I had an engine builder assemble my long block (440) for me and one of the items installed were ARP main studs. Looking at the studs, none of them protrude past the nut and many of them don't use the last thread on the nut. Is this normal? Seems like the stud should protrude well past the nut. I have attached a few pictures, hopefully they work. I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks!

Another picture...

One more...

mine stick out some but i think you could back the stud out 2 threads to ingage the nut all the way.

They don't usually look like that IME. Maybe the wrong stud kit was used? J.Rob

I'm not sure what exactly causes this because I have seen them both ways. The last couple sets I used the studs stick out past the nuts and to the point that I have had to trim 2 studs to clear the rear seal holder and allow the windage tray to sit flat in that same area.

I like to see a thread or 2 poking past the nut , but that is me , if the washers were not under the nuts I think you would at least be flush .

That is NOT normal for a set of ARP studs for Mopar. I havent ever seen a set that doesnt extend pass the nuts. That being said, you could do as told, and back out the threads from the block, but I'd pull one and measure the length. Not sure what is going on there. What was the part number of the stud kit?

4 bolt main SBC kits often ( and have for way too long) come with the four outer bolts too short. I back them out until the threads protrude above the head of the nuts. They have never fixed the problem,. just keep sending them wrong.

Its not the end of the World, but they should have been right. I'd like to see what length they measure. Also, this must be an older set of studs, as anything thats newer has had the braoched allen hex in them anyhow.

I've recently put together the bottom end of a bigblock Mopar with ARP studs and they all protrude through the nuts.
What also catched my eye is why are there 12-point nuts on the rear mainbearing cap and 6-point nuts on the rest?
Because of this and the short studs I would think that engine builder just used what he had laying around.

I've notched the windage tray and the rear sealhousing on my motor to clear the studs and nuts.

If those are ARP, it is an old set. They havent used that style nut (plain, no flare on the bottom)in quite some time.

Not sure, but I think your engine builder may have went "budget" on you to save a few bucks, or just used what he had laying around. My ARP main stud kit in my 400 block protruded slightly through the nut, and I also had the issue with them protruding too much at the rear main. If I remember correctly, I clearanced the oilpan slightly to get mine to work.... and the nuts are most definately 12-pt in an ARP kit.

140-5401 6 pt
140-5402 12 pt

Another note. I recently bought some "new" ARP studs from a Nascar shop. They are not broached, but are stamped ARP on both ends.

Thanks guys! According to my receipt, its the 140-5401 kit. Does that look correct? I did notice one of the nuts is a full 2 thread down so it looks like they are all going to have to be reset higher. Additionally, I talked to ARP tech and they said the mains have to be re-torqued to the same spec the shop did them at the first time. Now the confusion is that ARP recommends torquing them to 110 (mains) and my build sheet states they only torqued them to 100. So I assume I just use 100lbs?

I have other issues too with the motor and will likely have a couple more post topics to address them. I do appreciate all of your help and advice.

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Now the confusion is that ARP recommends torquing them to 110 (mains) and my build sheet states they only torqued them to 100. So I assume I just use 100lbs?

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was it align bored and/or honed? if so than the normal practice would be to torque them to the spec the machine work was done at. if it wasn't machined i would use the ARP spec. as for the thread engagement i don't particularity care to see anything less than full engagement nor do i like the idea of backing them out. the only one i ever had length problems with was a megablock. i measured what i felt the stud length should be and called ARP. they swore the hemi kit was the correct one for that block...yea right. they were short and i ended up ordering loose studs at the length i measured and they fit perfectly. i told them they needed to use the lengths i ordered and make a new PN for that but they never did.

in all honesty if you wanted to you could probably pull the threads out of the block with the amount of nut engagement you have there but i still don't like it.

Tr...I think you may have some "NOS" stock there...lol...sounds like an old set as well. They were all marked ARP however.The exception would be if they had them custom made for some reason, but not if it was a listed ARP set as was noted here already.

To the OP,ARP has/had changed the torque specs many times over on these studs. If they were an old set anyhow, then 100# would be correct.They have changed the tensile ratings on these over the last 5 or so years. Also, if the builder used standard ARP lube, and not the new ARP Ultra Lube, then it would be 110#. My guess is he went with 100#. They do NOT , appear to me, to be a new set, but could be a unused set he had laying around for a few years? More questions than answers on this one. I would be a bit leary of what else may have gone on there...

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They do NOT , appear to me, to be a new set, but could be a unused set he had laying around for a few years?

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agreed, afaik they've been broaching them for awhile now

Good tips. I'm going to send some pictures yo ARP tomorrow and see if they are just and old (but new)pieced together set. Having both hex and 12-point nuts seems odd to me too.

Unfortunately this is just he tip of the iceberg. After pulling off their own timing cover I found that is was making contact with the chain (made by them too). Not a big deal as I found it before it was run. Also, the cam timing was set at 114 when I asked for 112 (again not a major issue) BUT I did notice there were A LOT of small chips already coming off the bronze gear and it was so tight in there it took both a screwdriver to unscrew it off the cam along with a lot of force from underneath using the handle end of another screwdriver. I n addition they cut my intake (fine) but there are a bunch of aluminum shavings in the lifter galley.

I pretty bummed right now because I know I'm going to have to take this thing all the way back down and pay more to have it checked out. Hopefully the shop will step up and fix the issues. They are considered a reputable shop and this motor could just be a fluke.

Again, I appreciate the input, I want to get all the info I can before I contact the shop so I don't make anything a bigger issue than it needs to be.

I need a beer....

I forgot to mention the new timing chain has 9/16" slop in it. My old chain had less. Is they way too much for a new chain. Obviously I'm a little rusty with engine building but trying to catch back up.

i think i would find another shop. from what u described on what u found, why go back there?? they don't seem to do quality work.

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I forgot to mention the new timing chain has 9/16" slop in it. My old chain had less. Is they way too much for a new chain. Obviously I'm a little rusty with engine building but trying to catch back up.

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if by some chance they align bored it and didn't use an undersized chain that could be the problem.

as for your being rusty i hate to say it but sounds like the last guy to have his hands in it wasn't very shiny. i know it's a drag but finding problems like you are sounds like you need to start over because you just don't know what else is going on. i'd be wanting to measure everything and look it over.

I agree,,,what he is finding in unacceptable, especially the shavings. It may be a good shop, but they didnt have their " good" guys working on it for sure. Tear it down now, it will be a lot easier than later.

Sorry for your trouble.

I am inclined to believe that the "new" studs that I bought were indeed special ordered by a major Nascar builder.

On another note, I dont believe that Milodon studs are broached.

i'm no F1 engine builder but finding trash in the engine and parts crashing into each other breaks rules # 1 & 2 in my book. my father summed up engine assembly cleanliness when i was just a kid...he said "you can't get an engine too clean".

i've never forgotten those words.

I'm pretty bummed right now but I agree with everyone it needs to come apart. Hopefully I can get something resolved with them. They are a well known operation, perhaps they will stand by their work.

What ever happened with the main stud issue? I had my machine shop line hone my engine and I went to studs. Low and behold I have the same strange setup of main studs! Six points on 1,2,3, and 4 and 12 points on number 5. What gives? And the thread engagement bothers me too. I don't want to touch the studs because I don't want to mess with it since its been line honed.

That's the way it used to be, the #5 has to be 12 point to clear the seal retainer. You may also have to shorten the studs slightly to clear the pan. I have never seen a set without the stud protruding completely through the nut, but I would not have much proble using a set like in the pics. I would not back up the studs in the block, the thread engagement there is more important if the block has been alignhoned and because of the material. The nuts will not let go if they are only a little short.

Never mind, somehow my mind played a trick on me once I saw this thread and I suddenly remembered a thread engagement issue with mine that did not exist. I have quite a bit sticking out past the nuts.

I put an oil pan on the block to catch the oil that I kept coating the bores with and haven't looked at the lower end for a while.

I do have the six point nuts though, with the 12 points on the 5th main, just in case anyone else gets this and wonders if they got an old set or something. Mine was purchased around April of 2012.