head removal bolt loosening sequence.. how important??

[Zeoffry]

In my haste to strip my parts car 90i and get the hulk out of the driveway, I pulled the head not realizing it's recommended to loosen the bolts in sequence as well as tighten them in sequence............

how bad is this? engine was stone cold

[lordofthewaters]

It could have warped, especially if it were hot, but it being cold it probably didn't hurt it.. I say work on the assumption that it isn't until you find a crack or any kind of warping.

[DaN]

Yea, you should be fine.

[Adrian_Visser]

sequence only matters when your tightening, it seats the head and gasket onto the block with even pressure throughout

[yozsi]

sequence only matters when your tightening, it seats the head and gasket onto the block with even pressure throughout

wrong!!! if a cylinder head is warped when you remove it and you dont back of the head bolts in small increments you can crack the head.

[Brian D]

wrong!!! if a cylinder head is warped when you remove it and you dont back of the head bolts in small increments you can crack the head.

I have to ask, have you ever seen this yourself? If a head is warped that badly, it's trash anyways. Not trying to start anything with you, I don't know your amount of experience, but this sounds like one of those " I knew a guy once" stories. If you have actual experience of taking a good head off and it cracking because you didn't follow the sequence, I'd like to hear.

Zeoffry, I think you're fine, providing the head was OK to begin with. At this point though, it doesn't really matter what we think-take the head to a machine shop and they can tell you if it's warped or cracked. It's not that expensive, and then you'll know.

[Adrian_Visser]

ummm has this ever happened to you yohzi?
the head would hafta be pretty damn warped for that to happen
in which case who cares if you crack the piece of shit its no good anyway, get a new one!

if you wanna spend the extra time an remove it in increments, in sequence then go right ahead, youll proly just be wastin your time though. i cant see how the head would warp when it is cold

[yozsi]

ummm has this ever happened to you yohzi?
the head would hafta be pretty damn warped for that to happen
in which case who cares if you crack the piece of shit its no good anyway, get a new one!

if you wanna spend the extra time an remove it in increments, in sequence then go right ahead, youll proly just be wastin your time though. i cant see how the head would warp when it is cold

yea, i have had it happen a few times. a warped head can be saved, it can be straightened by the machine shop.

[Adrian_Visser]

aright i stand corrected then