Quote from: Dutch_Rutter on April 08, 2015, 08:10:21 pm

I noticed a stud that would not tighten so I am guessing that I will have to helicoil that stud and thus my head gasket is garbage.

Never heard of helicoil for a stud.Have to change the stud if its the problem or if your lucky just the nut stripped out.

A helicoil replaces the pulled thread in the aluminum.  You can screw a stud or a bolt into a helicoiled thread.  We have repaired hundreds of stud holes with helicoils.