Head bolt woes

[mikebloco]

Just broke an OE head bolt when bolting my head back to the block. All the the bolts tightened right up to 60 ft lbs and then the last bolt broke.........the torque wrench never clicked

[dnguyen1963]

Torque specs are 22ft# --> 90* --> 90* on all the bolts. Not sure where you get the 60 ft# from.

[whodwho]

Are these hex head or Torx ones? Are they new?

[mikebloco]

Yes. But 22ft lbs +90* + another 90* is close to 80 ft lbs. Arp recommends 65-70 ft lbs. 60 is more than adequate for a lightly modded engine.
I guess I have to order new bolts, a new head gasket and a better torque wrench

[mikebloco]

They were new BMW torx from pelican

[jeffnhiscars]

Once you put 22lbs on them you can put away the torque wrench and use a breaker bar and dial Guage since the OEM torx bolts are TTY (and one time use). ARPs are reusable and are torqued to ft lbs.

[mikebloco]

It wasn't that I was doing it wrong. Dozens of people have done it this way on m20's. Hell there's even a thread about it on e30tech. The fact that my torque wrench just kept going without clicking is what pisses me off. Shitty fawking tools. Too late now though.

[dnguyen1963]

Where did it break? Can you take the broken part out? You have to be a bit patient when doing this job. 22lbs for all the bolts...rest...90* for all the bolts...rest...90* then call it done.

[Reichart12]

If ARP recommended a value different than BMW and you used BMW bolts, wouldn't you just disregard the ARP value?

[jeffnhiscars]

If ARP recommended a value different than BMW and you used BMW bolts, wouldn't you just disregard the ARP value?

Exactly...but that's not what the OP did cause....he read that some guys didn't and it was ok.

[digger]

ive never heard of anyone tightening the OEM torx with a torque wrench final reading. people usually by metric blues or generic uniform shank (non necked down) socket head capscrews or studs if they do that.

[TobyB]

Cheap clickers suck. Use a cheap beam if you have to be cheap- that's what I do!

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