rocker cover studs and length queries

Guys hoping you can help me out.
Been trying to remove the rocker cover studs in order to fit the mk3 rubber gasket.

I've only managed to get 2 of the front 4 out using the 2 nut method.
On the remaining 2 it has just stripped the thread inside the nuts, any hints on what size to drill them out to in order to use an extracting tool?

Also in my kit I have 8 studs which seem to be identical to the ones I've removed and another 4 really long ones.

Question is, if the studs are identical why do I need to remove them if the length is the same?

BTW I'm doing this with the rocker cover still on as its windy and I dont want anything nasty getting in there

Maybe time to get one of these. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F142249084871 especially if you have stripped threads


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The Rubber gaskets do not use the standard VW shouldered studs, they have to use a straight stud.

To remove them, I usually soak the studs in pb-blaster, and warm the engine.  I then take another nut and lock it against the nut, and then spin the bottom nut.  If the stud doesn't come out, then remove the rocker and either use a stud remover, or a pair of Vice Grips as tight as you can get the, and smack the vice grips with a hammer to loosen. Prior to placing the vice-grips or studly remover, place a washer over the stud so that the tool can't bite into the metal of the head.

The issue is if the previous owner used any locktite on them.

Heating them also works somewhat.

The reason that you have different length studs int he kit is that it was a one kit fits all… Different engines require different length studs……

I used the longer ones on the Valve cover cam end as I have a digi, with  the rear timing cover, so the extra length have a tad longer reach.

Be advised that going back you need to torque the nuts to the cover bars to 87 in/lbs.  

Too loose and it will leak, to tight it will leak as well.

The rubber gasket from Victor-reinz is a metal frame wrapped in rubber and it doesn't tend to move once in place.  You will need 3 drops of RTV at the Cam over flat just for grins and leakage….

Good luck.  

If you break a stud, then my advice is:

Left handed drill bits and a Reversible drill.

Well I got 1 of the 2 stubborn studs out and it looks like there was red loctite on the bottom of it as some point so a stud extractor is the best option. 

I cant warm the engine as it has no cambelt at the moment, the socket type dont look as if they will bite hard enough so may try one of these cam style ones

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172970554276

On the stud difference I've put a pic of mine and the new ones in the pack below as I can see no difference at all and even if there is a slight size difference in the centre part of the stud it would still pass through the holes in the gasket without a problem



There does appear to be quite a bit of oil on the back of the cylinder head though so hopefully once this is done the engine should have a bit more life in it

These are the cork gasket shouldered studs.


The ones you show aren't shouldered and shoudl work with the new style gasket.  The shouldered ones the gasket won't go over them to lay flat on the head face.

Cheers Briano1234 thats the picture I needed to see.
Well I'll leave the rear 4 studs as they are then. 
I wonder why my engine had different studs from standard