# Spa Studs



## v_dubn (Dec 30, 2010)

Anyone out there running the Spa head studs? Looking to buy some for my aba. They appear to be about the same as ARP, but at least $50 cheaper. Any feedback would be great. Will be buying some very soon, but cant find anyone running them. Thanks!


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

Did you end up buying these studs? I might be looking at buying their studs and head gasket spacer soon.


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

I'm running these, they are exactly the same as ARP. I'd be surprised if they weren't made by ARP for SPA, they even have the laser etching in the stud end, and the little raised logo on the nut. 

They didn't come with install instructions or torque value, but I emailed SPA. I used a dab of the Loctite silver anti-seize on them (if that's right or not, I'm not sure it might be with just oiled threads) and went to 72 Ft/lbs


> yes, 73.7, sorry the confusion, I'm from the factory in Brazil, I do metrics here.. LOL
> correct is 10 Kgfm - 72,33 lbf.ft
> 
> Felipe Mugnaini
> [email protected]


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

Thanks for the info! Definitely going to order these and a head spacer!


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## v_dubn (Dec 30, 2010)

I was going to get these SPA studs. then i found a killer deal on a like new set of ARPs cheaper. So i bought them


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

I just got my 268/260 turbo cam on sale for $90, 136mm head studs, and 2.5mm head spacer! Ill post a review when I install them. :wave:







[/url]Screenshot_2016-11-01-22-39-42 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

How do you know when you need the longer studs? I'm running a 1.8 block and the shorter studs worked out fine, but I was having trouble figuring out the difference.

Most ABA I see listed as using the same exact head bolt as the older 1.8's. Maybe since ABA are that much taller in block they just have more thread in the block that you can run that much more stud down into? But in my case with a 1.8 I couldn't have done that, but maybe I could still use them later if I go with the ABA bottom end, they just won't go in as deep. I wonder that because every place lists ABA as using the head bolt as the older 1.8 stuff.  

Like this is listed as fitting ABA but that part number is for 96mm long ( the shorter head bolts) 
http://techtonicstuning.com/main/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_13_61_251&products_id=455

And this shows the same exact ARP part number for G60/ABA/1.8 etc.
http://techtonicstuning.com/main/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_13_61_251&products_id=452


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

Well iirc the early 8v like you have uses the shorter head stud as the head is shorter than the aba that used the longer head stud. 

It might be that the block is taller but either way the aba uses the longer 136mm stud.


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

I run an ABA head on a 1.8 block and the short studs worked exactly right...

And ARP shows the same stud kit as fitting both the older 1.8 and ABA 2.0....I still don't understand it.


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

Whats your aba turbo setup?


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

It's a base 1.8 8v bottom end (was G60 1.8, popped that, I had a regular 9:1, 1.8 Mk2 bottom end lying around so I tossed it in, I have another G60 bottom and 10:1, 1.8 Mk2 bottom on deck waiting to go in, haven't decided which yet)

I am/was running on a chipped Digifant 1 ECU, and a T3 50 trim .42/.48, it spooled good, and went 13.5 with a best of 106mph. I've since put a T3/T4 46 trim with .63 turbine. (51mm inducer on the comp wheel) but only drove it for a bit before I realized it had bottom end damage (possibly cracked ringlands it was pushing a lot of oil into the breather)

Also picked up Mega Squirt 2 v.3 (the latest one) and so working on switching it over to that as well. But once I get that figured out I might say screw it and go built 1.8t in the future. It's really just a 15 year old G60 swap that kept evolving as I ran out of G-ladder superchargers. :thumbdown:


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

Looks really good! I can't wait to get my car driving reliably and figure out the suspension/ turn signals, horn, and head lights to work. I've been piecing together a kit with a .48 turbo, stage 3 um tune, 42# injectors, spa turbo 268/260 cam shaft, spa head spacer, spa head studs, and all the other turbo goodies. Im pretty sure i can run the cam shaft with stock springs.


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

I run an OBD 2 head and TT HD springs. I was using a Shrick 272, but went to a 268/260, might go back to the straight 272. It liked to rev more with that cam even if is a little sloppy midrange. The 268/260 I have, which I believe is a TT cam, is ok with stock single valve spring heads, the 272 is not. 

I switched cams trying to fill in that mid RPM power the bigger turbine might hurt, but honestly at that point its all or nothing anyways any you might as well go for the most top end power you can make.


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

So do you like the 268/260? Im planing to use the car for a lot of autocross and possible daily. They market the cam for turbo use.


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

Tough call. How much auto-X will you be doing? If it's a dedicated car, I would size the turbo very small, maybe go with that new K03 manifold for 8v that just came out. 

There is 2 sides to it, a big turbo and big camshaft act like traction control on the street, they come in up top when you already moving a good clip and don't smash the tires off so hard, meaning the straight line pull is great and the rest of the time it's an 8v VW. My little T3 50 trim when it spools comes all at once and really knocks the tires off. It didn't spool so low (like a K03 equipped car) you could really torque off corners, it was more like 3500rpm and then it comes on hard. The T3/T4 is even later and more gradual climb in PSI numbers but then sails to 7000rpm.

I had a Beetle 1.8t 5spd and that K03 spools almost instantly, as soon as the clutch is out in 1st gear. That would be really advantageous for the small straights you get in Auto-X, as long you have the grip. (LSD's for these cars costs a damn fortune too :banghead: )


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

Most of my driving will be on the street, I will autocross once or twice a month. I've got the t3 .48 turbo and that 268/260 cam. I'm hoping the power will come on in the middle and pull to redline. I've got a mk6 gti that has a full exhaust and it pulls pretty damn hard though the whole rev range. Lots of people run a .63 but I like having power all the way though. I don't have an lsd and I'm running an 020 that probably won't handle much power. 

Do you think the 268/260 cam would be alright to run while I am n/a? I am waiting until winter to put the whole turbo setup in. :wave:

I'm guessing with the setup I have I'll be around the 200-250 range and that is more than enough for me. The engine is in a mk1 gti so it will be a little rocket.


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

That cam is still an upgrade on a NA car vs an OEM camshaft.

The 020 will take more then you think, I've ran slicks on my car that's not what kills them. Bouncing the throttle and shocking them (shears rivets) or one tire fire (standing still burnouts, etc.) will explode the spider gears. But power and the odd one tire diffing out as you accelerate won't kill them that fast.


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## Cheeki Breeki GTI (Oct 10, 2016)

Got the new SPA camshaft in and it seems good as far as i can tell. The car now has a bit of a lope to it, can't wait to see what the powerband is like.


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