Re torquing head gasket--hot or cold?

[31 Woody]

When re torquing a head gasket, do I need to let the car cool first or get it while still hot?

[chopo]

cold

[msmaron]

After 100 miles, after 200 miles after 500 miles and hot.

[bhiland]

Originally Posted by msmaron

After 100 miles, after 200 miles after 500 miles and hot.

I think hot also.

[Bob C]

I thought cold but Service Bulletins say warm.

Bob

[Duffy1]

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If you have the new type head gasket with the silicon around the bolt holes you retorque with the engine stone cold. This is the type I use . Instructions say to retorque twice once after running the engine for a while and then letting it get stone cold and retorque and a second time at 500 miles . I have found that it takes about 5 retorques before the head gasket stabilizes.

[steve s]

Larry Brumfield was very clear about torqueing after motor cooled back down.

[chopo]

[QUOTE=Duffy1;683251]If you have the new type head gasket with the silicon around the bolt holes you retorque with the engine stone cold. This is the type I use . Instructions say to retorque twice once after running the engine for a while and then letting it get stone cold and retorque and a second time at 500 miles . I have found that it takes about 5 retorques before the head gasket stabilizes.[/QUOTE

this is the gasket i used also. it says cold

[James Rogers]

Always cold. You want all the expansion to be out of the iron when torquing.

[tudoor]

Doesn't metal expand when warm? So when cold, you would have the head and block at the smallest size?

[1931 flamingo]

This is getting to be like what kind of oil should I use. Re-torque it hot or cold until it stops tightening. Or alternate. No where is it written that you can only do it once or twice. JMO
Paul in CT

[Mitch//pa]

i recommend torquing hot and cold...

[Duffy1]

If you use the head gasket with silicone it must be torqued cold or you will deform the silicone when hot.

[jmeckel]

When I purchased my A the head gasket was seeping, the car has a little over 90,000 miles and came from a old guy who purchased it when he was a teenager and had it all his life. I can only assume he worked on the motor as it has very good compression and uses no oil between changes. I have torqued the head cold, hot and warm, at least 10 times, using a good snap-on calibrated toque wrench. The gasket no loner seeps, so my recommendation based on how it worked for me is once or twice is a good start, but you need to do it a few more times over time. If you do it right with a known good toque wrench you are not going to over toque, and it does not take long to do.

Just my opinion, it is your car do what you want.

[msmaron]

So basically you have NO Answer here,, just opinions...welcome to the Ford Barn!!

[Kohnke Rebabbitting]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

i recommend torquing hot and cold...

Mitch is right, do the first torque or two Hot, if you wait until it cools down, and you have antifreeze, chances are the antifreeze will leak into the sealed area, and antifreeze will leak in where gas will not go, as the first torque, the bolts will be loose

Then when there is no more to gain hot, do the next one or two cold.

[Purdy Swoft]

When using copper clad head gaskets and grade five studs, I run the engine 20 minutes and retorque hot. The reason that I retorque hot the first time is that you lose so much torque after the first installation that I feel that a quick retorque is needed before coolant (tap water) starts to enter the combustion chambers. I torque several times until the studs will hold 55 ft. lbs. torque . I only retorque hot the first time and all other retorqueings cold. When grade 8 studs are used, it sometimes only needs to be retorqued once or twice before it holds. The down side of the grade 8 studs is that when one breaks off in the block, it will be much harder to deal with than a grade 5 stud. Snyder heads only need 55 ft. lbs. torque and grade 5 studs. Truth be known, the 5.9 heads work fine with 55 ft. lbs. torque and grade 5 studs as well. I've been running 5.9 heads on two of my model A's with grade five studs and 55 ft. lbs. for over ten years with with no problems.

[columbiA]

I,too,used the grade 5 studs & torqued the 5.9 head to 55 ft lbs about 4 times until torque held & no problems in the last 14,000 miles.

[spike]

I would go with what James says....I my self run it dry for 5 to 7 min let it sit and get stone cold and re rorque,....second time straight water for coolant run it and get it hot and let it get stone cold and retourque. Have had no problems with head gasket leaks with the new gasket and stock heads.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by msmaron

So basically you have NO Answer here,, just opinions...welcome to the Ford Barn!!

Some things don't have absolute answers and it has nothing to do with Fordbarn.

[Duffy1]

If you use a head gasket with silicone the answer is stone cold per mfg. instruction for reasons previously stated.

[Randall]

Originally Posted by Duffy1

If you use a head gasket with silicone the answer is stone cold per mfg. instruction for reasons previously stated.

]If you use a head gasket with silicone the answer is you will be replacing it very soon!!

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I torque mine COLD & I DON'T loosen each nut.
Bill W.

[James Rogers]

Yep.

Originally Posted by Randall

]If you use a head gasket with silicone the answer is you will be replacing it very soon!!

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by spike

I would go with what James says....I my self run it dry for 5 to 7 min let it sit and get stone cold and re rorque,....second time straight water for coolant run it and get it hot and let it get stone cold and retourque. Have had no problems with head gasket leaks with the new gasket and stock heads.

I don't run it 5-7 minutes, only long enough to get it hot. I measure the temp with a gun and try to stay below 160 at the corner of the head. I always let the engine cool to ambient temps and re-torque. I believe the cast needs to expand and compress the gasket a couple of times then add coolant. I don't like to add coolant on the first run-up because as Herm says, it can leach into places it shouldn't be and cause rivulets or channels in the sealer that won't seal.

[Duffy1]

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If the head gaskets with silicone are installed per mfg instructions plus three additional retorques they will last a long time as many folks in our model A club run them with no problem .

[Mitch//pa]

i changed my silicone head gasket out the first week never again.
i rate them with the modern lower dist plate
garbage

[James Rogers]

The modern silicone gaskets are like oil type or torquing the head nuts, everyone has their own opinion and uses what works for them. I don't like them and have had some bad experiences using them so, I use copper. Use what you like and what works for you. Just understand, you may have to spend some money to figure it out.

[chopo]

i think most like the copper style head gasket rather than the new style silicone one because thats what they were used too. old timers old timer thoughts. the new silicone style gaskets were also not available in 1930 ish. so for a period car resto a copper gasket should be used.. i myself will run a silicone gasket since they do help with small imperfections in the head or block surface. i like old time things with a dash of modern progress

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by chopo

i think most like the copper style head gasket rather than the new style silicone one because thats what they were used too. old timers old timer thoughts. the new silicone style gaskets were also not available in 1930 ish. so for a period car resto a copper gasket should be used.. i myself will run a silicone gasket since they do help with small imperfections in the head or block surface. i like old time things with a dash of modern progress

i like the copper because i hate doing things twice

[Pat Martone]

Your indications about the silicone impregnated head gasket being problematic are worrying me.
When I bought my Snyder 5.5 head last year, they suggested I use the pricey silicone impregnated gasket, and I did as advised.
I've got a couple of thousand miles on the engine so far without any problems or evidence of "weeping", and I have re-torqued the head 3 times. Am I beyond the known problems and infant mortality issues, or should I assume the head gasket will soon fail?
Thanks in advance.

[Duffy1]

As I said a lot of folks with "runners" ( slang for modifed model A) , use the silicone impregnated gasket and have no problems