Head gasket installation

[93Expo4x4]

hey guys, in the middle of reassembling my heads due to bad headgaskets. The question I have is can I torque down the heads before I install the lower intake manifold? I read somewhere that the need to be torqued at the same time or something like that. If so can someone give me a clue as to what sequence I'm supposed to torque both?

 

[natenkiki2004]

There might be people that recommend doing it at the same time but think about this; would the Ford dealer remove heads and replace perfectly good gaskets if there was an oil leak at the lower intake manifold? Absolutely not. Do the heads, take your time, get the valvetrain in, prep surfaces then do the lower intake.

 

[gmbroy]

I agree with natenkiki2004 100% . Good luck with your explorer .

 

[Number4]

There might be people that recommend doing it at the same time but think about this; would the Ford dealer remove heads and replace perfectly good gaskets if there was an oil leak at the lower intake manifold? Absolutely not. Do the heads, take your time, get the valvetrain in, prep surfaces then do the lower intake.

I have to disagree with you here. If your heads are off, then there is a sequence for putting them back on and mating up to the lower intake.
If you are only doing the lower intake, then the heads already match up to where the intake needs to be.

Ford offers two sequences, depending on whether its heads and intake, or just intake.

 

[Number4]

hey guys, in the middle of reassembling my heads due to bad headgaskets. The question I have is can I torque down the heads before I install the lower intake manifold? I read somewhere that the need to be torqued at the same time or something like that. If so can someone give me a clue as to what sequence I'm supposed to torque both?

Step 1: Cyl Head Bolts (CHB) 44' lbs
Step 2: Intake manifold bolts (IMB) 36-72" lbs
Step 3: CHB 59' lbs
Step 4: IMB 72-132" lbs
Step 5: turn CHB an additional 80-85 degrees. (Apply paint mark to note amount of turn.)

Then, intake has two more steps.
132-180" lbs
180-216" lbs
After running engine, retighten at the 180-216" lbs.

Make sure you've chased the bolt holes with a bottoming tap and put a little engine oil under the CHB flanges.

 

[2stroke]

I've heard this before, but I'm not sure I buy into the thinking. I can't think of another engine that requires that sequence. The pictures look like those from a chilltons, or Haynes manual, and I don't trust either. In the whole manual, they are only ever about 75% correct. They have way too many mistakes, wrong installation instructions, wrong torque specs, even wrong fluids.

Every other engine, you put the heads on, then the intake manifold. You can do it any way you like, but the fact is you will be fine either way. You're just smashing a gasket between two metal surfaces. I've known people to not even use a torque wrench and still be just fine.

 

[malohnes]

I've done both, one way because of LIM bolts constantly loosening up and the other because I had a bad head that needed replacement. While there are merits to both approaches, I had the best luck with torqueing in sequence with heads. Keeping in mind head bolts are one time use, TTY style bolts. Studs and 10.9 or 12.9 head bolts are available that can be used though.