Head bolt torque unclear

C

cjc56

Senior Member
My Ford shop manual for my 56 tbird(with a 312) says that the final torque on the head bolts is 90lbs for a 312 (page 362 of 1956 Ford Car Shop Manual Reprint). This amount seems to be a lot considering that the final torque for the 272 and 292 is 75lbs. IS this correct and since the specs on this page has "hot" referenced with the torque, will this make a difference in what I should torque them cold? Please help, i don't want to over torque!!!!!!!!!
 
What sort of gasket have you used... If it a felpro ( blue) type it's one torque at cold, what I do is torque it to final torque mark the bolts then loosen then re torque to final, you will get an extra quarter of a turn then no re torque required... 90 lbs is correct for the extra bang!!

Cheers
 
I torque my bolts in 3 steps, 35, 55, then final round at 75 with oil on the treads and under the head of the bolt. I have never had to retorque a felpro gasket. can't say for any others. I do all torqueing cold. I don't think you can retorque hot unless you take the exhaust manifold off, and it will be cold by then!
 
I don't know about you guys, but I torque cold the first time, then get engine up to operational temp, let engine cool all the way down, re torque again, I do that three times, I torque the head bolts in three steps. wasn't it around 55 or 56 that ford used steel embossed head gaskets?
 
Thanks for all the advice. I am using the blue Felpro so I can torque it cold with no retorque but I am still a little unclear on the final torque figure. Can I get some more imput about that figure. Is the 90lbs that is called for in the manual too much as Flatrod has suggested?
 
cjc56 said:
Thanks for all the advice. I am using the blue Felpro so I can torque it cold with no retorque but I am still a little unclear on the final torque figure. Can I get some more imput about that figure. Is the 90lbs that is called for in the manual too much as Flatrod has suggested?
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I would say the book is wrong. If I recall right, there was a wrong torque for the 312 main bolt torque as well. That usually ended up with threads pulled out. 90lbs is for a 1/2 bolt. You have 7/16 head bolts. Google a bolt torque chart and go from there.
 
My 1961 Motor's manual says 65-75 ft. lbs. for all Y-block engines. 90 ft. lbs. was for 332-390 engines. Also, main bearing torque was listed as 95-105 ft. lbs.
 
"Also, main bearing torque was listed as 95-105 ft. lbs"
Yeah, but go light on 312 mains. Found some with cracks in the block from overtorquing. Heard Ford relaxed the torque spec on 312's for that reason.
 
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