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Current Head Bolt tightening procedure-What is the Lastest procedure?

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I have read through past threads and there seems to be several threads on the Cylinder head bolt tightening/torquing procedure.

 

Before starting this job I would appreciate as much feedback as I can get, but only relating to the EJ25. If your not sure, don't post.

I have a phase 1 EJ25; year 98; DOHC.

I believe both the Chiltons/Haynes manuals are incorrect in step 4 which states loosen them an additional 180 deg (this the the prior step 3 which also states to loosen them 180 deg (that would be 360 deg total), which wouldn't make any sense.

 

The replacement gasket is the Subaru OEM gasket set (3rd generation gaskets).

 

Again, I am looking for the latest instructions. If you do post, please help me and other readers by posting the literature source, and date.

 

Thanks:confused:

Check with your local Subaru dealer, they will have the latest version on hand of the torque sequence.

Edited by grossgary

I have done several of these in the past year and this sequence is verified by a subaru tech.

 

Tighten all bolts in sequence to 21 ft-lbs

tighten to 51 ft-lbs

Loosen all 180 degrees

Tighten bolts 1 & 2 to 25 ft-lbs

tighten bolts 3-6 to 11 ft-lbs

tighten all 90 degrees

tighten all 90 degrees

 

Remember to torque in proper sequence and then loosen in reverse order.

 

Good luck

  • Author
I have done several of these in the past year and this sequence is verified by a subaru tech.

 

Tighten all bolts in sequence to 21 ft-lbs

tighten to 51 ft-lbs

Loosen all 180 degrees

Tighten bolts 1 & 2 to 25 ft-lbs

tighten bolts 3-6 to 11 ft-lbs

tighten all 90 degrees

tighten all 90 degrees

 

Remember to torque in proper sequence and then loosen in reverse order.

 

Good luck

 

Can I verify is that for an EJ25?

Can I verify is that for an EJ25?

 

 

Yes, that is the correct procedure. I do them all the time and that is how I do it.

  • 11 months later...

when it says to "loosen all 180 degrees", does it require any particular order - forward/backward? probably the same sequence as all the rest or doesn't matter?

I thought it odd that they're so specific with sequence in every step, including removing the heads, but not on that one step.

I have done several of these in the past year and this sequence is verified by a subaru tech.

 

Tighten all bolts in sequence to 21 ft-lbs

tighten to 51 ft-lbs

Loosen all 180 degrees

Tighten bolts 1 & 2 to 25 ft-lbs

tighten bolts 3-6 to 11 ft-lbs

tighten all 90 degrees

tighten all 90 degrees

 

Remember to torque in proper sequence and then loosen in reverse order.

 

Good luck

 

Ah, the joys of seating the heads... and some of them made the craziest of CREAKS when tightening them...

 

Here are a few pics of my heads, marked, and torqued...

 

#1 & #3 Torqued, adjusted, and marked

1999SubaruImprezzaOB%20047.jpg

 

#2 & #4 Torqued, adjusted, and marked

1999SubaruImprezzaOB%20048.jpg

 

Oh yeah and when I removed my head bolts some looked a bit rough and I placed them back in the holes each came from... I don't know if that matters. You should be able to reuse your bolts unless there was some crazy damage...

1999SubaruImprezzaOB%20027close.jpg

Edited by 99ImprezaOSport

I believe both the Chiltons/Haynes manuals are incorrect in step 4 which states loosen them an additional 180 deg (this the the prior step 3 which also states to loosen them 180 deg (that would be 360 deg total), which wouldn't make any sense.

 

 

Yeah, that is a misprint in the haynes and chiltons. Only one loosening of 180 deg. is needed. Doing a second 180 won't really hurt anything, except it will leave the head so loose....i'd be afraid the new gasket could get shifted. That would defeat the whole purpose of the initial "squeeze" of torquing them.

 

They probably got mixed up by the tighten 90, then repeat.

 

The proceedure mdjdc is correct.

FSM shows two 180 loosen steps as well but hardly seems necessary. they snagged the two steps from the fsm probably?

  • 8 months later...

Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but what is the the sequence? I'm about to do this in a couple hours.

tighten in sequence to 21 ft-lbs then to 51 ft-lbs. Back them off in reverse order 180 degrees. Now tighten bolts 1 and 2 to 25 ft-lbs and 3-6 to 11 ft-lbs. In sequence tighten all bolts 90 degrees and then another 90 degrees. You are done. When doing the degree tightening do it in two steps.

 

The bolt tightening sequence is 3 1 5

6 2 4

 

If you need any other help call me at 804-393-0516

 

Mike

I'm at work prob can't call till its too lat to call east coast people, do the numbers start at the top front bolt, then work to the back and then the bottom?

I'm at work prob can't call till its too lat to call east coast people, do the numbers start at the top front bolt, then work to the back and then the bottom?

 

yes, they look like this on the head.

 

3 1 5

6 2 4

 

it does not matter which end , 3 or 5 is the front. start in the middle and then the corners.

Greetings from LaConner

Call Tony at Skagit Subaru 757-2000 service dept.

He is a good person and will get you the right info for your subaru

You want to us the new head gaskets with the part number ending in 0111

These HGs fix the blown head gasket problems on the EJ25DOHC.

I have known Tony for many years and he knows Subaru's

You can tell him his Alaskan friend with the Ford GT said hi.

There is a YouTube video that shows the tightening sequence as well.

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