Install an ARP 250-4203 Diesel Head Stud Kit from XDP and upgrade your 2008-2010 Ford 6.4L Powerstroke. It’s a proven fact that OEM head bolts are the weak link in a diesel engine; especially if the engine has been modified. That’s because most engines are typically assembled from the factory using Torque-To-Yield (TTY) bolts and preloaded to yield and beyond (typically 100-110%). Any increases in combustion pressure can lead to problems like blown head gaskets or catastrophic engine failure. Furthermore, because TTY bolts are yielded by design, they should never be re-used.
ARP is the industry leader when it comes to fasteners and manufactures heavy-duty head studs for a wide variety of popular diesel applications. Using head studs instead of standard head bolts provides your engine with the clamping force required to keep your Powerstroke cylinder heads from lifting and blowing a head gasket due to higher combustion pressures. For the 250-4203 Head Studs, ARP starts with a premium grade ARP2000 alloy that is rated far superior to aircraft quality alloy steels. ARP2000 is an alloy steel that can be safely heat treated to a higher level, producing a greater strength material than Chrome Moly 8740. While 8740 and ARP2000 share similar characteristics, ARP2000 is capable of achieving a higher clamp load at 220,000 psi.
Each stud beings by being placed vertically into special racks and precisely heat-treated. This procedure ensures complete heat penetration. The head studs then go through a centerless grinding process to ensure that they are perfectly concentric. As many as ten machining steps are required to achieve this level of accuracy. The thread rolling operation is also done after the heat-treatment, which gives them about 2000% (that’s 20X) better fatigue strength than lesser studs that are threaded prior to heat-treat. It costs a lot more to do it this way, because it’s tough on tooling, but the results are well worth the extra effort. Fasteners are then shot-peened to remove any surface irregularities and improve overall external integrity. The final step is a metal finishing process that is also performed in-house at ARP with a black oxide coating applied for long lasting corrosion resistance.
There is a good reason that virtually every top professional engine builder relies on ARP head studs for their all-out competition powerplants. Simply put, there’s not a better stud setup on the market today. This head stud kit is a direct-fit for the 6.4 Powerstroke engine found in Ford F-250/350/450/550 Super Duty pickups.
Features:
- High-Strength ARP 2000 Alloy Construction
- Rated At 220,000 Psi Tensile Strength
- Includes Chrome Moly Steel 12-Point Nuts
- Black Oxide Coating For Added Corrosion Resistance
- Centerless Ground To Ensure They Are Perfectly Concentric
- Improved Clamping Force Prevents Cylinder Heads From Lifting
- Broached Stud Ends Install & Make Cylinder Head Removal Easier
- Heat-Treated Prior To Thread Rolling And Machining For Optimum Fatigue Strength
- Shot-Peened To Remove Any Surface Irregularities And Improve Overall External Integrity
- Hardened Parallel Ground Washers For An Even Load Distribution And Accurate Torque Readings
- Comes With 0.5oz Of ARP Fastener Assembly Lubricant
XDP Thread Cleaning Chaser (Sold Separately, See Related Items):
Purchase the XDP Thread Cleaning Chaser XD40127TC (for head studs) & XD40128TC (for inner row bolts) as an add-on to this kit. Using the Thread Cleaning Chasers ensures that you are able to properly clean the threads in your engine block before you begin installation and torquing of the head studs. Clean threads are critical to provide you with accurate torque readings during your engine build or head gasket repair.