I'll try my best to describe it. I used new OEM head bolts on my rebuilt d15b2. I pre oiled the new bolts with w30 oil, then torqued them first to 22 ftlbs, then to 35 then to 47 as called for in the manual.

I noticed that after passing the 22 ft lbs mark, the bolts didn't tighten with a "smooth" feel. They made a "snap, snap, snap, snap" sound, and I could feel the torque wrench jump a tiny ways with each "snap" sound. (It almost felt as if the bolts were bone dry, even though I know they were oiled.)

My question is, would this throw my torque readings off enough to cause early head gasket failure or any other problems? Do I have to start over with a new head gasket, or could I over torque them to say 50 ft lbs just to be safe?

 

The 'chatter' is caused by the bolt biting against the washer under the bolt head or the threads in the block. If you lubed the threads I am a little more inclined to think that its the bottom of the bolt head and the washer being dry. This will effect your final torque reading. There are people on here that have had them chatter in torquing and left them without issue. However to be realistic - proper torque requires them to be torqued to spec without any binding. It might be in your best interest to back them of and redo them with some oil in between the washer and bolt heads. If you didn't chase the headbolt holes before putting the bolts in them you could be hydrolocking the bolt - causing the bind and that could be the issue too...

 

Thanks for the info, would it be safe to pull them out and re-torque them one at a time? I'd like to save the new headgasket if I can.

 

No. Your gonna need to back them all off in sequence then retorque in sequence. Pulling one out then retourquing without going in sequence is a good way to warp the head. I would wait til the car is ice cold then drain the coolant and proceed. you might want to support the intake manifold if you don't have the support bracket installed under it.

 

If I was to back them all off - in sequence - but only about 1/8 a turn, would it then be safe to remove each bolt 1 at a time, and retorque to say 23 ft lbs in sequence, then final torque them all in sequence and still save the head gasket?

 

You have to loosen then in sequence. Do it all the way loose until the bolts are not threaded in, but are still in the holes. Oil up the washers and retorque in proper sequence. You do not need to remove the head. But you have to remove them in the proper order.


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And no, do not overtorque them to 50 unless you want to snap one.


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