am having the timing belt changed today, etc. etc.... and I am changing the head gasket. My car is 96, I have the old gasket, you know why I am changing it. The head will be going to a machine shop to be milled a little to insure that it is flat. Now are the MLS gaskets thicker than the older ones? From searching, I can find that the MLS gasket is 0.040" thick. The machine shop says that 0.010" can be milled within factory specs to insure flatness. I would like a little bump in compression so I would mill the head 0.030" (I will be turbo eventually, so only a little bump). Would I need to mill the head anymore than what I want to make up for the MLS gasket thickness?

-Jared
96 GS <--- Undergoing open heart surgury
Melbourne, FL

The ARP item numbers on the main page are correct. The new ARP phone number is 800-278-7223. The center studs are actually longer than the corner studs. But when you install them, the corner studs stick up further than the center studs. That's exactly why they're shorter, or they would stick up TOO far. That's also why you use 2 washers on the corners.

Holy cow... that was a fast reply. Thanks alot. The head will be off in about two hours, I still need to find out about the head milling. I have been searching like crazy and all I can find that I need to take 0.035" off to make up for the MLS gasket and bump compression from 9.6 to 10:1.

Thanks again.

-Jared
96 GS
Melbourne, FL

The MLS replacement gasket from the dealer will not effect your compression ratio. It's a REPLACEMENT, no change there. As far as milling the head, taking about .035 off will bump you up to about 10:1 compression. Good for about a 2% increase in power. Sounds like everythings in good order to me. If using ARP studs, torque to 71 ft. lbs. and tighten in a spiral pattern from the inside -> out.

Thanks again... $30 for milling 0.035" sounds good.

-Jared
96 GS
Melbourne, FL