Larry Brumfield
BANNED
In my opinion improper re-torques or an insufficient number of re-torques are two of the biggest reasons for gasket failure on any Model A!!
How many are necessary and when are you done?
All you need is an accurate torque wrench and a pencil or felt tip marker ...... yes, that's what I said. You can use the pencil or felt tip marker to help determine if your last re-torque was necessary. But first let me explain the correct procedure which applies to all flat heads and all gasket types:
Except for the first one, performed when the engine is warm (explained below)... ALL RE-TORQUES should be performed with the engine completely cooled down...... just like if you turned off the engine, went in the house and came back out in the morning to re-torque the head.... cooled off.
The only reason that I tell people to perform the first re-torque with the engine warm is because sometimes the gasket compresses so much the first time and the nuts get so loose that a seepage or small leak might occur while you're waiting for the engine to cool off!
Usually 3 initial re-torques are enough. That is: run the engine (by driving the car), come back and let it cool off completely, then re-torque.
Moreover, don't forget to follow the 1/8 back off method in sequence, MOST IMPORTANT.
Now after about 500 miles or so it wouldn't hurt to perform one last re-torque. BUT re-torques are not something that should have to be performed forever! The gasket will compress as far as it's going to and that's it.
Always note the position of the nuts when you re-torque. Before you loosen the nut 1/8 turn, you can mark the position of the nut with a pencil or felt tip marker by making a small mark down the side of the nut onto the stud boss. (Worry about correcting the paint job later or find a marker that removes easy)
You can tell when no more re-torques are necessary by how far the nut turns when applying the final re-torque amount as compared to where it was before you loosened it. If ANY of the nuts go much farther, as indicated by the mark on the nut going past the mark on the stud boss, then the re-torque was necessary. However, some may not; that's why I capitalized the word "ANY." If the mark on the nut goes back to where it was (within reason; not necessarily perfect) on all the nuts then you're done.
Larry B.
P.S. I'll bet most of you sprayed paint all over the tops of the stud bosses when you painted the head. NOT GOOD!
The paint can relax and take some of the tension off the nuts thus affecting the torque accuracy from nut to nut.
How many are necessary and when are you done?
All you need is an accurate torque wrench and a pencil or felt tip marker ...... yes, that's what I said. You can use the pencil or felt tip marker to help determine if your last re-torque was necessary. But first let me explain the correct procedure which applies to all flat heads and all gasket types:
Except for the first one, performed when the engine is warm (explained below)... ALL RE-TORQUES should be performed with the engine completely cooled down...... just like if you turned off the engine, went in the house and came back out in the morning to re-torque the head.... cooled off.
The only reason that I tell people to perform the first re-torque with the engine warm is because sometimes the gasket compresses so much the first time and the nuts get so loose that a seepage or small leak might occur while you're waiting for the engine to cool off!
Usually 3 initial re-torques are enough. That is: run the engine (by driving the car), come back and let it cool off completely, then re-torque.
Moreover, don't forget to follow the 1/8 back off method in sequence, MOST IMPORTANT.
Now after about 500 miles or so it wouldn't hurt to perform one last re-torque. BUT re-torques are not something that should have to be performed forever! The gasket will compress as far as it's going to and that's it.
Always note the position of the nuts when you re-torque. Before you loosen the nut 1/8 turn, you can mark the position of the nut with a pencil or felt tip marker by making a small mark down the side of the nut onto the stud boss. (Worry about correcting the paint job later or find a marker that removes easy)
You can tell when no more re-torques are necessary by how far the nut turns when applying the final re-torque amount as compared to where it was before you loosened it. If ANY of the nuts go much farther, as indicated by the mark on the nut going past the mark on the stud boss, then the re-torque was necessary. However, some may not; that's why I capitalized the word "ANY." If the mark on the nut goes back to where it was (within reason; not necessarily perfect) on all the nuts then you're done.
Larry B.
P.S. I'll bet most of you sprayed paint all over the tops of the stud bosses when you painted the head. NOT GOOD!
The paint can relax and take some of the tension off the nuts thus affecting the torque accuracy from nut to nut.
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