Head Bolt Torque Specs

[mhhwilly67]

Blew a head gasket. Had the head tested for cracks and warpage. Head is good, in fact garage milled it and peformed a valve job. I used the torque specs in the Haynes manual. (I also went to Autozone website for torque specs and matches with Haynes.) After hours of re-assembly, I started the car and I still have exhaust indicating burning antifreeze. Engine has a hard time starting and when it does start, it idles very rough. I'm sure timing is correct, all the vacuum hoses on correctly, etc. Engine light remains on.

Upon tightening the head bolts in accordance with the spec and after turning the wrench 100 degrees (the 3rd stage of sequence), I can still turn the bolts.

Does anyone have the torque spec on the 3rd stage? Or should I turn it another 1/4 turn?

97 contour 2.0L

 

[IRingTwyce]

Did you buy a new set of bolts, or are you re-using the old bolts? A new set at Autozone is something like $17. Well worth it in my opinion.

 

[mhhwilly67]

New head bolts as well

New head bolts as well

I replaced the head bolts as well. The head gasket was from Fel-Pro and it was a 3 layer metal gasket which I never seen before. Wierd. I'm thinking about just going to the Ford parts store, get a real Motorcraft head gasket and bolts and give it another try. If that does not work, I know a good grave yard!

 

[IRingTwyce]

Where are you located?

I have two '96s I need to do the same thing to (gasket, not graveyard!). Fel-Pros are quality parts. I can't imagine why the gasket itself wouldn't work. Did you compare the new bolts to the old? Maybe there was a slight variation from the old to the new.

**EDIT** You might ask the mods to move this to the Zetec maintenance forum. You'll get better response there.

 

[Tony2005]

Welcome mhhwilly67 .

From 1996 Ford CD for Zetec 2L I-4,

4. CAUTION: Cylinder head retaining bolts must be replaced with new bolts. They are torque-to-yield designed and cannot be reused or damage to engine may occur.

Install new torque-to-yield cylinder head retaining bolts and tighten in sequence shown as follows:
l Tighten all bolts to 20-30 N-m (15-22 lb-ft).

l Tighten all bolts to 40-50 N-m (30-37 lb-ft).

l Rotate all bolts 90-120 degrees.

Edit. And make sure you follow the proper sequence.

<---Front of Engine.
10-4-2-6-8
.7-5-1-3-9

 

[mhhwilly67]

Head Bolt Torques

Head Bolt Torques

What I ended up doing was taking the head bolts out and replacing them and DID NOT take the head off. A workmate has expereince in torqing bolts in general. This is what I did:

-once I got the head bolts out, I cleaned and dried up the holes where the bolts go into place. (used q-tips and taped it with a long skinny screwdriver. This took about 45 min)
-Then I screwed in the bolts with hand until I can longer longer tighten them with hand.
-Torqued the first sequence.
-Torgued the 2nd sequence.
-Before I went to the 3rd sequence, I went again to the 2nd sequence to make sure it still the same specs all around.
-Then the 3rd sequence I turned 90 deg. It ended up 53 ft lbs.
-The remaining I torgued to 53 ft lbs. I did it again to make sure all bolts were 53 ft lbs.

A trick of the trade of torque wrenches is use the same position and sequence for every bolts. In other words, I started the wrench at 3 o'clock and once I got to the 6 o'clock position, went back to 3 o'clock. And hold it on the handle, NOT anywhere else.
(If anyone has extensive torque wrench experience, I recommend posting a message "torgue wrench 101")

Make sure you clean and dry the bolt holes!!!!!

There was still a little antifreeze burning, but the longer I have been driving, the less burning. It seems like the gasket and head is sealing itself as my workmate thinks due to the head expanding and contracting.

Now I need to replace the idle control valve. More to follow on that