I've replaced the head gaskets on my EJ22 and have the heads back on the block. The engine is still in the car. I used rubber bands to hold the head bolts in the head as you have to tilt the heads somewhat to get them back on the block. I have the sequence for torquing the heads back down but it utilises a torque angle meter to get the correct degree of final tightening. How have others done the final tightening? It seems like there wouldn't be enough room to include the meter between the head and the chassis rail? It looks pretty straight forward to do the top bolts but those lower ones look difficult. Have researched quite a while online but have found no tips on how to correctly torque the lower bolts. Any suggestions? I noticed briansmobile just turned each bolt a quarter turn to make it 90 degrees which is fine if you can do it in one movement but more difficult on the lower bolts where 2 - 3 movements might be required to get a quarter turn.

I always do them out of the car, but you could always just make a mark on the socket with a paint pen, or if your socket has the hole in it, use that as a guide.

Mark the top of the bolt head. Start with it straight up, or straight down. When its 180° opposite you know you're done with the final torque.

Yep I've been tossing it over in my head, thinking that maybe marking the bolts with Twink or white paint would be the way to go. Think I also need to buy a 3/8" torque wrench as my 1/2" one is too long to use under the car. Will give it a crack tomorrow after work.

Paint can chip off. Wipe the bolt head with brake cleaner or acetone and use a permanent marker.

 

It's much easier to torque all 6 bolts from the top. A standard length socket sticks out just far enough for the torque wrench to clear the rocker shaft bolts.

Edited December 12, 201510 yr by Fairtax4me

Not to highjack this thread.. But are TTY bolts to be torqued the same exact way as orginal head bolts? And if I need to start over, should I start fresh with new TTY head bolts and follow Haynes torquing procedure, regardless of head bolts are TTY or orginal re-used? Thanks for clarifying...

Not to highjack this thread.. But are TTY bolts to be torqued the same exact way as orginal head bolts? And if I need to start over, should I start fresh with new TTY head bolts and follow Haynes torquing procedure, regardless of head bolts are TTY or orginal re-used? Thanks for clarifying...

Yes, Use the factory torque sequence.

 

No, new bolts are not required.

Hi,

Hope it's okay to piggy-back with a secondary question.  I replaced both head gaskets and all others associated with the components removed to access the heads.  I purchased a Craftsman torque wrenth and accessed the bottom rear bolts from under the car.  Though the car started right up, it runs rough and notice white smoke puffing from exhaust, and appearance of slow coolant leak from passenger side head dripping onto exhaust.  I ran the car <5 minutes, long enough to see the smoke and drip. I think the head bolts need to be tightened/ re-torqued.  My question is, how best to resolve?   

Re-torque is not necessary on these. If its leaking, it needs to come off and needs another new gasket. Once the gasket is crushed it cant be re-used. 

I've done several of these with the engine in the car and had no trouble with them. Assuming you followed the torque sequence properly,

either there was oil/coolant residue on the block or head, or the head is warped. 

Re-torque is not necessary on these. If its leaking, it needs to come off and needs another new gasket. Once the gasket is crushed it cant be re-used. 

I've done several of these with the engine in the car and had no trouble with them. Assuming you followed the torque sequence properly,

either there was oil/coolant residue on the block or head, or the head is warped. 

Re-torque is not necessary on these. If its leaking, it needs to come off and needs another new gasket. Once the gasket is crushed it cant be re-used. 

I've done several of these with the engine in the car and had no trouble with them. Assuming you followed the torque sequence properly,

either there was oil/coolant residue on the block or head, or the head is warped. 

I just wanted to say I thought the same thing about reusing a head gasket but u can I did it as long as the engine has not ran I just over torqued it a little just to be shere