can i re-torque stock head bolts

[cre]

They aren't TTY... I do agree with replacing 20+ year old bolts for peace of mind though.

[steves 86 supra]

Originally Posted by cre

They aren't TTY... I do agree with replacing 20+ year old bolts for peace of mind though.

try finding a nut and a piece of steel tube to fit an old head bolt
put the nut in the vice, the tube on the bolt and install finger tight
now take a stretch gauge and measure the length of the bolt, write
this down, torque to a given setting and measure,
keep repeating this process and see if u get even the slightest
difference, ive done this little experiment and found none
i used to use ARP head studs on all modified 7M's but now i see them
as a waste of money on all but the most highly strung engines
about the last 20 7M's ive built have had std head bolts only 2 ive
replaced them & none have had head problems
one of my engines gets cained at 22 psi every day with nothing more
than metal head gasket stock {second hand} bolts & proper head & block preperation

[cre]

Edited for clarity: I wasn't saying that stretch was likely (actually, I pointed out that the TSRM even provides the measurements to make sure they're fine)... I just didn't think pitting was any more likely. I should have simply said as much. I've only ever had 5 apart that far though. Now you've got me curious, how many pitted head bolts have you pulled from 7M's?

[steves 86 supra]

Originally Posted by cre

Edited for clarity: I wasn't saying that stretch was likely (actually, I pointed out that the TSRM even provides the measurements to make sure they're fine)... I just didn't think pitting was any more likely. I should have simply said as much. I've only ever had 5 apart that far though. Now you've got me curious, how many pitted head bolts have you pulled from 7M's?

ive only come across a couple of pitted head bolts on 7m's usually they
come with a badly coroded head & most often i'll throw the lot out &
start with at least a good head or another engine for rebuilding

[cre]

Tanks for clarifying. I figure it would take a lot damage to the HG, block or head for the bolts to pit.

[GiJoE1000]

Im about to give this retorquing of the headbolts a try on my 7MGE and i had a couple of questions for CRE and/or Steves 86 Supra

The order for tightening...... The link Cre gave has an order for removing the bolts and then further along it has a different order for putting them in, im presuming that i use the order for putting them in to tighten them up? The one that starts in the centre of the block and works out?

Also, Steves 86 supra, you mention a drain bung in the block on the turbo motor? I presume my non turbo motor will have the same bung? I presume the risk here is that if you dont drop the coolant there is potential for the coolant to bypass the gasket and get into the engine during the retorquing process? At the moment im just getting a little pressurised gas into the cooling system but no water back into the engine and def no water and oil mixing. Ill have a look and see if i can find the bung.

Think thats about it, all i need now is a torque wrench!

[cre]

Use them both... the removal order for loosening them a quarter to half turn and then the tightening pattern (which is the opposite) to torque it down.

Yes, the coolant drain plug in the block is in the same place.