blown head gasket job

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Originally Posted by YNOT

Head bolts do stretch so it's best to replace them every time.
You should have the head crack tested and surface machined while it's off the engine, a full head reco would be even better.
Also a good idea to have the radiator reconditioned at the same time.

Have fun torqueing the head down, last time I did one the specs said to tighten the head bolts (all 20 odd of them) down in 3 stages, loosen them all off then do it all again. A bugger of a process.

Tony

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i had the same problem and did not test the head sadly it as cracked and the head was ruined totally after using it

does anyone have torques for the head bolts? as im about to have a crack at the gasket myself

For a GQ TB42

Stage 1 - tighten all bolts to 29nm

Stage 2 - go back to original starting bolt and tighten all bolts to 57-67nm

Stage 3 - loosen all bolts completely

Stage 4 - tighten all bolts again to 29nm

Stage 5 - final tighten of bolts to 64-74nm

Not sure why on the stages, but that's what's specified.

What model is yours mate?

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Originally Posted by BIG PIG

does anyone have torques for the head bolts? as im about to have a crack at the gasket myself

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hey mate, all the info you need is in the GQ Factory Manual.i definately reccomend downloading and having a look. i just put a brand new head on mine and the manual was an invaluable tool to get it back together. are you getting the head machined and valves re-sleeved? or just whacking a new gasket on?

A word of advice, don't get recon heads, do it once, do it properly - get an original

some of the aftermarket heads are absolute rubbish and you can almost guarantee that if rewelded they will fail in the same spot. Have seen it happen three times.

and as others have said, buy another set of head bolts - don't reuse your old ones - thats just inviting grief later on. and tighten them in the sequence shown in the manual - again, have seen people who didn't and who "made it up" and then ended up with a cracked head down the track