[emhoff]

My head gasket is leaking, just a very small amount on the passenger side back of the head, right above the turbo. Its not leaking bad at all, no oil on the ground. Look at doing a OEM cummins head gasket, and ARP 247 studs. Anyone have any input on where to buy the gasket and studs at a good price. Think any head machine work will need to be done? How much $$$ does a person need to look at spending by the time this project is all done with? Any input. Thanks

 

[Scatter]

I spent 3K but when my headgasket started leaking I just went ahead and put head studs, gasket, cam, valve springs, push rods, had the head decked.
arty018:

 

[emhoff]

I was thinking about valve springs with I was at it, but dont really know where to start there. What are the major benfits of valve springs? What are some good brands and wheres the best place to order?

 

[Scatter]

Why not just get the cam and pushrods? I wouldn't do just valve springs. If your not doing a cam then you would not need the springs. I would however get the head decked. Valve springs would be done with a cam upgrade or a motor that is producing high rpm's.

 

[Kraft01'3500]

I ordered my studs from Diesel Auto Power. Good place to do business. I'm running hamilton 110# springs in mine and Hamilton HD pushrods but i hear that maxspool has good offerings as well. you can get springs at Diesel Auto Power as well. I just called Cummins North West and ordered a stock cummins HG. make sure you have the head checked out at a shop for any issues and have it decked. should be good to go after that.

i went springs and pushrods without doing cam on mine do to boost. Not sure if you 3rd gen guys have the same issues us 2nd gen do but anything over 45 psi and we can start having issues with blowing the valves open when they shouldn't be

 

[emhoff]

well what kinda options do I have for cam, push rods and the hole works. If im gonna do it I wanna do as much as possiable, but keeping the budget in mind.

 

[emhoff]

dumb question but what do you all mean by "decking the head?"

 

[Kraft01'3500]

dumb question but what do you all mean by "decking the head?"

usually when or if you blow a headgasket your head will have a slight warp or waver in the surface that mates to the engine block. the head will be stripped at the shop of all valvetrain and they will make sure the head has a flat surface or they will flatten the surface

 

[Scatter]

Decking the head allows for you to upgrade later but while its off might as well do the head studs.

 

[coophdd06]

Valve springs are not only used for cams but anything over 50psi you start floating the valves, and no need to do HD push rods the stocks are good to higher HP levels, but if iI was you I would surface the head get a MLS gasket, valves springs, and Arp 2000's, if you you wanna do cam that's up to and your goals. Hope this helps

 

[Kraft01'3500]

ALSO big ALSO here lol i did this and i'm an idiot. When i did my head gasket it had the head decked. they took .006 off to get it perfectly flat. like an idiot i put the head back on and put all the rocker assemblies in just as i took em off. problem being with the head losing material it makes it that much closer to the block and therefore it was as if my pushrods were .006 longer. started the truck and it idled like $hit. deedeedee my valve lash was off my .006 haha. didn't really hurt anything as you have a little leeway and still be in spec. slightest bend in 2 oem pushrods. so i said hell with it and got the HD's and actually set my valve lash before start up haha. damn sometimes the simplest things are over looked when you are trying to focus too hard on the big picture

 

[coophdd06]

ALSO big ALSO here lol i did this and i'm an idiot. When i did my head gasket it had the head decked. they took .006 off to get it perfectly flat. like an idiot i put the head back on and put all the rocker assemblies in just as i took em off. problem being with the head losing material it makes it that much closer to the block and therefore it was as if my pushrods were .006 longer. started the truck and it idled like $hit. deedeedee my valve lash was off my .006 haha. didn't really hurt anything as you have a little leeway and still be in spec. slightest bend in 2 oem pushrods. so i said hell with it and got the HD's and actually set my valve lash before start up haha. damn sometimes the simplest things are over looked when you are trying to focus too hard on the big picture

This is so true!!! Ha

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