Re Torque GM head bolts
Re Torque GM head bolts anyone ever re torqued/ re stretched GM head bolts?
Not reuse them but lets say you had an entire bank that had a head gasket leak and through diagnostics and memory of an error, you discovered that the leak is due to the TTY bolts not being torqued enough. maybe 15*-20* shy on the last pass. Anyone have any ideas as to how to properly re torque without SNAP.
Not reuse them but lets say you had an entire bank that had a head gasket leak and through diagnostics and memory of an error, you discovered that the leak is due to the TTY bolts not being torqued enough. maybe 15*-20* shy on the last pass. Anyone have any ideas as to how to properly re torque without SNAP.
I would NOT " re torque"
Here ye go
try WWW.LS1HOWTO.CON
for complete info and pic of head
Now, grab a socket wrench and lightly turn the bolts until they stop. Now for the very precice part. You need to get your torque wrench out now and fit it with a 3" extension and a 15mm socket.
Using the sequence illustrated above, torque all 10 15mm bolts to 22lb-ft.
Ok, now for a GREAT tip from Scott99Z. Take a felt tip marker and draw a horizontal line on the head of each bolt. This is very important.
Now, using the sequence illustrated above, turn all 10 15mm bolts an additional 90 degrees using a large socket wrench and a lot of muscle. Try to get as close to 90 degreees as possible...you may have to do multiple turns of 30 degrees or 2 turns of 45 degrees. When done all the lines on the bolt heads should be totally vertical.
Next, again using the sequence above, turn bolts 1 through 8 another 90 degrees. This will take an immense amount of effort...if you have a buddy helping both of you should turn the wrench simultanoiusly. These 8 bolts will now all have horizontal lines on them
Using the sequence above, turn bolts 9 and 10 an additional 50 degrees. Again, this will take a lot of effort. 50 degrees should result in a diagonal line on the bolts
Finally, using the sequence above, torque bolts 11 through 15 to 22 lb-ft.
Now that the heads are installed, its time to re-assemble the valvetrain. Drop the 16 pushrods in their holes, and reinstall the rockers. First torque each rocker down to 20-lbft, then do a 2nd pass and torque them to 24lbft
good luck ,Johnny
Here ye go
try WWW.LS1HOWTO.CON
for complete info and pic of head
Now, grab a socket wrench and lightly turn the bolts until they stop. Now for the very precice part. You need to get your torque wrench out now and fit it with a 3" extension and a 15mm socket.
Using the sequence illustrated above, torque all 10 15mm bolts to 22lb-ft.
Ok, now for a GREAT tip from Scott99Z. Take a felt tip marker and draw a horizontal line on the head of each bolt. This is very important.
Now, using the sequence illustrated above, turn all 10 15mm bolts an additional 90 degrees using a large socket wrench and a lot of muscle. Try to get as close to 90 degreees as possible...you may have to do multiple turns of 30 degrees or 2 turns of 45 degrees. When done all the lines on the bolt heads should be totally vertical.
Next, again using the sequence above, turn bolts 1 through 8 another 90 degrees. This will take an immense amount of effort...if you have a buddy helping both of you should turn the wrench simultanoiusly. These 8 bolts will now all have horizontal lines on them
Using the sequence above, turn bolts 9 and 10 an additional 50 degrees. Again, this will take a lot of effort. 50 degrees should result in a diagonal line on the bolts
Finally, using the sequence above, torque bolts 11 through 15 to 22 lb-ft.
Now that the heads are installed, its time to re-assemble the valvetrain. Drop the 16 pushrods in their holes, and reinstall the rockers. First torque each rocker down to 20-lbft, then do a 2nd pass and torque them to 24lbft
good luck ,Johnny
Last edited by SS SLP2; Apr 9, 2013 at 10:02 PM.
Thanks Jonny and mr. lemons for the fast response.
I know you and others say don't re toque and normally I would be on yalls band wagon but I am going to try to tighten them up regardless. I know they are off 15*-20* on the final pass because I was using my not so trusty snap on tech wrench for the tty part. I marked the heads with a line before I started like I do on all my GM TTY bolts but this time when I finished with my toque sequence the lines were off by 15* or so. I thought... that's weird, those lines look off a few degree. I though some more and said to myself it must be me, I must be tired. NO WAY my $600 snap on tech wrench could be wrong I just had it calibrated by snap on the previous month. In case your wondering the SnapOn Tech wrench in question was sent in to western service center for repairs and immediately replaced by a brand new "not so trusty" tech wrench. I just hope they don't build planes with these snap on tech wrenches, oh wait they do... uh ohhhh
I know you and others say don't re toque and normally I would be on yalls band wagon but I am going to try to tighten them up regardless. I know they are off 15*-20* on the final pass because I was using my not so trusty snap on tech wrench for the tty part. I marked the heads with a line before I started like I do on all my GM TTY bolts but this time when I finished with my toque sequence the lines were off by 15* or so. I thought... that's weird, those lines look off a few degree. I though some more and said to myself it must be me, I must be tired. NO WAY my $600 snap on tech wrench could be wrong I just had it calibrated by snap on the previous month. In case your wondering the SnapOn Tech wrench in question was sent in to western service center for repairs and immediately replaced by a brand new "not so trusty" tech wrench. I just hope they don't build planes with these snap on tech wrenches, oh wait they do... uh ohhhh
If you're going to try.... Just set it on the final pass # and do it in the correct order.
FWIW.. I think new GM bolts can be bought per side, and they aren't that much. Just a thought.
I have studs and at minimum will always buy ARP bolts if I need them.
FWIW.. I think new GM bolts can be bought per side, and they aren't that much. Just a thought.
I have studs and at minimum will always buy ARP bolts if I need them.
I was thinking about just taking out one bolt out at a time in sequence and replacing it with a new GM bolt. The thing Im worried about is the debris in the bolt hole. I have put in a Whole lot of LS head bolts and on average i have to chase and blow out each bolt hole 6-8 times to remove all debris form the hole. Im worried that if i do one bolt at a time debris may become inadvertently lodged in the head gasket. Do you think im being to paranoid? Should I try to re'torque the existing bolts or remove them one at a time in sequence for new GM bolts?
I was thinking about just taking out one bolt out at a time in sequence and replacing it with a new GM bolt. The thing Im worried about is the debris in the bolt hole. I have put in a Whole lot of LS head bolts and on average i have to chase and blow out each bolt hole 6-8 times to remove all debris form the hole. Im worried that if i do one bolt at a time debris may become inadvertently lodged in the head gasket. Do you think im being to paranoid? Should I try to re'torque the existing bolts or remove them one at a time in sequence for new GM bolts?
If I had to pick another one.. I would do one bolt hole at a time. I wouldn't worry too much about debris messing anything off. Clean everything real good before you start working on it so nothing falls inside the hole.
I would not retorque the bolts you have.
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I do it once, do it right... I would take the head off, replace gasket/bolts, and tighten it down.
If I had to pick another one.. I would do one bolt hole at a time. I wouldn't worry too much about debris messing anything off. Clean everything real good before you start working on it so nothing falls inside the hole.
I would not retorque the bolts you have.
If I had to pick another one.. I would do one bolt hole at a time. I wouldn't worry too much about debris messing anything off. Clean everything real good before you start working on it so nothing falls inside the hole.
I would not retorque the bolts you have.
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@3rdCoastPowerSports was here in 2020 so you might get lucky and get a reply.
If you're really interested you can click on his screen name and pull up his posts and sort through his various posts. There might be information available or comments etc.
For what its worth - When it comes to head bolts, I get new ARP that can be reused or a brand new set of TTY's for the project. Other folks have reused and got away with it etc
If you're really interested you can click on his screen name and pull up his posts and sort through his various posts. There might be information available or comments etc.
For what its worth - When it comes to head bolts, I get new ARP that can be reused or a brand new set of TTY's for the project. Other folks have reused and got away with it etc
LoL whats up guys... been a log time since I have been on here but got the notice via email.
The above method worked just fine and had no issues. With that said I have since worked with a guy that used to work at a shop that reused gm head bolts all the time (although they sold them to customers as new... messed up) and said he never really had any problems or issues and said often times he just didn't go to full torque for fear of snapping the already stretched bolts but that at that shop they did it alot.
Now with that for years now I pretty much only use arp head bolts as they are so much easier to install than the gm hardware plus you can always re-torque them and re-use the without fear (lol).
If in a pinch though the above method did work although not technically correct.
The above method worked just fine and had no issues. With that said I have since worked with a guy that used to work at a shop that reused gm head bolts all the time (although they sold them to customers as new... messed up) and said he never really had any problems or issues and said often times he just didn't go to full torque for fear of snapping the already stretched bolts but that at that shop they did it alot.
Now with that for years now I pretty much only use arp head bolts as they are so much easier to install than the gm hardware plus you can always re-torque them and re-use the without fear (lol).
If in a pinch though the above method did work although not technically correct.
Last edited by 3rdCoastPowerSports; Sep 13, 2022 at 01:26 PM.
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 67
Likes: 18
From: Mississippi
I was thinking about just taking out one bolt out at a time in sequence and replacing it with a new GM bolt. The thing Im worried about is the debris in the bolt hole. I have put in a Whole lot of LS head bolts and on average i have to chase and blow out each bolt hole 6-8 times to remove all debris form the hole. Im worried that if i do one bolt at a time debris may become inadvertently lodged in the head gasket. Do you think im being to paranoid? Should I try to re'torque the existing bolts or remove them one at a time in sequence for new GM bolts?
Instead of blowing out each hole and sending crap flying everywhere, what I've done before is take a 20oz plastic bottle and cut the top 1/4 of the bottle off, with the plastic top still screwed on, drill a hole the size of a drink straw in the center of it, and super glue/epoxy/tape/whatever a drinking straw where it is sticking out through the top, then duct tape the other end of that top piece of bottle you cut off to the end of your shop vac hose..makes for an awesome little quick/cheap way to get any moisture and gunk out of head bolt holes and other little engine spots that you may not care to blow out and have what's in there go everywhere. Also a great way to grab a valve that has fallen
Instead of blowing out each hole and sending crap flying everywhere, what I've done before is take a 20oz plastic bottle and cut the top 1/4 of the bottle off, with the plastic top still screwed on, drill a hole the size of a drink straw in the center of it, and super glue/epoxy/tape/whatever a drinking straw where it is sticking out through the top, then duct tape the other end of that top piece of bottle you cut off to the end of your shop vac hose..makes for an awesome little quick/cheap way to get any moisture and gunk out of head bolt holes and other little engine spots that you may not care to blow out and have what's in there go everywhere. Also a great way to grab a valve that has fallen
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 67
Likes: 18
From: Mississippi
I enjoyed this. I took an old head bolt and ground 2 channels on each side and used that to clean the threads. In and out of each head bolt hole about 5 times. Then I just grabbed my shop vac, duct tape, and a bendy plastic straw. Taped and sealed the straw to the end of the hose using tape as a seal. Worked flawlessly.
