Re: <All> Head bolt torque tips

["Al Powell" <apowell@agcom.tamu.edu>]

Interesting note.  Copyright was 1994.  I have always considered a 
"re-torque" to be a procedure where I installed the head, torqued it, 
ran the engine, let it cool off fully, then went over the torque one 
more time.  

I understand now that the procedure is not appropriate for the Audi 
engines.  I would tend to use it on most aluminum heads, because 
experience tells me that they can have substantial changes in torque 
after being run until warm.

In my old 1200-series Fiat, if you didn't re-torque the head in the 
manner described above, you could just order a new head gasket, 
because it would blow in precisely 500 miles.  I have unfortunately 
proven it more than once.....

Best.

> From:          Joe Cargal <jcargal@worldnet.att.net>
> Subject:       Re: <All> Head bolt torque tips

> It seems that you picked up a really old copy of Hot Rod.  I really
> don't know about the washer under the head bolt (although Carroll
> Smith recommends a washer under the head of every bolt, just to show
> that you care if nothing else), but your head gasket procedure is a
> thing of the dark ages...especially if you are using Fel-Pro head
> gaskets.  The procedure that you describe is a "retorque".  If you
> look at any Fel-Pro Blue head gasket, it will state right on the
> gasket "no retorque".


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