cylinder studs: torque or length?

[jmerlinw <jmerlinw@xxxxxxx>]

I'm new here (apologies, in case I fracture some etiquette). I have a 1999
R1100RS with 29,000 miles. I'm the original owner.
b"	I had a slow oil weep around the right side head gasket (dripping on the
toe of the right boot)
b"	I tightened the head nuts two times in 6,000 miles but this did not stop
the oil weep.
b"	I decided to replace the head gasket and check the cylinder studs for
tightness.
b"	Upon removing the heads, The studs all seemed very loose to me b almost
finger tight. This is the first time the heads have been off. (The dealer
did the original retorque of the heads at 600 miles).
b"	I couldnbt find a torque setting for the studs in the BMW nor the Haynes
manual. Just for the head nuts. If I tighten the studs to say 20Nm b they
are too short. The Haines manual says they should have 152.5mm of extension
above the cylinder sleeve, except for the short one which is 132mm. At 20Nm
the longer studs are just 146mm, not 152.5mm.
b"	I took them all out and reinserted them to the correct lengths, but again,
they seem really loose (barely register on a torque wrench)
b"	So, I have doped them up good with a high-temp thread lock and have put
then in to correct lengths. But I wonder...

What is your advice? 
b"	Do I go for the correct length no matter if they seem loose (less than
5Nm)?
b"	Do I tighten to say, 20Nm even if that makes them short (say 146mm instead
152mm)
b"	Or do I helicoil the whole bunch?

Anyone out there encounter this issue? Advice?

John Merlin Williams
Ann Arbor, MI

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