Scuba Steve

Edit: See my last post



I finally have everything in the engine that I needed to look at torn down and taken care of. Right now the head (and everything related) is off, the water pump is on the floor, and I'm wondering where would be a good idea to start putting this thing back together.

Of course I need to put the water pump back on, after I make sure the thermostat is in there right. Then after the rear belt cover, what's the best way to go about this? The order of disassembly was first everything I needed to get the head off by Clark's Garage instructions, then following the directions to get the water pump off. Damaging the belts getting them off wasn't a concern since I have new ones. Getting them on - is there a different order to this that would make things easier?

Travis - sflraver

I would put the head on first. I was at the same spot last month with my turbo. I put the head on and torqued it down, then worked on the waterpump. The next morning I torqued the head again and guess what... I got about a 1/4 on every bolt on the last setting. So.... worked on some other stuff that day and the morning after torqued the head once more. This time everything was perfect. I am using a MLS head gasket. No problems so far with it.

Dave951M

Travis- what was the ambient conditions when you did that? I've seen similar results when assembling during a warm day and checking again in the cool of the next morning. I'm convinced it's related to temp. Regardless, he needs to check the torque a couple of times before putting the cam on.

Travis - sflraver

It was pulled in the shop and had sat there a few months before I got around to messing with it. Down here in south Florida the temp doesn't change much. During the day, its hot... at night... its hot (unless it rains).
I did use a clicking torque wrench and not a needle one so that could be part of it. I didn't hold them at that torque, just brought them up until it clicked.
No matter what you use, I would still suggest letting them sit over night and to check them again at least once.

Scuba Steve

Good to know. I had planned on giving it a half hour or so before checking but it's overnight now. The temp should drop plenty overnight. Today I think there was about a 30 degree differnece between the low and high.

Scuba Steve

According to Clark's Garage, since I have the 12mm head nuts I should torque to 15ft*lbs first, then 90 degrees, then 90 more degrees. I'm done with all 3 of these steps, and on the last 90 degree turn I was getting readings of 80 to 100 ft*lbs! Is this about where it should be? Tomorrow morning what kind of torque values am I looking for?

It was enough trouble getting to 80/100 ft*lbs... I'm sure getting the crankshaft bolt up to 155 is going to be even more fun tomorrow.

Travis - sflraver

Wow, I stoped at around 68 ft/lbs. I think it went 20 50 & 68. It worked for me so who knows. Everyone has there own way of doing it...

Gator_86_951

Like travis said ... everybody has their own way of doing it. I would follow the factory recommendations like you have done. You have a non-turbo car, so it won't be as much an issue. People in the turbo circles argue endlessly aboud head/headgasket issues. These same people would get poked in the eye by me when they starting talking.

Scuba Steve

Thanks for the input. As long as it's all on tight, and while I'm bearing down on the studs I don't hear a pop then suddenly the stud turns freely I'm fine. Hopefully the car will be all back together and running tomorrow. It hasn't ran in about a year and a half or two years.

GlenL

Re-torquing the head gaskets a few times is good practice. Don't go overboard with the torque as that can distort the heads. You'll permanently stretch the studs before they snap. Then they may snap in use.

Scuba Steve

They're all still around 80 to 100 ft*lbs today. They could all be at 80, but I quit putting force on the torque wrench when the needle got up to around 80 depending on how much they settled overnight.

The camshaft assembly is on now. I had it set at TDC when I put it up on the head, but I guess it moved a little when I peeked over to double check the lifters. I had a couple of the upper bolts and one of the lower semi-tightened by hand with my allen wrench when I looked around to the front and saw that the timing mark was about 20 degrees off! I turned the gear and it kind of jumped back to place. Hopefully everything is ok... I was turning them with the short end of an allen wrench and wasn't being forceful so it's not like a lot of force or anything. Still, it gave me a pretty good scare there!

I'm hoping to have everything back together by this afternoon. I still need to do the belts, crankshaft bolt, fuel rail, and airbox.