Ok so i put everything together loosely and ran into a snag. How the hell do people put a socket on the center nut that is under the rocker arm shaft? I was no where NEAR fitting on that bolt. I have a 6 point 17...does it make that much of a difference between fitting and not fitting? My HTKYSA book says a thin wall 17. Well mine is thin wall but its no where near fitting on that one nut.

 

Then my book goes on to say now that everything it torqued down remove the rocker arm assembles to install the pushrods...what was the point of torquing it all down if your going to disturb it anyways.

Edited August 7, 201015 yr by hatchsub

So the "Keeping Your Subaru Alive" manual, he talks about making your own socket, by grinding down a thinwall one. I've never done this, and another book says to install the head, using spacers in place of the rocker stuff, torque it all down, then remove the spacers and torque on the rocker arm assemblies. I've done it this way, and use some spare rocker pedestals for the spacers. I'd like to get one of those Subaru sockets.

Subaru dealers had a special nut for this. I also have it, but I don't have any plans to do a head gasket job - due to a lack of EA engines

Use some sockets under the center bolts to "simulate" the rocker. After everything has been torqued just remove them and install the rocker then retorque those two. That's how I've always done it.

 

I could make you a socket on my lathe if you really wanted one but the procedure above works just fine. Remember that you are supposed to retorque the bolts after a specified drive interval anyway with stock gaskets so don't worry about loosening and then retorqueing those two bolts.

 

GD

I have permatorque gaskets so im all set as far as the retorque goes. I was wondering to myself if i could get away with doing something like that. So..because i had a gunky EA81 to use parts out of i pulled apart the rocker arm assemble and used just those two pieces where the bolts go into and torqued the heads on that way...then pulled those two bolts off and torqued the rocker arms back on. I did a final torque of 54 because of the permatorques and because of the slightly higher comp ratio. Thanks guys for answering so quick. Now on to adjusting valves for the first time...where the hell did i put my ratcheting boxended wrench.

I have permatorque gaskets so im all set as far as the retorque goes.

 

Right - I was refering to the fact that loosening and tightening the head bolts one at at time is not going to interfere with the gasket as evidenced by the procedure called for in the FSM which calls for the mechanic to loosen, apply oil, and tighten each head bolt in turn after the engine has been run-in - the so-called "retorque" procedure. You aren't doing that, but in effect it's the same thing that's going on with those two bolts - you torque everything in sequence then you remove those two, install the rocker, and retorque them.

 

54 is good. That's about what I do - never had a problem so far. I think you'll be good for the life of the engine with the setup you are using.

 

GD

Yea thats what i figure as well...either that or when i want more power build up the hydro lifter one and slap these heads on that. Now im getting ahead of myself lol.

 

Valves are all adjusted, valve covers are on. Everything is set except the intake. Since i had .030 shaved off both heads it no longer bolts on so i have to enlarge the bolt holes . Im spent for the day though so that will be tomorrow night or something around there.

So let me get this straight-

to retorque heads you can:

 

remove the two rocker arm bolts

remove rocker arm and replace with two sockets used as spacers.

replace rocker arm bolts

torque all the head bolts in propper sequence

remove rocker arm bolts

replace spacer sockets with rocker arm

replace rocker arm bolts

torque rocker arm bolts.

 

This is acceptable?

Yup that will work just fine. The other way is if you happen to have a spare EA81, you could take apart the rocker arm assembly and use just the section that is right under the head bolts.

I ran into that... I got lucky and was able to borrow a factory one from a local independent shop

Before I knew about the spacer trick.

 

http://ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=126184

 

Bill