[nkaminar]

Pete, thanks for the post. I use thread sealer for the studs because none of the holes go into the coolant passages. On my old engine one stud for the manifolds went into the coolant passage and I used the RTV sealant there.

While it is true that lubricant will reduce the torque needed to achieve the same stress on the studs, the increased stress with 55 foot pounds of torque is not enough to break them if they are grade 5 or 8. I read somewhere that the anti-seize does not have the same lubrication qualities than say motor oil or gear lube. There are two schools of thought on whether to torque the nuts dry or lubricated. I like the idea of using anti-seize because it makes it much easier to take the nuts off, especially if they have been on for years. Plus the amount of friction for the dry nuts can be all over the place so you really don't know what you have.

I worry about cracking the block if too much torque is applied to one stud. Terry Burtz recommends 10 foot-pound increments and bringing up all the nuts in a uniform manner to avoid the chance of cracking the block. He is talking about how the head gasket compresses so it does not apply to your testing technique using the 3 inch steel slug which you use without any gasket.