550 cylinder head

super99

Well-known Member
I put the gas tank back on yesterday and filled it with anti freeze and ran it a little bit. Started good, ran good, happy with it. I needed to retorque the head, so I put a about a half gallon of gas in it this afternoon and let it run till empty and then took gas tank off and retorqued the head. I got maybe 1/2 to 3/4 turn on the bolts before the wrench clicked. I had a used cluster guage for gas and temp, so I went ahead and put that in while I was so close to it. Rechecked the tappets and had to adjust one exhaust valve. Ready to finish putting it back together.Head bolts are to be torqued to 90-100#s cold which I did, then get it warmed up and retorque. Why not just have a higher setting cold and not have to retorque when warm??
Now I just have a leaking rear axle seal to replace and the PTO turns all the time. Chris
 
??Why not just have a higher setting cold and not have to retorque when warm??



Gaskets settle during/after first heating cycle. Cast iron heads are retorqued hot but aluminium heads must be left to cool completely before retorquing after the first running. Also it depends on the bolts and gasket material. Always follow the gasket supplier?s instructions. Original workshop manuals can become obsolete, for these instructions, when modern materials are used.


Many (most?) modern engines do not require retorquing - the bolts are torqued to the ?yield point?, at fitting, and must not be tightened further. These engines do not use the old copper three layer gaskets, but special composite items. New bolts are required every time the head is replaced due to being stretched to the ?yield point?.


Hope that helps. RAB
 

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