RE - Torque Head Bolts. Waste of time?

SBCNX20

Junior Member
Aug 7, 2006
354
0
16
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Central MA
Is there anything to be gained re torquing Factory Head Bolts? Low milage Motor thats waiting to go in the truck. I thought it could help a bit? Maybe.
 

Lonnie

Horsepower Addict
Factory bolts are "torque to yield", meaning they are 1 use only. If you loosen them they must be replaced.

Also steel shim gaskets do not deform like composition gaskets do, so a retourque is not as important in this application.

You could replace your bolts with studs, replacing then 1 at a time. It is pretty easy with the engine out.
 

Gasuout

Johnny
Mar 20, 2008
2,188
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Santa Ana , Ca.
if its running fine with no head gasket issues, I would leave it alone!!!

Agreed , the only time I tried to tighten was when I actually already pushed the gasket . I tightened the lower ones you could get to easy that obviously were stretched just to drive to tear down to replace head gaskets . Did help but was a bandaid for a day . I also only pushed it out between head and block to open air . Was leaking down side of block .

Wouldnt advise driving like this unless no other choice . I needed to get mine somewhere else to do the work .

Mine isnt the easiest to have towed . :D

Johnny
 

Josh2002cc

That Uncle
Apr 2, 2007
1,832
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39
Factory bolts are "torque to yield", meaning they are 1 use only. If you loosen them they must be replaced.
Also steel shim gaskets do not deform like composition gaskets do, so a retourque is not as important in this application.

You could replace your bolts with studs, replacing then 1 at a time. It is pretty easy with the engine out.


Hope Adam Wildman knows this....he reused the stock head bolts on his build :confused:
 

Gasuout

Johnny
Mar 20, 2008
2,188
0
0
Santa Ana , Ca.
You do what you have to do sometimes . He was really pressed for time on his build . It got broke in same day towing from Cali to Ohio .

Im sure he will be fine . All we can do is wish him the luck and hope he has no issues . :)

Johnny