James

Just curious what the general consensus is on whether or not you should re-torque all of the head bolts on a big block with aluminum heads after you have ran the motor on the break in and have made a few dyno pulls? I was noticing a very small amount of oil seeping from between the head and the block back by #8 on a friends motor that he was getting dyno'd the other day. The engine builder thought that once the motor cooled and he re-torqued all of the head bolts it would seal up? I have heard some people re-torque and some don't? I was just wondering if retorquing the head bolts will seal it up for him or not? Everything else on the motor looks and sounds good so I don't quite understand the small little oil seepage unless this common with aluminum heads after running for the first time and prior to re-torquing? Thanks.

SanDiegoPaul

Follow the rec's from the head gasket manufacturer. HTH

c31980

if u have Torqued then on the correct procedure there no need to do it again .
as for the oil seeping make sure its not from the valve cover gasket

Solid LT1

Most modern gaskets are the "torque and forget em" type. I vote for the rear intake rail to block leaking on that motor. Use "The Right Stuff" for resealing job when you do it, clean all surfaces with brake parts cleaner and you should be good to go.

dstaley

I can't think of how oil could leak from head bolts needing retorqued. Water/antifreeze yes, but oil?

Can someone help me with this?

gingerbreadman1977

sounds more like a leak from the manifold to me or as c380 said valve cover. i dont retorque as i use gm stud sealer and when it goes on its like honey but after the first run it sets solid. if i retorqued i would fear a cracked seal and then maybe a coolant leak.

elke_10

i personaly never have re-torqued a head. i agree with above valve cover or corners of the intake. as i have done many leakers in valley corners their just a pain at times. i don;t know how many times i redid the intake on a 327 for a friend cuz the left rear of the intake kept leaking to finally figure out there was a lil burr on the intake when the manifold was set down and place the burr would catch and just move the rear seal enough to leak a lil ahhhh coulda threw that intake at him. But then again its like a harley find me a good running chevy that don't have a lil drip to her

Duke94

The directions that came with my Alum Edelbrock heads said it is not necessary if using composite gaskets (Blue Felpros).
Gary

turtlevette

i've tried to retorque felpro blue gaskets, and the GM graphite gasket. The bolts won't budge at the original torque value.

Now, recently i did increase the torque on the center bolts in my heads. My L98 heads always lift between the center cylinders when the coolant temps goes over 240 allowing the fire ring to blow out. I'm not impressed with these heads.

Anyway, i increased the torqe the center bolts to 85 ft-lbs from the original value of 55 to try and get the head to flatten out.

we'll see if that works.

babbah

I run Fel Pro Perma Torque Head gaskets on my L89 Aluminum heads - no re torque. Leaks come from the valve cover gaskets at back corners that "fill" with oil when running.

arneoe

These gaskets shall be retorqued:
http://www.goodvibesracing.com/titan_hg.htm

It does not hurt to retorque any headgaskets.

Arne

Vesa

MotorHead

As soon as I read #8 cylinder, I said to myself leaky valve cover gasket.

Take the valve covers off an use RTV sealant like the Black. If you are running hydraulic lifters then make sure they set right and use Permatex # 2 nothing will take that stuff off and nothing will leak thru once it's cured including on your hands, don't put it on all the way around the entire perimeter just the bottom and up the side at the back against the firewall.

No I never re-torqued head bolts but it always a good idea to retorque the intake bolts, once the motor is heat cycled a few times some intake gaskets tend to compress and need to be re-torqued

427Hotrod

If it's out of the car right off a dyno..surely can't hurt while you're looking things over anyway. Some folks report seepage issues with the MLS gaskets. I've been using the coated Fel Pro MLS and haven't seen a seep anywhere yet.

Usually it is an intake end rail or something.

So what did he dyno and how much power did he make?? That's what's really important here!!



JIM