Retorque cylinder heads?

[Gresley]

I know this has been discussed before on here and I have been given some good advice on how to do the job, but, I can't make my mind up whether to retorque my heads or not. The engine was last apart in 1988 and has done 24,000 m iles since. I don't think the heads have been retorqued. I'm worried that if I do them something will snap, even more so if I loosen the studs first. What should I do? Should I leave alone or go for it?!! The car is in use every day, so I don't want to break anything!

Brian

[Kevin Garrod]

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If you use a torque wrench set correctly why should anything snap?, it will either tighten up to the torque setting, or if the bolt is seized the torque wrench will click.

If you try to undo a seized bolt you run the risk of applying too much force and shearing it off.

I would be inclined to leave well alone in your situation, after all if the car is running fine now the best that can happen is it will still be running fine after you re-torque and the worst.... doesn't bear thinking about

[dogsnadgers]

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If it's runnin fine after 24,000 miles why worry about it, if it ain't broke.....

[GDPR]

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Kevin Garrod wrote:

If you use a torque wrench set correctly why should anything snap?, it will either tighten up to the torque setting, or if the bolt is seized the torque wrench will click.

If you try to undo a seized bolt you run the risk of applying too much force and shearing it off.

I would be inclined to leave well alone in your situation, after all if the car is running fine now the best that can happen is it will still be running fine after you re-torque and the worst.... doesn't bear thinking about

Please remember though to be of any worth, the bolt/nut has to be slackened by 1/4 turn before retorqueing otherwise it may not move due to 'stiction'.

It might be things go pear-shaped during the slackening......

pretty much agree with Mr Nadgers (sorry Paul - always wanted to write that) if it ain't broke......

[Gresley]

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Many thanks for the advice and reassurance. I think the general consensus seems to be leave it alone, so I will! I won't bother retorqueing it, it's just that the thought of head gasket failure and trying to get the heads off scares me to death...

Thanks again

Brian