Head bolt re-torquing

[slomove]

I am in the process of installing my rebuilt cylinder head on to my older Zetec engine. I have ARP head studs that can be re-used and a Victor Reinz composite head gasket (not MLS). According to recommendations I should mount the head, install the cams and run the engine a short time, then take then cams off and re-torque because the gasket may settle and make the studs loose tension. Real pain in the butt.

 

Last time I did that 5 years ago, only to find that the nuts did not budge a bit at re-torquing. That means the significant work (taking off the cover, removing the cam shafts, tightening the head stud nuts, mounting the camshafts, adjusting the cam timing, closing the cover etc.) was a waste. Apparently the gasket did not settle at all or not enough to make a difference.

 

I am wondering if I should just skip that step.

 

Any opinion?

Edited May 13, 2014 by slomove

[coffee break]

My understanding of "re-torqueing" process is, loosen the bolt/nut and re-apply the torque value.

Yes, no, maybe?

(Miley Cyrus has nothing to do with it) :ack:

Edited May 13, 2014 by coffee break

[TheDingo8MyBaby]

I've never loosened when retorquing. The point of retorquing is to account for any stretch the bolt may have gone through under the heat cycling. I've found that my ARP kent head bolts don't stretch very much - so you're probably fine without retorquing, but that isn't much solace when you're 2000 miles away from home, Gert.

[slomove]

Yay....I found a way of torquing the heat stud nuts without removing the camshafts. I found very slim short 12mm 12-point sockets that will just barely slip in between the camshaft and the head. Once seated on the nuts I could tighten them with a 3/8" wobble type extension that can be tilted in the socket to also avoid the camshaft that would normally be in the axis of the stud.

 

So far so good, now I must see what to do with that one sticking piston ring.

[1turbofocus]

I am in the process of installing my rebuilt cylinder head on to my older Zetec engine. I have ARP head studs that can be re-used and a Victor Reinz composite head gasket (not MLS). According to recommendations I should mount the head, install the cams and run the engine a short time, then take then cams off and re-torque because the gasket may settle and make the studs loose tension. Real pain in the butt.

 

Last time I did that 5 years ago, only to find that the nuts did not budge a bit at re-torquing. That means the significant work (taking off the cover, removing the cam shafts, tightening the head stud nuts, mounting the camshafts, adjusting the cam timing, closing the cover etc.) was a waste. Apparently the gasket did not settle at all or not enough to make a difference.

 

I am wondering if I should just skip that step.

 

Any opinion?

 

I thin you will regret using that brand gasket , the only one I have found that holds and works is the Ford HG for the Zetec or SVT and I have tried them all with building over 400 Zetec / SVT Focus engines

 

I also found that going over and TQ the ARP studs with the ARP lube about 8 times and I do not re torque them when hot and never have any issues

 

Tom

[slomove]

I thin you will regret using that brand gasket , the only one I have found that holds and works is the Ford HG for the Zetec or SVT and I have tried them all with building over 400 Zetec / SVT Focus engines

 

I also found that going over and TQ the ARP studs with the ARP lube about 8 times and I do not re torque them when hot and never have any issues

 

Tom

 

Thanks Tom, maybe I should have had that advice a few weeks ago. Now it is installed and hope it will work. My engine is mildly tuned and not that hot. For that matter, it is the gasket brand that I used to have before and that was recommended by the original engine builder. I think he mentioned it is a little thicker than the usual US replacement parts. I read also that Victor Reinz was one of the Ford OEM suppliers for the old Mondeo. But maybe that is all just unscientific rumors.

 

I do understand that no modern engine has composite gaskets anymore. Pretty much everybody uses MLS nowadays. Oh well... let's see.