Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

After my water pump debacle (other thread today), I'm skittish about removing the studs on my Model B 4 cyl head. I squirted them with rust buster about 6 times over several days, then put an induction tool on one of the studs, heated it for about a minute. The base of the stud was glowing red-hot. Let it cool, tried the two-nut method of backing it out. No go. Another heat/cool cycle. Tried a pipe wrench with a good amount of torque. Nothing. After breaking the shaft on my water pump, I'm wondering if it is worth the risk here of breaking studs. The existing studs are rusty, but the threads seem okay. I don't know the history on the engine, but I am guessing these are not original studs. I can weld if need be, but if these studs are so stuck that they break, I don't have a lot of faith that welding a nut on a broken stud is going to be the solution. And drilling these out is not something I want to get into. I suppose I could try other studs and replace any that I can get out. And, just how long should I heat the stud with the induction tool? At less than a minute, the bottom half inch or so of the stud seems to be red hot. What is too much heat? Thoughts? Thanks.

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

If you are rebuilding the engine, yes you should remove them. How can you do all the necessary operations with them in the way?

If you aren’t rebuilding, only replace the ones you messed up or clamped a tool to. Any nicks in the surface would weaken the stud.

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

I would try to tape/seal the bores/valves and then take a wire brush on a drill/air-grinder then clean them all up. If there are any nicks, then polish them a bit in those areas.

If the threads are good and all you're doing is replacing the head gasket, then you'll be doing yourself a big favor in using them (after cleaning them up). Also, put some anti-seize on the stud sides and the threads before you put it back together. This helps to prevent more rust in the future.

If you're going to pull the motor and rebuild it, then I'd remove them and probably skim the deck of the block . . . but then you're into the whole rebuild process.

Also, looks like you have quite a bit of rust/corrosion in the water jackets - you should do some searches on here about the various ways that folks have cleaned their blocks (on running engines).

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

I'm with B&S and would do as he outlined. If the stud didn't respond to two heat cycles, it's telling you something.

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

I could not agree more.

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

Thanks everyone. Thanks Pete for enlarging my picture. I'm just replacing the head gasket, so I'll clean up the studs and defer the replacement for if and when I do a major rebuild. I did see some good info on cleaning the water jacket and I'll be doing that.

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

What's this?


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1753378447

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

I saw that line and wondered what it was too………..Mark

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

I believe they were made by a pipe wrench or stud puller that grips the stud near the bottom of the stud. Cracks are not usually in a straight line.

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

I concur with the above. I would leave them in place and clean them with a wire wheel in a drill. I would run a thread chaser die down the threads. It is a ford engine. It is not the space shuttle. Imagine what a farmer would have done 70 years ago.
Mart.

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

Pipe wrench bite mark.

Re: Would you remove/replace these studs?
 

Just take a very fine file and smooth the pipe-wrench marks and then polish it a bit with fine sand-paper - it will be fine. Let us know how the "project" works out!