Fiat Dino Forum (FDF)

Hello there,
I have finally finished rebuilding my 2.4 engine and actually have it in the car running...which I am very grateful for! I have ran it through a few heat cycles and was wondering when I should re torque the heads and check the valve clearances? I installed copper head gaskets on this engine, so I do not know if re torqueing the heads is necessary in this case? As, it is pretty involved to get access to all the head nuts ( removing both intake cams), any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, what is the procedure for checking the head nut torque setting? Should all the nuts be cracked back 1/4 of a turn or should I just put a wrench on them in sequence as they are? Thanks very much all!

pablogustav wrote:Hello there,
I have finally finished rebuilding my 2.4 engine and actually have it in the car running...which I am very grateful for! I have ran it through a few heat cycles and was wondering when I should re torque the heads and check the valve clearances? I installed copper head gaskets on this engine, so I do not know if re torqueing the heads is necessary in this case? As, it is pretty involved to get access to all the head nuts ( removing both intake cams), any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, what is the procedure for checking the head nut torque setting? Should all the nuts be cracked back 1/4 of a turn or should I just put a wrench on them in sequence as they are? Thanks very much all!

Congrats on finishing the rebuild.

I'm not sure when you should re-torque your head bolts, but when you do, there's no need to back them off. Just torque to specification.

As for the valves, if they were set properly when you assembled the engine, it wouldn't hurt to check them now, but if it were me, I would wait until I put some miles on the engine.

Scott

Do not tighten by degrees.. Your studs will not elongate as modern ones. Go for the torque instead..

Regards

2 things:

1) I hope you seated the rings in those few heat cycles, otherwise expect glazed walls/rings and smoke forever. Seating the rings is fun. Once oil warm, full throttle pulls from low RPM to about 5000/6000 and then let the engine braking decelerate the car back to about 2000 RPM. A few times in 2nd gear to start, then drive around a bit to let temps equilibrate, and then again in higher gear - same procedure.

2) be very careful with torquing the head studs. Use a spotter to or be careful - the studs actually CAN stretch. Torque setting on COLD engine only. Using an analog deflection-style wrench is best here as you can detect excess turning of the head stud nut per torque value increase.

mostromilano wrote:
2) be very careful with torquing the head studs. Use a spotter to or be careful - the studs actually CAN stretch. Torque setting on COLD engine only. Using an analog deflection-style wrench is best here as you can detect excess turning of the head stud nut per torque value increase.

I meant, you don't want to stretch the studs, as you do with the new style studs/bolts.

regards..

thanks much for your advice folks; I have not driven the car yet. Just have run it in the garage to get the carburetors balanced, fixing some gasket leaks and getting it running nicely. I will take your advice on the seating of the rings procedure when I get it out on the street.