I’m stayin’ outa this.....
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head bolt retorque.
- Thread starter CDNTX650
- Start date
Yep thanks for the help 5Twins and Gary. Found the 6Mx35 at the next place. Also picked up a 6” Long 1/4” extension and wobble adapter. Used that with my 1/4” drive torque wrench set at 84 inch pounds - worked very well. Would have been impossible otherwise it seems. Worth the $9.00 for the extra tools. GBA.
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I took gggGary's advice several months back and bought a flexible extension. It has made life so much easier for the reg/rec bolts, rear fender bolts and that little bugger hiding above the cam-chain adjuster.
Tiesco
XS650 Addict
But what order are the head bolts loosened in? Last to first? First to last? Loosen one, add a washer, lude and torque it? (if you go that route)
IF it's not "off with her head" I'm firmly in the do one at a time camp, working from the center out as I see fit. Once all nuts have been broken loose lubed and reinstalled, it wouldn't hurt to go round a few times bringing the torque up to your final number in stages.
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Tiesco
XS650 Addict
So if you're replacing the washers, break them all loose from the center out and then tighten them as per the manuals specified order?
Hey, hold it. Do not loosen them all at once unless you want to take her head off.
Just one at a time for a retorque
Tiesco
XS650 Addict
Regardless I wonder if there is an order in which the procedure should be done.
Like Gary said from the center out? Loosen #1, add the new washer, lube the stud a little, then torque it and move to #2?
And would you leave them slightly under the final torque value until you have them all on and make a final pass?
Like Gary said from the center out? Loosen #1, add the new washer, lube the stud a little, then torque it and move to #2?
And would you leave them slightly under the final torque value until you have them all on and make a final pass?
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Sounds very correct but I would add.
If you do have a visible slight leak area, I would attempt to cinch or pinch that area down early on or first with your fingers crossed.
If you do have a visible slight leak area, I would attempt to cinch or pinch that area down early on or first with your fingers crossed.
I'll just mention a couple more things. The only nuts that need their washers replaced are the 4 outer ones that came with those rubber/metal seal washers. Most of us use copper or brass washers there, soft enough to seal but hard enough to retain the nut torque. The inside 4 nuts can continue to use their original steel washers.
And don't forget the two bolts under the spark plugs, one on each side. They are part of the fastener pattern that clamps the head gasket down.
And don't forget the two bolts under the spark plugs, one on each side. They are part of the fastener pattern that clamps the head gasket down.
I decided to retorque my head; I don't know when it was put together but I've done about 3000 miles on it and there's an oil weep on the left.
When I try to undo an acorn nut there's a snap as, presumably, initial stiction is overcome, then a small bit of movement then it gets really tight. So tight that 30 ftlb of undoing force won't begin to move it and it'll need more force than I'm comfortable with by some measure. I've tried this on the four central nuts and they all behave the same. Working the nut back and forth makes no difference. Here's the movement range:
I REALLY don't want to bugger anything up and no head nuts/bolts I've worked on before have felt like this. So, this is where I stop and ask for advice. One consideration is that the P.O. may have been a gorilla if the sump drain plug was anything to go by .... had to whack the socket with a hammer while the breaker bar was bending under the strain to get the bugger to shift.
Is this typical for the head nuts and do I just have to get brutal with the thing?
When I try to undo an acorn nut there's a snap as, presumably, initial stiction is overcome, then a small bit of movement then it gets really tight. So tight that 30 ftlb of undoing force won't begin to move it and it'll need more force than I'm comfortable with by some measure. I've tried this on the four central nuts and they all behave the same. Working the nut back and forth makes no difference. Here's the movement range:
I REALLY don't want to bugger anything up and no head nuts/bolts I've worked on before have felt like this. So, this is where I stop and ask for advice. One consideration is that the P.O. may have been a gorilla if the sump drain plug was anything to go by .... had to whack the socket with a hammer while the breaker bar was bending under the strain to get the bugger to shift.
Is this typical for the head nuts and do I just have to get brutal with the thing?
The initial "snap" is pretty normal but the binding isn't. Was gonna suggest rocking back and forth... but see you've tried that. There's a distinct possibility the PO used a hardening sealant, red loctite, epoxy or some such and that's gummed up the threads.
Worst case you could drill a hole in the dome and soak for a few days with some solvent and oil squirted in 'em.... then try rocking back and forth. That's drastic and would require new nut... perhaps someone else has another idea?
Ya, waiting to hear this too.
Two obvious options are- Get cautious and continue on with the re-torque wondering.
Or pinch your @ and decide which ONE to fully break loose to remove the A corn nut (hopefully) and not unscrew the stud..
A little heat on the nut may help. Small torch heating just the nut.
Yes, if loctite was applied then some heat may be needed. I'd add some penetrating oil too. I suppose it's possible they've never been off and are just frozen on the studs. Pulling, lubing (anti-seize), and re-torquing is one of the 1st things I do to one of these when I work on it. Most I've encountered have never been touched since they left the factory.
OK, success! First, creative use of gardening stuff to avoid melting the wiring ...
Then heat plus back and forth then suddenly a loud snap and movement. Took a while though. Looks to me like it went on dry as I don't see any sign of thread sealant
And now I've seen it off, I think the back and forth play was probably the stud acting as a torsion bar, and the initial snap was breaking the nut from the washer.
This head has been off before, I can tell from the partial removal of the paint plus a couple of replaced rocker cover studs, but I have no idea when. At least I can now get on with the retorque and I'll be using a smear of copper grease on the threads.
Thanks for your help, fellas -
Cliff
Then heat plus back and forth then suddenly a loud snap and movement. Took a while though. Looks to me like it went on dry as I don't see any sign of thread sealant
And now I've seen it off, I think the back and forth play was probably the stud acting as a torsion bar, and the initial snap was breaking the nut from the washer.
This head has been off before, I can tell from the partial removal of the paint plus a couple of replaced rocker cover studs, but I have no idea when. At least I can now get on with the retorque and I'll be using a smear of copper grease on the threads.
Thanks for your help, fellas -
Cliff
Yep you figgered it out, exactly normal action. I've used a torque wrench to check loosening and 40-50 lbs isn't unusual..
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