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Re-Torquing Head. Couple ?'s

  • Thread starter Thread starter UncleMike
  • Start date Start date
U

UncleMike

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In the manual, it says the 12 bolts need to be torqued in an exacting sequence to 26-29 ft.- lbs., each. It also mentions in the removal/installation instructions removing the two 6mm bolts on either side of the head, beneath the valve covers and the one 6mm bolt on the front of the enging between the center exhaust ports.

Should I be torquing the head to maximum recommended spec, 29 ft. - lbs.,?

Should I be doing anything with those five 6mm bolts? Loosening and re-torqueing as well?

There are also a couple of bolts down by the spark plugs. Should I worry about those?

Thanks,
~Mike
 
UncleMike said:
Should I be torquing the head to maximum recommended spec, 29 ft. - lbs.,?
Click to expand...

Your saying they want 26 - 29 or 27.5 +/-1.5 or 27.5 +/- 5.5%. What's the accuracy of your wrench? When was it last calibrated? If your wrench is say +/- 5%, thats 5% you eat up of the 5.5% total budget.

That said, I normally torque mine higher but I don't use the stock bolts on any of my bikes.

UncleMike said:
Should I be doing anything with those five 6mm bolts? Loosening and re-torqueing as well?
Click to expand...
I am not sure what your asking. The three 6mm bolts have another spec.
If you have 5 and the manual shows 3, sounds like you have the wrong manual.

UncleMike said:
There are also a couple of bolts down by the spark plugs. Should I worry about those?
Click to expand...
Worry no, torque yes. These are the two you mentioned "instructions removing the two 6mm bolts on either side of the head". There is a spec for these as well. Should be the same as the one in front. Recheck the manual, it's in there.
 
Whether you are loosening or tightening the nuts on your head, you should be working from the middle outwards and diagonally. If you look closely at your head you should see a number next to each stud hole. This number comfirms the torqueing sequence.
Start with the wrench set at 15 ft lbs and run through the sequence. Increase to 20, 25 and 30ft lbs through that sequence.
As you are working from the center, don't forget to tighten the center front, and end 6 mm bolts.
All these nuts and bolts should be re-torqued after the bike has done 1000kms.
To re-torque, work from the center and loosen each nut by 1/4 of a turn and then torque it back up to 29/30ft lbs. Do this one nut at a time.
The reason for loosening first is that the threads bind and give a false reading when re-torqueing. You should find that the nuts will now rotate back further than the 1/4 turn when re-torqueing them. This increase is compensating for the compression of the head gasket after continuous expanding and contracting over the previous 1000kms.
If you leave the retorque too long, ie well past the 1000km, you risk blowing a head gasket.
 
Okay, now I'm thoroughly confused.

I'm looking at the top of the engine, and there are many more than 12 bolts. 20, in fact, not counting the four for the breather cover.

And they're not in a straight line, as it shows in the drawing in the manual. I'm thinking I need to remove the top of the engine in order to get to the 12 bolts you guys are talking about no?

And the 6mm bolts I was talking about I was confused about as well. There's one directly to the side of the outer two sparkplugs and one in front.

Additionally there is a larger bolt directly underneath each of the valve covers, and there are also two bolts visible from above that are in between the #1 and #2 spark plugs and two more between #3 and #4.

Getting closer?
 
The "head bolts" are actually the 12 NUTS. You do not have to remove the cam cover to get at them. According to my manual you are going to want to run these down first and then the 6mm bolts are done afterward. Just back off each nut enough to break it loose and then immediately tighten it down in one motion. Start in the middle and work outward. If you have a high quality torque wrench, I'd take it to the higher end of the spec but not to the top to allow some wrench error.

Good luck.
 
Which 12? Not counting the breather cover bolts there are 20 bolts on the top of the engine.

Does it make a difference that this is a 16v engine?
 
UncleMike said:
Does it make a difference that this is a 16v engine?
Click to expand...

Sorry, my assumption was 8 valve. My bad. I'm not familar with the 16v motor.

Breather cover is on the camshaft cover so if you are looking at these you are off track. Look deeper down, at the spark plug level.

I can say that the head is held down with the large studs that poke up through the bottom. This is why you want to look for nuts, not bolts for the main hold down.
 
Mike, Im not trying to insult your intelligence but you do have the valve cover off....right ? Ok, Im only giving you a hard time. Did you ever get it running ?
 
Last edited:
bonanzadave said:
Mike, Im not trying to insult your intelligence but you do have the valve cover off....right ?
Click to expand...

Dude! Insult my intelligence! I don't have anything off. I thought the valve covers were the rectangular chrome covers on the sides of the engine.

That's why I was asking. I have almost zero mechanical experience.
 
Dooh!! Now I dont know if your giving me a hard time. If you seriously dont have the valve cover off ya better start this thread over. When the guys with the real 411 on head torque answer then we'll both know.
 
Your head nuts are under your head cover(valve cover). You need to remove your tank, pull the spark plug wires and hang them on the upper frame and remove the tach cable. Remove the head cover(don't remove the breather cover) Follow 49er's advice on re-torquing the head nuts. The head bolts are smaller and by the end spark plug holes and between the center exhaust ports. Tourque these to 5-8 lbs.
You also have to remove the end caps.
 
Last edited:
bonanzadave said:
Dooh!! Now I dont know if your giving me a hard time. If you seriously dont have the valve cover off ya better start this thread over. When the guys with the real 411 on head torque answer then we'll both know.
Click to expand...

I seriously don't have the valve cover off. I assume that's what I can take off once I remove those 20 bolts on the top of the engine?
 
I just adjusted the Valves on my 1984 GS550ES 16 valver. After removing the cam cover I can see the head nuts alonside the valves. I have the Klymer manual and it shows a head torquing sequence to follow on the twelve bolts under the cam cover and also that pesky on between the number two and three cylinder head and cylinder block. So you have to remove your cam cover to see the head nuts.
 
chef1366 said:
Your head nuts are under your head cover(valve cover). You need to remove your tank, pull the spark plug wires and hang them on the upper frame and remove the tach cable. Remove the head cover(don't remove the breather cover) Follow 49er's advice on re-torquing the head nuts. The head bolts are smaller and by the end spark plug holes and between the center exhaust ports. Tourque these to 5-8 lbs.
You also have to remove the end caps.
Click to expand...

Wonderful. Thank you.

Should I be getting a new gasket for the valve cover?
 
What was the red stuff all over the valve/cam-cover gasket and the screws for the rectangular chrome valve end covers?

You didn't mention that all the nuts for re-torquing the head would look different!

On to torque it all down now.

Thanks for the help, guys.

~Mike
 
Someone used silicone. Try to stay away from that! If you do use it spread a thin layer with your finger and let it set up before applying the cover.
 
chef1366 said:
Someone used silicone. Try to stay away from that! If you do use it spread a thin layer with your finger and let it set up before applying the cover.
Click to expand...

I put the cover back on already. Should I take it off and clean all that crap away?
 
BTW - That 6mm bolt between the exhaust on the front of the engine was very loose, and that's where the seepage was coming from.
 
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