Accidentally overtorqued head bolts

Geo

unread,

Feb 8, 2010, 12:54:30 PM2/8/10

to

Over torqued head bolts due to faulty torque wrench (not known at the
time). Was suspicious so stopped tightening-thinking I well below
required torque. Went and bought new torque wrench. I got clicking
right away on some bolts and only slight tightening on others which
tells me I am approximately at proper torque but not exact with all.
I was hoping I could back off slightly and retorque to proper ft lbs
without replacing head gasket...or do I need to get new gasket and
start over?
Thanks in advance,
K

Paul

unread,

Feb 8, 2010, 1:15:12 PM2/8/10

to

Not enough info.
Most engines today are made of aluminum.
Over torquing ruins the block threads.
In addition, modern head bolts are torque stretch.
They are not reusable.
Over torquing also ruins the head gaskets.
The bolts cannot be simply backed off. The gasket has
been compressed. Loosening it up will cause leaks now.

Scott Dorsey

unread,

Feb 8, 2010, 4:22:08 PM2/8/10

to

Depends on what kind of car it is.

If the bolts are stretchable ones, you probably can keep the old gasket
but you will need new bolts.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Message has been deleted

Geo

unread,

Feb 8, 2010, 6:34:28 PM2/8/10

to

On Feb 8, 4:50 pm, lugnut <lug...@roadkill.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:54:30 -0800 (PST), Geo

> If it were on my car or truck and the engine hasn't been
> started or filled with coolant, I would back 'em up 1/2 turn
> and come back to correct torque. If your engine uses TTY
> bolts that have been over tightened, you may as well pull
> the heads and put in new gaskets and head bolts. If this is
> a for-pay customer's car your only choice is to replace the
> gaskets while it is still handy to work on. Otherwise, it
> is damn near guaranteed to fail at 2:30am next to a 10 foot
> snow drift 83 miles from home.
>
> Lugnut

It's my own 2000 Honda Odyssey. Head bolts are brand new Honda bolts
(all new parts are Honda). They are only slightly
overtightened....might I be better off to just leave them?
I have one more question regarding removing the water pump If anyone
can help it would be much appreciated. For those who may be familiar,
the replacement instruction call for using the battery clamp bolt to
hold the timing belt auto tensioner. There is the tensioner and then
pivot pulley next to it. There is no mention about removing this
pivoting pulley but

Geo

unread,

Feb 8, 2010, 6:40:05 PM2/8/10

to

> pivoting pulley but it looks like it must be removed in order to remove pump. Once the timing belt is removed, I am supposed to remove the battery clamp bolt and auto tensioner with no mention of th pivoting pulley.
- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

cuh...@webtv.net

unread,

Feb 8, 2010, 7:28:22 PM2/8/10

to

How slight is slightly? only a few pounds?
cuhulin

Geo

unread,

Feb 9, 2010, 10:28:04 AM2/9/10

to

On Feb 8, 7:28 pm, cuhu...@webtv.net wrote:
> How slight is slightly? only a few pounds?
> cuhulin

Yea only a few lbs.

Message has been deleted

cuh...@webtv.net

unread,

Feb 9, 2010, 11:36:44 AM2/9/10

to

Only a few pounds? I think it would be ok.
You would probally be supprised at the cars running around right now
with a lot of miles on them with head bolts that have loosened up.Some
of them, it would take hardly any effort at all to remove them.
cuhulin

Hachiroku ハチロク

unread,

Feb 9, 2010, 8:34:54 PM2/9/10

to

And I have half of them...