Retorquing head?

[Popster]

8N front mount. Engine rebuilt, but never re-torqued.

Is it a waste of time trying to re-torque a head after a couple of years of use. I suspect a gasket problem; will do another compression test tomorrow. Last test was Front 114 105 107 110

It bogs and stumbles and I noticed smoke in the water in the radiator (I was checking the radiator level at startup)


If it's worth a try, how should it be done?

 

[Dell (WA)]

Popster........yeah, retorque a slightly warm engine. 65-ft/lbs fer studnuts; 75-ft/lbs fer head bolts. Just pull, don't loosen first. This is where "clicker" torque wrenches are surpreme. Don't have one? Beg or borrow or rent or byte the bigh bullet and buy one. .......Dell

 

[rustred]

you can give it a try but i sure wouldnt considerate it very accurate. some threads will be stuck, some dry exc.retorquing is to be done after running engine to operating temp after o/h.

 

[Salmoneye]

I'd be very happy with compression like that...

 

[Anonymous-0]

Before blaming the head gasket, does your coolant level stay full? Is your radiator cap blowing off pressure during operation? The compression numbers all look good within 10%. Also how does your spark plugs look? Any deposits? mike

 

[teddy52food]

If it was mine, I would drain the coolant, then back off each nut or bolt a quarter turn, one at a time & re torque to specs, starting in the middle. If a nut is rusted it may click the wrench & not tighten.

 

[Tom N MS]

Me Too...

 

[Popster]

OK, I'm going to try to retorque. Will post outcome.

 

[Tom N MS]

Please do post the outcome--majority of folks don"t post back, say kiss my foot or anything else. Thought everybody was raised with common courtesy skills, but boy was I wrong.

 

[2Ns no waiting]

Hi Folks-
1950 8n- victim of much neglect- giving it the once-over and freshening up the rough spots. Question is, I replaced the head gasket after looking over the cylinders & valves and replacing one exhaust valve. Replaced the gasket with a Fel-Pro and tourqued to spec for cap screws at two intervals with threads smeared with good brown puckey. I've never worked on a flattie before and don't know whether one should retourque a fel-pro gasket on one. Never had to on my OHV stuff, but this is new to me.

Thanks for any advice.
Mike
Albert, KS