ARP 230-4201 Diesel Head Stud Kit (2001-2016 Duramax)
Fits: Chevrolet • GMC
Diesel Dollars is Southern Diesel Supply's Loyalty Program. Purchasing with Us Earns you 1 Point for every 1 Dollar spent to use for future buys!
By ordering the ARP 230-4201 Diesel Head Stud Kit (2001-2016 Duramax) you will earn 820 DIESEL DOLLARS in your SDS Fuel Tank!
The ARP 230-4201 Diesel Head Stud Kit replaces the factory torque-to-yield head bolts on 2001-2016 6.6L Duramax engines (LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM and LML) in Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups. Owners buy it to keep the cylinder heads clamped and the head gaskets sealed once the engine makes more combustion pressure than stock.
Fitment
Listed for 2001-2016 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD pickups with the 6.6L Duramax: LB7 (2001-2004), LLY (2004.5-2005), LBZ (2006-2007), LMM (2007.5-2010) and LML (2011-2016). On 2001-2004 trucks the one-ton was badged 3500 rather than 3500HD. ARP calls this kit a direct fit for those engines, and its description also names the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans with the 6.6L Duramax. It does not cover the 2017 and newer L5P, which takes its own ARP kit. Verify fitment by VIN, or call us with your VIN before you order.
Why this part
On a modified Duramax, the factory head bolts are the weak link. Like most engines, the Duramax is assembled at the factory with torque-to-yield (TTY) head bolts, which are preloaded to their yield point and beyond, typically 100-110%. That leaves very little margin. Raise combustion pressure and you invite blown head gaskets or, at worst, catastrophic engine failure. And because TTY bolts are yielded by design, they should never be reused, so any time the heads come off you need new fasteners anyway.
Head studs solve the clamping problem. A stud kit gives the engine the clamping force it needs to keep the cylinder heads from lifting and blowing a head gasket under higher combustion pressure. That is why head studs are usually the first piece of hardware a Duramax gets before it sees more boost or bigger injectors.
ARP makes the 230-4201 studs from ARP2000, its own alloy, which ARP rates far above aircraft-quality alloy steels. ARP2000 shares similar characteristics with Chrome Moly 8740, but it can be safely heat treated to a higher level, which produces a stronger material. The payoff is a higher clamp load: ARP2000 is rated at 220,000 psi.
The process matters as much as the steel. Each stud is placed vertically in a special rack and precisely heat treated so the heat penetrates completely; ARP contrasts that with lower-quality studs that are simply dropped in a basket. The studs are then centerless ground so they are perfectly concentric, which takes as many as ten separate machining steps. Threads are rolled after heat treatment, not before, and ARP says that gives about 2000% (20 times) better fatigue strength than studs threaded before heat treat. ARP admits it costs more to work this way because it is hard on tooling. Next the studs are shot-peened to remove surface irregularities and improve their external integrity, and finally ARP applies a durable black oxide coating in-house for corrosion resistance.
ARP says virtually every top professional engine builder relies on its head studs for all-out competition engines. On a working truck the goal is simpler: keep the heads clamped and the gaskets sealed under the extra load.
What you get
- ARP2000 head studs for the 6.6L Duramax, black oxide coated
- Chrome moly steel 12-point nuts
- Hardened parallel ground washers
- 0.50 oz of ARP fastener assembly lubricant
Specifications
- Proprietary ARP 2000 Material
- Rated At 220,000 Psi Tensile Strength
- Includes Chrome Moly Steel 12-Point Nuts
- Black Oxide Coating For Improved 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 Upgrade The Overall External Integrity
- Hardened Parallel Ground Washers For An Even Load Distribution And More Accurate Torque Readings
- Comes With 0.50 oz Of ARP Fastener Assembly Lubricant
ARP part number 230-4201.
About ARP
ARP (Automotive Racing Products) was founded in 1968 and builds high-strength engine fasteners for racing and performance engines from its base in Ventura, California. In the diesel world the name mostly means head studs. ARP offers Duramax head stud kits for 2001-2016 and 2017-2025 engines, along with balancer bolt and valve cover bolt kits.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reuse my factory head bolts instead?
No. The factory bolts are torque-to-yield, preloaded to their yield point and beyond (typically 100-110%), and they should never be reused. If the heads are coming off you need new fasteners either way, and studs give you more clamping force.
Does this kit fit an L5P?
No. The 230-4201 covers the 2001-2016 LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM and LML. The 2017 and newer L5P uses a different ARP head stud kit.
Is assembly lube included?
Yes. The kit comes with 0.50 oz of ARP fastener assembly lubricant, along with the 12-point nuts and hardened parallel ground washers. The hardened washers give an even load distribution and more accurate torque readings.
Questions on fitment? Call the shop at the number in the header. We install everything we sell.
Diesel Dollars is Southern Diesel Supply's Loyalty Program. Purchasing with Us Earns you 1 Point for every 1 Dollar spent to use for future buys!
By ordering the ARP 230-4201 Diesel Head Stud Kit (2001-2016 Duramax) you will earn 820 DIESEL DOLLARS in your SDS Fuel Tank!