head gasket torque specs and valve lash info needed

[MarcS]

Early this week I'm going to tear into my multifuel and repair a leaking head gasket. I did the complete job in 04' and used the new style gaskets. I was surprised I blew a new gasket that soon but I did so apart she comes. It's the rear of the rear head like usual.

My questions are:

What is the correct torque spec on the head bolts (TD block)?

What are the intake and exhaust gap specs?

Where can I find valve setting procedures online? Last time I had someone photocopy some pages out of the manual.

Is it a totally bad idea to just pull the one head off and replace the one gasket even though everything was done recently? The only thing I'd do with the other half would be to pull the injectors and have them checked and go over the valves. I'm even tempted to not replace the manifold gaskets if they look good. Just pull the head, look it over real good, check for flatness and then torque it back down with a new gasket.

I'm hesitating to even ask about only doing one head but the older I get the more thrifty I get and I've also learned to quit throwing money at perfectly good parts. And forget piece of mind, I thought I bought that 4 years ago when I did all this then.

Marc

 

[WillWagner]

TM 9-2320-209-34-2-1. It's in the TM section. If only one is failed, why do two?

 

[MarcS]

I got the correct manuals I need but I want to confirm the TD block torque spec. The manual says 157 ft lbs. for a TD block. Is that right? The only reason I question it is last time I did this job I called Hercules and talked to a machinist and for some reason I thought he gave me a higher torque value.

Oh, and I pulled both heads. I'm also regrinding the valves while it's all apart. We found that pulling just one head is more messing around than doing both.

Hopefully one of you guys can confirm the head bolt torque for me. Thanks in advance.

Marc

 

[WillWagner]

157 ft lb is correct. You can omit the retorque after it runs if you are using the new style head gaskets.

 

[jatonka]

Head Gasket torque and valve clearances

The TD block gets 157 Ft.-Lbs. of torque
Intake valve is .015" cold. Exhaust valve clearance is .025" cold

 

[MarcS]

Are you sure about the intake being .015? The manual I have says .010 I've got the valves set and I'm going to button everything up tomorrow so hopefully you meant .010 Can someone either confirm or correct us on the intake spec? I don't want anything set wrong.

We found some valves that weren't seating right so I had everything ground including the seats. I pulled apart some donor heads and got a set of good rotators too. Oh, and number 6 injector was slobbering and not working right so that most likely explains the blown gasket. After cleaning it I'm told all 6 injectors work perfect. Between that bad injector and the valves not seating it should run a lot better.

Thanks again

 

[gringeltaube]

Marc, to much is better than to little…. And how much is correct depends on what you prefer to believe: IE while Continental suggests .015 cold on the engine tag of its LDS-427-2, the troubleshooting manual for the LDS465-1 Multifuel Engine (3rd one on 2nd page of our TM section) states on page 52: “valve lash setting is the same for all LD/LDS-465 and LDS-427-2 engines, INTAKE .010-inch and EXHAUST .025-inch. Settings are the same either hot or cold.”….. You will find the same specs in other manuals where LDT models are included.
If you search for valve lash…. you’ll find that everyone here is adjusting to .010,
see http://shortlinks.net/bct533

Gerhard

 

[Jake0147]

Is it a totally bad idea to just pull the one head off and replace the one gasket even though everything was done recently?
Marc

The TM advice is the best I can offer on the torque specs. As for doing just one head, this is not a shortcut, this is pretty much standard practice on most any engine with multiple heads. The only reason I would worry is if there were something wrong with the head requiring it to be milled. (Usually warpage, but you can't rule out an inadvertant extra "swing" from the engine crane). Other than that, no worries.

A new gasket shouldn't fail without cause. I'd straightedge the block, the head, look for damages, make sure the liners aren't standing up too far, think back to the original job, is it possible the gasket was bent or abused, and basically rule out any reason why the new gasket might not last like it should. If you come up with a reason that applies to both heads, then doing both might be in order, but if the problem lies with one head, unless it's due for a major overhaul under a PM schedule, you won't find many shops (for hire shops, leasing companies, or company operated fleet repair shops) that'll pull more heads than are required to access the trouble spot.

 

[jatonka]

torque specs

No trouble with you sticking with the written word. .010 it is. I will continue to adjust my intakes to .015". I didn't make this number up and I would rather have them right there. Too tight sucks