Do I have to replace the cyl head studs?

Hey All!
Im replacing the base and head gaskets on my 82' KZ440 LTD and have run across a small dilemma...

In order to have access to remove the ancient/crusty/petrified gasket from the top of the engine where the cylinders sit, I think I might have to remove the head studs.

I looked in the manual and it doesn't really talk anywhere about removing the studs which leaves me with a lot of questions...

1. If I remove them, Do I have to replace them with new ones?
2. how do I re torque them when they are reinstalled?
3. what do I torque them to?
4. does anyone have a better way to get this gasket off of there that doesn't involve me pulling the studs?

I just got done-ish removing the gasket material from the cylinder base. It took me 2 weeks. Not joking.
I tried every chemical I could find to soften it up.....PB blaster, wd40, goof off, permatex gasket remover, and finally CRC gasket remover (banned in California). the CRC worked better than the rest but I still had to put in a whole day of work with a razor blade (carefully) and a bronze brush.

Any help is appreciated as I still have the clutch cover and crank cover gaskets to do after this one.

You can remove them with a stud puller, this is can be damaging to the stud if done incorrectly, so depending on how you manage you may need to replace. To put them back in you use two nuts to lock up on the thread and re-torque with lock tight.

I think you're opening up a can of worms by trying to remove them with out replacements on hand.

My favorite way to remove gaskets are with a small pneumatic right angle die grinder with a silicon carbide wheel, or red scotch bright wheel. you have to be careful not to dig into the aluminum but it works great. if you don't have a pneumatic grinder you can get the same type of wheel for a hand drill. The big thing is BE CAREFUL, if you get too aggressive you will remove aluminum which you don't want to do.
for grinder
www.amazon.com/Scotch-Brite-07471-Clean-...h+bright+strip+wheel
for drill
www.amazon.com/3M-Paint-Rust-Stripper-Br...h+bright+strip+wheel

1. If I remove them, Do I have to replace them with new ones?
No, use the old once.
2. how do I re torque them when they are reinstalled?
Use the same torque as for the head nuts. two nuts countered or a stud remover/installer tool
4. does anyone have a better way to get this gasket off of there that doesn't involve me pulling the studs?
No, 10 years back in the past the chemical gasket remover spray i am using is working very good and fast for me.
The old gaskets goes of the surface very easily with a lot of bubbles after the chemical reaction with the remover spray.
But today for the environment protection it is not allowed to use those chemicals,sadly.
I would try a paint stripper to soften the gaskets for an easier removing.

The old formula Permatex gasket remover works pretty good. I spray it into a cup and dab it onto the gasket using an acid brush. It takes about 20 mins to soften the gasket, only it doesn't penetrate very deep so it will take several applications where best you can do it take off the top surface.

I'd keep away from abrasive materials to remove the gasket because they often damage the aluminum. A machinist once said that those 3M pads result in a lot of extra jobs for him because most people don't know how to use them.

Oh, and when rebuilding my 750 I pulled the studs using a Harbor Freight stud puller and the serrations dug into the stud so I threw a few of them away because the gouges were really deep. I tried double nutting them at first but that technique was damaging the threads so I stopped that. To install the studs you don't need to torque them in place, just snug them down. When tightening the head nuts the studs will tighten further as need be. And don't forget to check your factory service manual which details which studs get sealer on the threads. Some of the threads see pressure from inside the crankcase so for those studs you need to seal them and often there is an O-ring as well.

Nessism wrote: A machinist once said that those 3M pads result in a lot of extra jobs for him because most people don't know how to use them.

This is true. But in the right hands they are a fast and effective method. most professional mechanics will remove gaskets in this fashion because they don't have time to spend a whole day scraping gaskets.

I spent the morning yesterday doing the gasket on the clutch cover and clutch side of the engine.

I used a bronze brush , razor blade, crc gasket remover, and set of small brass brushes (wheels and cups).

It took me 3 hrs but I got it off. It doesn’t look like I caused any damage to the aluminum surfaces.

I did this gasket as a warm up of sorts to the gasket on the top of the engine/lower cylinder surface.

I’m going to attempt getting at that gasket with the studs still in place.

It’s going to be a juggling match between trying to keep the openings to the engine plugged with shop towels, keeping the cam chain from dropping down in there, and working around the studs without damaging them.....

Wish me luck!!!!!

30 year old gaskets are a friggin pain. Gasket remover chemicals help, but will not get it all off.

I soak with gasket remover, and let sit a couple of days. Then remove gasket AGAP with a razor blade, then finish getting down to the metal with scotchbrite (soaked with brakeclean). When done there may still be left over stains in the metal from the gasket, but once it's smooth and straight there's no need to go any further.

A lot of work, but the safest method. Any means of a spinning friction disc can be dangerous.

+1 on VTEC and Nessism's approach. It is easily my least favorite job when fixing/restoring motorcycles.

Scirocco wrote: 2. how do I re torque them when they are reinstalled?
Use the same torque as for the head nuts. two nuts countered or a stud remover/installer tool

I might stay away from torquing the studs in the case to stud nut specs. Think I'd lean more towards the APE specs on HD stud install on my engine:

Use APE stud installation tool #08-151 or two 10x1.25mm nuts on the short end thread. Dip long thread in oil and install in the case. Torque to 12-15 ft. lbs. maximum.

The double-nut method works fine without scoring the studs. I've found that flange nuts (flanges against each other) work best.