[ScottyV1966]

Head bolts are critical to torque correctly. There is a certain order and they have to be stretched by turning an additional 90 degrees. Once the bolts have been stretched they are not reusable.

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Agree 1000%! The Most Important Bolts to get right on any Engine!

 

[Big Buford]

<Interrupting the forum posting lesson to go back to torque (tork, took, etc,)>
There are plenty of torque values that don't matter so much. Cylinder head bolts are different. Torque values there matter rather a lot. I'm surprised the head bolts did not snap off if you used a breaker bar or other tool for added leverage. At the very least, you need to remove and re-install to the correct torque. If the bolts were stretched beyond their elastic limit, then they will need to be replaced. Let us know how it goes (via proper forum etiquette).....

 

[S10dude]

i'm sooo confused ?

 

[Original_Owner_86]

I went threw the trouble of disassembling my engine to change the head gasket and ALL the other gaskets on the entire engine. Well as a newbie on mechanic work it was my first attempt at this. I actually did really good watching you tube videos and etc. I got it all done and put back together then watched a couple more YouTube videos just to see what else I need to do. Welllll, it says you have to set the head bolts to a certain took and I had not done that. I had tightened them all down super tight with a bar for leverage. I'm praying that this will be good enough.. I haven't started it yet because I want to change oil and filter to make sure I get all the water out and all.. Its been 3 weeks since it's been cranked and I found no milkshake oil in the engine so it has came to rest in the pan and should come out when I drain it. X-MY FINGERS on that too.

At least now you have experience tearing it down to replace the bolts and will be twice as fast as it.
-You could say screw it, leave it as is & drive, it if you're not the worry wort type. Otherwise, every off noise you hear, any performance issues perceived or real will make you think they are head bolt related. You'll be checking your oil often for water, looking underneath for leaks. And eventually tear it apart & do it right now because there's an issue, but for some peace of mind.

 

[2.2s101995]

You should take them out and install new ones using the correct pattern and torque spec. It shouldn't take too long especially since everything is already lined up. You can get a set for $10 on rockauto. I used a high-temp thread sealant on mine, anybody have any thoughts on that? From reading threads on here some people install them dry and some people lube them with engine oil. The haynes manual said to use a thread sealant so thats what I did and so far no leaks.

 

[oldeerslayer]

Everybody seems to be side stepping the elephant in the room. If he overtorqued them and replaces the bolts and correctly torques them, what about the head gasket? Won't it be squished beyond usefulness and then when the new bolts are installed looser, won't the head gasket leak. Or be prone to leaking down the road? If it were mine I'd put a new gasket in just for peace of mind. Especially since 2.2's are so touchy about head gaskets.
Curious how many folks have had a 2.2 head bolt break during normal usage? I say normal to exclude racing, boosted, or screwed up installs. I've never had a broken one on a V anything.

 

[imgodswarrior79]

You don't need to hit reply in the last post. Just type your comments in the box a couple inches down. Then hit post reply.
That will post your comments w/o reposting the content of the previous post.

You don't need to hit reply in the last post. Just type your comments in the box a couple inches down. Then hit post reply.
That will post your comments w/o reposting the content of the previous post.

unless i completely confused... i belive thats what ive been doing, there is a small reply bubble at bottom of the post i click it , type my reply, and click post reply on right hand side to post it..... maybe ima need a couple of screen shots from ya'll

 

[manbearpig]

Highly doubt the head gasket would be deformed by overtightening the bolts. I think the bolts would break first. The only way I've seen head bolts break under normal usage is when there is a coolant leak to the outside that is pushed past a head bolt. It will eventually rust through.

 

[imgodswarrior79]

Everybody seems to be side stepping the elephant in the room. If he overtorqued them and replaces the bolts and correctly torques them, what about the head gasket? Won't it be squished beyond usefulness and then when the new bolts are installed looser, won't the head gasket leak. Or be prone to leaking down the road? If it were mine I'd put a new gasket in just for peace of mind. Especially since 2.2's are so touchy about head gaskets.
Curious how many folks have had a 2.2 head bolt break during normal usage? I say normal to exclude racing, boosted, or screwed up installs. I've never had a broken one on a V anything.

Highly doubt the head gasket would be deformed by overtightening the bolts. I think the bolts would break first. The only way I've seen head bolts break under normal usage is when there is a coolant leak to the outside that is pushed past a head bolt. It will eventually rust through.

Well i think both points are to be aware of, but if your engine is open already and you have tje means, then i would change the bolts , now if u install the same ones, i would think the gasket would still be usable "IF "it was new anyway...

 

[oldeerslayer]

Well then if the gasket is OK and he didn't snap off any bolts, drive it. Nothing bad should happen.

 

[Salty Crusty]

Fire it up and see! I probably rebuilt half dozen 350's before I knew there was a certain amount of stretch that were supposed to be put on bolts. Mains got all I could put on 'em, head bolts a little less and progressively less with smaller bolts.
Since none of us know how big a fella you are, nobody knows if you've overtorqued 'em or not. All you can put on 'em won't be the same as a wirey little guy or a hulk.
If anything leaks, you can THEN check the bolts, they may be fine. If you tightened 'em all the same, the gasket should have fairly equal compression and squish.

 

[oldeerslayer]

That's how we all learn. Do what you know now. Tomorrow you'll learn something new. Doesn't necessarily mean what you did before you knew was wrong. You'll just do it different next time.
I've been messing with cars since I was 13. 62 years ago and I still learn something new everyday.
Yesterday I learned how to do a misfire graph on my Tech2. Don't know how I ever figured out which cylinder was missing before this. It's so simple and accurate. Now I just have to figure out what makes 2, 7, &8 all miss on my 6.0 2500HD. Ran fine last time I drove it. Suspect intake gasket, but don't really want to go there. Although it's a bunch easier than on a 4.3.

 

[imgodswarrior79]

True that brother, good luck with your truck🙂👍

 

[ShadeTreeMech]

I seriously hope that you did not use a cheater bar to tighten the head bolts with.

I would go to O'reilly's, Auto Zone or any parts store and rent their torque wrench.
I'd remove the heads and replace the gaskets.
Then put the heads back on, snug the bolts up (snug, Not Tighten), starting in the center
of the head and working your way out in a circle pattern.
Then using the torque wrench, torque the bolts in the correct sequence to the correct torque value.
Otherwise, you're playing russian roulette. Improper torqued head bolts can lead to head gasket failure, water in the pistons, water in the oil and possible piston damage.
g/l

 

[Original_Owner_86]

That's how we all learn. Do what you know now. Tomorrow you'll learn something new. Doesn't necessarily mean what you did before you knew was wrong. You'll just do it different next time.
I've been messing with cars since I was 13. 62 years ago and I still learn something new everyday.
Yesterday I learned how to do a misfire graph on my Tech2. Don't know how I ever figured out which cylinder was missing before this. It's so simple and accurate. Now I just have to figure out what makes 2, 7, &8 all miss on my 6.0 2500HD. Ran fine last time I drove it. Suspect intake gasket, but don't really want to go there. Although it's a bunch easier than on a 4.3.

62 years ago, you could hear which cylinder was missing. 😉

 

[mrpetec01]

I went threw the trouble of disassembling my engine to change the head gasket and ALL the other gaskets on the entire engine. Well as a newbie on mechanic work it was my first attempt at this. I actually did really good watching you tube videos and etc. I got it all done and put back together then watched a couple more YouTube videos just to see what else I need to do. Welllll, it says you have to set the head bolts to a certain took and I had not done that. I had tightened them all down super tight with a bar for leverage. I'm praying that this will be good enough.. I haven't started it yet because I want to change oil and filter to make sure I get all the water out and all.. Its been 3 weeks since it's been cranked and I found no milkshake oil in the engine so it has came to rest in the pan and should come out when I drain it. X-MY FINGERS on that too.

IF you have not started it - no harm no foul. See elsewhare on this thred for the torque values and seuence for th ebolts.I woudl loosen then a bit, the slowly snug in sequence to final values . Buy or borrow and accurate TORQUE WRENCH recheck and t retoque th ebolts.

 

[Wheatfree]

Do not lift the head off the block.

• With a torque wrench see what the bolts are at. If less than spec completer the process. That final 90 degrees after the initial 43 ft lb is the stretch
• Loosen them all according to disassembly order and retorque to spec (do over)
• Or replace the bolts

There is a chance an old bolt will break and a chance they won't. Even clamping pressure is the goal. The only way to be sure is new bolts. Chances are good the old ones won't break while torquing and if they don't they most likely won't. It they break consider it a comeback and redo the job. If budget and time are not an issue best would be replace the bolts but it is more a piece of mind issue.