[Vwdiesel] Timing of 1000 mile retorque?

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/7/2005 7:05:36 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
h_hagar at prcn.org writes:

> is not the real measure
> for a DIY like you .   The heating cooling cycles
> are more important.


  Actually it probably has more to do with number of times each cylinder 
fires.  The head gasket is designed to stay sealed even though each 
time a cylinder fires, the head quite literally lifts off of the block a bit, 

kind of like the physics problem of how far does the Earth move to meet 
you when you jump up.  It's not much but it's the law.  ;-)
  I read a really good article on head gasket design once and the heads 
simply don't stay put so the gasket has to stay sealed while remaining 
elastic yet being solid.  The retorque should be to take up the "slack" 
that's accumulated during that first so many hundred thousand firing 
cycles as it compresses a tad.  
  Retorque too early and it'll still compress, too late and you'll start 
leaking 
and it won't seal.  More critical with a 1.5 or Raceware than with stretch 
bolts it would seem.
  I just know I've had problems any time I didn't do the warm-up retorque 
before driving or missing the 600 mile one.  Moreso with the warm-up 
one.
     Loren