How many times can you torque a head gasket?
Stretched Head Bolts Bolts are designed to stretch as you torque them into place, and when you remove them, they snap back to their original position. Because of this, many standard head bolts are okay to use more than once, as long as they have not been stretched past their spring back point.
Should you’re-torque aluminum heads?
You should definitely re-torque the heads. Aluminum grows quite a bit, the manufacturer told me the heads would grow .
Do you have to re torque head bolts after gasket change?
That means the fasteners can’t get any looser or any tighter. But if you want to go to bed with that warm/fuzzy feeling that the head bolts were re-torqued, by all means, re-torque the head bolts. Double-checking the torque after it sits for a few days seems a good compromise.
Do you have to retorque composite head gaskets?
Years ago the old composite head gaskets had a requirement to retorque the head gaskets after a certain length of time. Read the installation instructions. If no mention is made to retorque then you are good to go. When I attended diesel mechanics class in the early 70’s…we always retorqued all cylinder heads after the engines were rebuilt.
What happens if you put the head down on a gasket?
What’s more, when the head is clamped down the RTC silicone can run down into the cooling jackets or the combustion chamber. Completely avoid the use of contaminated or damaged threads. This will give you false torque readings. And it takes away from the bolt’s clamping force.
When to re torque bolts on an aluminum engine?
Re-torque the bolts as required while your engine is warm. But if you’re using aluminum cylinder heads, you should wait until your engine is complete cooled until re-torquing.
Why do I have to re-torque my gasket?
Bolts may be loose or have low retained torque. Also, the gasket may exhibit slight leakage or failure to seal. We hope this helped clarify any misunderstanding that might be out there regarding re-torquing and its standard practices.
Do you have to retorque head bolts after a gasket change?
If you have to go back and re-torque the head bolts after installing the heads and gaskets, there’s a major flaw in the engine design. I know of no other vehicle manufacturer that requires re-torquing of the head bolts once they’re torqued to spec.
How much torque do you need to retorquing aluminum heads?
As far as retorquing the heads after run in, you should back each one off just a tad and pull to the torque. You won’t get an accurrate torque if you don’t back them off a little bit (maybe 1/16 of a turn). When you torque the heads the first time, bring them all down to torque. Then one by one, back them off a bit and re-torque them.
What’s more, when the head is clamped down the RTC silicone can run down into the cooling jackets or the combustion chamber. Completely avoid the use of contaminated or damaged threads. This will give you false torque readings. And it takes away from the bolt’s clamping force.