Not the bolts, but the holes in the block. Do the bolts actually tighten at any point whatsoever?

 

THE TRICK is to wait for 20-30 minutes between each of the 90 degree final tightening sequences. If not it will be overly difficult and you will need a large breaker bar to accomplish which is quite dangerous (IMO) and could lead to thread stripping and/or bolt breakage.

 

That is why I went studs, I have never done TTY bolts and was concerned about getting it right. But something went wrong the old bolts in head my mostly required a 3 foot breaker to start moving several were loose but not that loose.

 

Any headway? No pun intended.

If you're tightening and bolt threads look good, but they never tighten...you definitely have a thread issue in the block.

Brian.

 

The original head torque was 65 ft/lbs I believe.

I noticed when I did my bolts the last time I could turn them and turn them, easily and they never got tight.

I wonder if the cheap bolts got cheaper.

I dont have any leaks though so idk.

 

So as stated originally; installed new head gaskets.

on drivers side head I completed the process as described in the RAVE and according to the Atlantic British mechanic video: 15fp in spiral pattern; then 90°, wait 15 min, then 2nd 90°.

there was no torque value....

the ONLY 2 bolts that were tight at the end of that process were the 2 short head bolts inside the head on either end.

after reading all the posts here; and constantly being told something wasn’t right....I devised a “plan”.

So....

on the passenger side head I used the EXACT same process....but after putting in all the bolts and snugging them, and then applying the 15fp torque I went back around and again found bolts were not at torque. So I continued the pattern 3 times until all bolts were 15fp torque. Then I applied the first 90°, waited the required 15m, and then applied the second 90°.

the passenger side head completed the process perfectly using that process.

So, to ensure that the driver side head would receive a proper torque value I did the following.

I took the torque wrench and adjusted the torque wrench in a reverse setting value until I found the torque value on the passenger side head bolts. Without adding any torque or turning the bolts I tested and checked each of the bolts on the passenger side; all the bolts tested at 80fp of torque.

So I went back to the driver side head and tested the torque value of the two short head bolts at either end of the interior head. Their torque value was 100fp. I then set the torque wrench at 80fp and using the proper spiral pattern torqued all the remaining driver side head bolts to the 80fp, matching the torque value on the passenger side head.

I guess “my problem” was that I took the instructions and information from the RAVE and the video too literally.

You must repeat circular pattern on the bolt heads to reach the 15fp of torque numerous times until all the bolts retain their torque value before starting the 90° portion of the process.

I had no idea that following the process and torquing the bolts to 15fp would require multiple passes to ensure ALL of the bolts would retain the required 15fp torque value.

So at the end of the process all of the bolts on both heads have the same torque value....and after allowing the heads to sit overnight and going back to test the value, they all retained their torque value.

as always I appreciate the advice, the sounding board environment and the help.

Doc

 

These are stretch bolts. Just torquing them to 80lb-ft isn't going to allow them to work properly. That's why you need to have a waiting period between rotations.

 

so you didn’t actually read anything in this thread....

 

Glad you got it sorted out and updated the thread.

 

Yes, I have been following it and reading everything.
I have also used both TTY and ARP studs on Disco 2 engines.

You said you followed the spiral pattern to a designated torque. That isn't how TTY bolts work.