head bolt torque what should i do now?

[jkeithw]

The same thing happened to me today - the #5 (of 14) head bolt gave up a lot of resistance in the last 30 degrees of the final 90 degree sweep. New head bolts, btw.

As much as they cost, this thing is going to have to prove that it's going to leak before I through another several hundred dollars on another set of bolts and HG.

well, I ordered 2 additional head bolts today, and removed the exhaust cam and removed the bolt that gave up on me - it took less than 50 ft lbs to break it loose, but it looked like new when it came out. I've since cleaned the hole, ran an old bolt in to check the threads, and am going to give it a shot with a new bolt tomorrow...

 

[jkeithw]

going to give it a shot with a new bolt tomorrow...

good news! it was a defective factory bolt after all. working on the upper intake manifold assembly now.

 

[jkeithw]

oh yeah - and the dealership won't warranty it because I installed it and torqued it.

 

[Budvar]

Like many of you, I cleaned the threaded holes in the block thoroughly and am re-using the OEM bolts which I found to be in spec' and rather consistent in diameter. I'm following the FSM and am also surprised at the high-feeling torque after the 1st 90 degree advance. I put my torque wrench on and found them all around 70 ft*lbs and I still had the 2nd round of 90 degree turns to go! I don't know what Grade these bolts are, but I know they are clean and oiled and similar in size to a 7/16-20. A chart I've used for years has a Grade 8, 7/16-20 start to yield at 93 Ft*lbs - dry. So, instead of finishing the last 90 degree turn per the FSM, I've decided to set my torque wrench to 90 Ft*lbs and not exceed this value. This has brought them all further without going over the last 90 degree turn and I'm not looking back...on to Cam shafts.

 

[jkeithw]

Like many of you, I cleaned the threaded holes in the block thoroughly and am re-using the OEM bolts which I found to be in spec' and rather consistent in diameter. I'm following the FSM and am also surprised at the high-feeling torque after the 1st 90 degree advance. I put my torque wrench on and found them all around 70 ft*lbs and I still had the 2nd round of 90 degree turns to go! I don't know what Grade these bolts are, but I know they are clean and oiled and similar in size to a 7/16-20. A chart I've used for years has a Grade 8, 7/16-20 start to yield at 93 Ft*lbs - dry. So, instead of finishing the last 90 degree turn per the FSM, I've decided to set my torque wrench to 90 Ft*lbs and not exceed this value. This has brought them all further without going over the last 90 degree turn and I'm not looking back...on to Cam shafts.

how did the 90ftlbs work in the long run?

 

[roadstr6]

I measured my originals and they were in spec. Cleaned them up good before I put them in. I had a couple of head bolts that felt like they got easier to turn on the last round of the torque sequence. I attributed it to bolt stretch and left them as they were. No ill effects 15K miles later.