I am just about to do a routine service but also grabbed a rockercover gasket as I changed the headgasket about 5thou ago and need to recheck the torque settings on the headbolts.

I lost the torque settings on the wrapper after moving house and so if anyone out there knows the specific torque settings for an EZTFIT gasket - ACL manufactured part number AJ130EZ. I've already checked the headgasket tech page and I recall the torque settings were different to the settings quoted there - maybe a different gasket was used as it is a US article?
So if you have the part lying around can you please get back to me??
Cheers Datofans

It shouldn't matter which gasket you use, the head bolts have a certain rating ???

Most head gaskets these days are "no re-torque"-- they don't need to be retightened. However, it won't hurt to do so.

Great thanks ddgonzal! and the article was a great help when I changed it in november.

And the torque specs are all I need to retighten them.
The torque settings were also different from the ones quoted in the workshop manual (probably settings for paper gasket I imagine).
hmm maybe I'll call a few more parts shops - I already checked 2 but they did not have the part available so I could'nt get the torque setting.
unless someone outhere knows it......?
Cheers

After a bargain $17.99 AU at my local auto parts store I have found the part :)


If anyone wants to know so this post is actually useful the torque settings for ezy-fit head gaskets are:
A12,A14 - 40 first tighten,60 second tighten & 75 NM final torque

but unlike me you will probably keep the wrapper that has this info on it...

It will certainly do no harm to retension the head bolts, even if the gasket wrapper says it's not needed.
Make sure that you do it with the engine COLD. I have deveolped a habbit of first loosening each bolt in turn & then retensioning it. This overcomes any problems of stiction & a more accurate reading is obtained. This is more important in a higher mileage engine.

It needs to be loosened only a little, so don't bother taking it right out, unless you forgot to lube it properly the first time.

Yep cheers Dodgeman,
Lubed bolts and cleaned it all first time and installed it COLD - just like the article, common sense, and both of the dato manuals direct.
guess I'll back each bolt off half a turn - would'nt want it too loose as it may shift the join between the head and block
FYI the wrapper doesnt say if retensioning is required that's why I asked........

u lubed the bolts????
um..............you DON"T lube the threads on the head bolts.
DON"T, DON"T, DON"T, DON"T,DON"T, DON"T, DON"T, DON"T,DON"T, DON"T, DON"T, DON"T,DON"T, DON"T, DON"T, DON"T.

The torque ratings are given for dry clean threads.
Lubing the thread on the bolt means that u will put exess stress into the bolt.
The ratings are given for dry bolts, because, as u can imagine, every lube will have different coefficients of friction and thus, the stress induced in the bolts would vary. (from car to car)

You know that's Odd because I just went by the tech section article which said:
"Clean the bolts and bolt holes
check when reassembling an A series is that the bolts holding the head down are lightly oiled."

Funny, my books say nothing about "dry" threads on cylinder head bolts.

My Haynes manual says this:Quote:I've always lightly oiled them (clean motor oil), and I've never had a blown head gasket.

The aim of torqueing head bolts is to stretch the bolt within its elastic limits to provide a constant clamping pressure on the head gasket. This helps ensure a seal against combustion pressure and fluids. Some engines need a little help with bolt lube to ensure the take up is even and not in jumps to make the torques approach the manufacturers designed amount of bolt stretch.

I always clean the bolts with a soft wire brush and bottom tap the threads twice and blow them out between tappings.

Some Nissan manuals say to lube the bolts and most of the later ones dont.

The most common technique is now to torque up the bolts in two stages then loosen and retorque in two or three steps or angle torque them but mostly dry with no lube.

SR bolts especially sound like they are going to crack as they grab and release

I use a small amount of 20% 5 weight oil and 80% diesel on SR's to make them take up a bit smoother so you can get a more realistic torque reading.

I always retorque cold, after loosening back to 0 torque. Call me old fashioned.