head bolts, darn torque angle guage

[TbirdJoe]

so I'm replacing the head gaskets on the 97 ex 4.0 ohv. Going pretty well till know.
Tried to do the right thing and bought a torque angle guage to get the last 90 degrees on the headbolts. No luck. The "hook" on the gauge that's suppose to keep the thing from turning slid off once (guessed the rest), the other times I used it just a momentary pause in turning would throw it off, even though I kept I far bit of pressure on it.
I've used a few torque angle guages with good results but this $10 one is junk, should have known better I guess.
So on the rest of the bolts I marked off 90 degrees on the head (with pencil), made a reference mark on the cyl, and gave them the needed 1/4 turn.

Like to double check the bolts I used the guage on, anyone got a final torque on the head bolts? As in what ftlb their at after the 90 degrees? Heard 95 ftlb on one thread but poster wasn't sure. Thanks!

 

[swshawaii]

Cylinder Head in Vehicle Repair 4.0L (Push Rod)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/224773908/Cylinder-Head-in-Vehicle-Repair

 

[jd4242]

I think it varies. .I think the last 90* stretches the bolt to a certain point..im pretty sure I was seeing over 130 on some of mine but everyone seemed to be different..HATE TTY bolts

 

[TbirdJoe]

Cylinder Head in Vehicle Repair 4.0L (Push Rod)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/224773908/Cylinder-Head-in-Vehicle-Repair

I have access to alldata, already have all this information and more saved on my computer. Thanks anyway though.

I was afraid that it might vary, maybe someone else will chime in...

 

[boominXplorer]

On a 90* tty setting you can just go to torque spec and then do a 1/4 turn. Its when they get crazy and want 115* and crap like that its a pain.

 

[TbirdJoe]

On a 90* tty setting you can just go to torque spec and then do a 1/4 turn. Its when they get crazy and want 115* and crap like that its a pain.

Do you mean that most just guess at the 1/4 turn as appose to using a torque angle guage or penciling off 90* like I did on the other bolts?

If thats the case then my head bolts are probably close enough.

 

[boominXplorer]

Just mark off 90* by eyeball and stop there or a SLIGHT hair past. Just torque all the bolts the same way.

 

[Anime]

The 90 degrees is just the TTY "spec" - it's more of an estimate than anything, but it just assures the head bolts are TIGHT.

One of the best ways I've found to do it is make sure the socket handle (I suggest using a breaker bar/flex handle for this as a torque wrench is just going to get wear and tear from such use when not shooting for a particular torque number) is parallel to something you can see, either the head, a body panel, etc. or grab a long wood handle or dowel and put it parallel to the socket handle, then slowly turn it until the handle is perpendicular to that, and you're pretty well at that 90 degrees.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

I tried to judge the 90* on a couple of my headbolts,
and they ended up at about 90 ft lbs. After that, I
torqued the rest at 90 lbs. I don't think the torque
value is as critical as having all the bolts the same
tightness, and torqued using the proper pattern.

After torqueing a few, you can feel the bolt stretch,
almost like it's going to twist in two...

 

[TbirdJoe]

It sounds like I was trying to be way more accurate than I needed to be. My main trouble is the head is already on and due to the torque angle guage malfunction I have no way of knowing how close a couple of those bolts are.

I guess I could try to check the ftlb torque of one of the bolts that I know is torqued correctly and use that torque to check the others?

Another random/dumb question: Head is on majority of the bolts are torqued correctly, that's all the farther I got-hasn't even been turned over. If I decide to redo putting the head on, would I have to get a new gasket and bolts or just bolts?

I imagine gasket has been compressed, but engine hasn't been ran. On the other hand if most just eyeball 90* then they're probably close enough...
Thanks

 

[Anime]

I guess I could try to check the ftlb torque of one of the bolts that I know is torqued correctly and use that torque to check the others?

The TTY using the 90 degree thing is less about getting the bolts to a particular torque, and more about stretching them a particular amount, which is why they don't just spec another torque number.

That said, since others above have said they do it, you can probably get away with it, though I'd be super careful in checking what the torque of the 'correct' bolts are, as you don't really want to turn them more.

Another random/dumb question: Head is on majority of the bolts are torqued correctly, that's all the farther I got-hasn't even been turned over. If I decide to redo putting the head on, would I have to get a new gasket and bolts or just bolts?

No reason to replace the gasket unless you mess it up by taking off the head. If you just replace the bolts, you can just loosen them, (but keep them in to keep the head in place), then put in new bolts one by one, replacing the old bolts, then start the tightening sequence.


Really, unless you're building a high-performance motor, you can just torque 'em to whatever you find the 'correct' ones to be at like you're thinking. The idea is just to have the head gaskets compressed ON there so it's as airtight as can be. It's not a super-duper-ultra-critical torque measurement that is going to change how the motor runs if it is not dead-on perfect. Tighten, torque, turn 90 degrees to yield so the bolt stretches, done. If the bolt is stretched but not broken, it should be good.

I would say that even doing it that way is better and more consistent than how they were built from the factory, and those didn't have any issues.

Don't waste time or money on replacing or re-doing stuff that is already better than it needs to be.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

I agree; nothing to be gained from disassembling and
re-doing the head. Don't overthink it. The torque angle
you've used is plenty to allow the bolts to stretch.
Especially since the head and block are of the same type
metal and have the same expansion rates.

OFF TOPIC: Anime, my blood pressure rises and I start
drooling every time I see your avatar. Why oh why dosen't
Ford build a 2-dr Sport that looks like that???