hey guys. I am finishing up a head gasket job on a 88 300e. I put the head on and tightened down the studs to 40.59 ft lbs. I have not done the first 90 deg and the second 90 deg. I remember when I pulled the head and took out the old gasket, there was a dowel pin of sorts stuck in the gasket. I know there are two dowel pins for locating the head on the block. those were still there when I put the head on. this looks like a dowel pin but has a slit down the side. I have no idea where this sucker came from? any ideas? I would reeeeeeeeally hate to pull the head back out but if it has to be done then so be it. I just wish I knew where this thing came from. there is no mention of it in the online repair manual.

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88 300e
92 mr2

anybody anybody. it is also tapered on both ends with a slit down the side.

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88 300e
92 mr2

I did not know I could attach files. here is a pic. hope its not too small.

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88 300e
92 mr2

i know what it is and where it goes and if you will send
me 100 bucks i will give you the answer... it crucial...


ok, i am just kidding... there are two of those and they go between
the intake and the head. look at the intake gasket and you will see where they go.... i had the exact thing happen to me... one of mine popped out but i saw where the other one was.... so pry your intake over about 1/4 of an inch and put it in....use a long pair of needle nose pliars...


this can be done without taking the head off...

holy smokes batman! thanks for the info, I knew it came off on a gasket but couldn't recall which one. phew! so I'm going to go start my 90 degrees now. I have not put the intake man on yet so putting it back should not be a prob. that head was a heavy sonofa***** to position properly and this was without the intake or exhaust manifolds on. I feel like atlas except my back hurts.

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88 300e
92 mr2

A lift makes it alot easier.

A hint to the 90 degree thing. If you can use a Sharpie marker or such to mark a line at like the 3 o'clock position on each bolt. As you move through the progression of tightening you will be able to tell which ones you have already done because the mark will be 90 degrees off from the others.

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Jim

I did not mean to imply parts were defective. it probably has something to do with my torx bit having half as many teeth as the head stud has grooves. did you use a special tool for this?

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88 300e
92 mr2

first, these things do not use torx bits...
it is a special 12 point stud you can buy at autozone 9 bucks.

second, these are strech bolts and compression washers... are you sure
your not mistaking strech for stripping.?

when you cleaned the bolt holes did the tap go in easy... did it fit exactly.?

step 1 you tork 1-16

step 2 you do 90 deg which is 1/4 turn i have seen many people who think 90 deg is 1/2 turn but its not... so 12 oclock to 3 oclock...do all 16...

step 3 you do another quarter turn on all 16...


now, what i would do if i were you is I would keep all the studs tight.. but i would stop and take out the stripped one... i believe this is unusal because they should break and not strip... the question is .... is the bolt stripping or the hole....? I would take out the bad stud and replace it with the old stud.

all your old studs are still usable if they measure the correct length... in fact the book says to use the old ones.. and the head gasket co says to draw the gasket on the card board and stick the old studs into the same spots they come out of....

the old studs are the best quality... so use them... and if its still stripped then run your tap into it....and see what happens...

if that dont work you will have to have it heli coiled or tapped to the next size.

what exactly does stretch sound like? I am a dumb**** for using a torx in the first place. the inside of the stud is stripping, losing metal, becoming unturnable. they all mostly turned fine without any noise. I had four of them at the final 90 degrees. torqued down to 40lbs, one 90 deg, another 90 deg. the chasing of threads went fine. the tap came out smoothly everytime with no metal. I am just using the wrong tool for the job. I will just order some new ones and replace the ones that stripped. hopefully the gasket will be fine after compressing and decompressing and compressing it again.

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88 300e
92 mr2

you can buy the 12 pt stud at autozone for 9 bucks...
look hard for it.... then you use a half inch socket on your tork wrench..

the first go round I had 42 pounds....on all 16

then when i pulled 90 deg it went to 80 pounds.. for that 1/4 turn..

then it wen to 90 plus for the next 1/4 turn......


they do make a noise... the noise you are hearing is the washer compressing and the bolt streching....its a snapping popping noise...


your old bolts are good save them... i might need them some day..

Did you strip the stud threads, or just the head of the stud where the 12 point tool bit goes?

if your in no hurry i could mail you my 12 point stud
for tightening.... you could borrow it....

the threads should be fine. the head of the stud is stripped. I still have my old studs, I will definitely get two new ones. I tried running a die down one of the old studs and it would not go. they are stretched. I kinda need to finish this by friday so I will make a trip to pep boys and the stealership to find a few new studs and appropriate driving tool. Thanks for the offer though blue ranger, I appreciate it. I kinda just ASSumed that they were torx.

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88 300e
92 mr2

i ran a die down my old studs and it would not go either..
but i used them any way... and they worked fine...