Head Re-Torque

[KVH]

After how many miles do I need to re-torque? I just readjusted the tappets and realized I probably should have re-torqued the head, but it's only been about 400 miles since I put the head back on.

thx

 

[TR3driver]

I believe the factory recommendation varied between 500 and 1000 miles; but it certainly won't hurt to do it earlier (or more than once).

 

[SteveGlusman]

You should have already retorqued the head! Typically you do it after 1st 50-100 miles.....at most....good way to blow a head gasket....should only need to do it once.

 

[martx-5]

speaking of re-torqueing the head, i have several hours (no miles) on my TR3 engine that has ARP studs and nuts. when should these be re-torqued and what is the proper procedure???

 

[Brosky]

I did mine at about 800 miles and the normal is 600-1,000 miles. Earlier will not hurt, but it shouldn't be a problem to follow the factory recommendations unless it was never torqued properly in the beginning, but if that were the case, you'd have bigger problems by now.

 

[martx-5]

OK, so i'll re-torque...now what is the proper procedure?? do they get loosened and then re-torqued?? if so, do you loosen them all first, or one at a time?? walk me through this, as i don't know how it's done. remember, i have ARP fasteners if that makes a difference.

 

[vivdownunder]

I always loosen one head nut at a time, then very slowly torque it down before starting the next one. While the nut is loosened I put a drop of oil on the washer to lube the nut. Torquing down too fast will jerk the wrench and give a false reading. The factory specified sequence must be followed. Once every nut is re torqued, then it's worth going around the head once again.

Re set the tappets.

Viv.

 

[Don Elliott]

When I re-built the engine in my 1958 TR3A in the spring of 2007, I drove it 85 miles to break it in and get the tuning and tuming right. Then I re-torqued the head nuts. The day after I left for VTR in Valley Forge, PA, a trip of over 600 miles. That trip, all told, was over 1500 miles. I re-torqued it again when i got home. Since then (another 5,500 miles) I have had no issues.

 

[Number_6]

After how many miles do I need to re-torque? I just readjusted the tappets and realized I probably should have re-torqued the head, but it's only been about 400 miles since I put the head back on.

thx

Eric, at Her Majesty's Auto Service, was the one that rebuilt my engine & head recommended that I bring my car back in to have the head retorqued at 500 miles.

 

[TR3driver]

I agree with loosen one nut and then retorque it, before moving on to the next one. Torque readings should always be taken while the nut is still turning, as the friction goes up when it stops (sticktion).

However, the factory torque figures are given 'dry', so I don't add any oil.

For the ARP studs, I'd follow ARP's recommendation; which I believe is to use their special lube. If they give a torque value, I'd follow that; if not, use the factory spec. Adding the lube (and the 5 cycles of torque/release that they say to use) will increase the clamping force with the factory torque, and hopefully get the studs into the elastic range.

 

[19_again]

https://www.arp-bolts.com/Tech/TechInstall.html

Here's the ARP recommendation, the settings are mentioned but the technique is, and their catalog has a lot more specifics.
Good Luck.

 

[billspohn]

Yup, several guys have it right - one at a time, crack them loose 1/4 - 1/2 turn to make sure you are starting correctly, and bring up to spec again.

This is less of a problem with so called modern 'Perma-torque' head gaskets, but it is still an excellent idea to prevent possible problems.

Cast iron (which should cover all the TRs) cold, alloy heads hot.

 

[MadMarx]

My advice:
Install the head with gasket, fire up the engine, let the engine idle at 2000 rpm until it is warm and the oil pressure drops a little, THEN re-torque the head warm. Cast iron always warm re-torque.
No need to loosen the nuts because the head is warm, the studs are longer, and so you can do a quarter turn on each.

Cheers
Chris

 

[KVH]

According to ARP (I have their studs), retorque should be done cold only, and with no oil or moly grease added, though a little moly is OK if the original has totally disapated. Use of motor oil, they say in their literature, dramatically changes the torque spec, all the way from 90 to 130 on the wrench scale.

Here's another question: Does anyone ever re-use their valve cover gasket? I feel a bit eccentric putting a new gasket under the valve cover every time I retorque or adjust the tappets. I know they're cheap, but with some folks talking about 5 cycles of head torque, I can't imagine they maintain a storehouse of valve gaskets.

thx

 

[MadMarx]

ARP does it mean well but they don't know on which engine the bolts are mounted.
If the bolts are used in a aluminum engine then re-torque cold is okay and right but with cast iron its an other story.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Don Elliott]

Over the last 50 years, including 2 engine rebuilds and 180,00 miles, I would guess that I have used six, maybe seven cork gaskets for the valve cover on my 1958 TR3A. With the gasket bonded on only one side to the inside of the valve cover, it can be reused hundreds of times with the unbonded surface tight against the flat mating surface on the top of the head. That's the way my TR came from the factory new - so that's what I did after that.

 

[martx-5]

Glue the gasket to the cover. I then smear some heavy grease to the underside of the gasket. This will prevent any of the cork from wanting to stick to the head. It can then be used almost infinitly after that. Just smear on some more grease.

 

[TR3driver]

That's what I did as well, except I used Hylomar instead of grease.

Then I bought one of Justin's silicone gaskets which works great with no sealer or grease.

 

[Don Elliott]

I have never used sealer or grease on the mating face of the cork gasket to the top of the cylinder head. It gets a bit oily, but that's all. I never had it leak. That's why I find it hard to justify buying a silicone gasket from Justin Wagner. The cork one works just as good.