engine and drivetrain Ummmm, Oops.

[2002Targa]

 

Yeah, AFTER I got everything torqued down.

[M3M3M3]

argh!  it happens...we all do something like that.....

 

you could have installed the piston rings upside down and then dropped a piston....

[Buckeye]

The good part is one more day in the garage in Florida.

Did you use torque and angle?

GOOD LUCK!

[ray_]

Well you caught it before firing it back up.

 

I think.

[Mike Self]

FYI, angle torquing isn't necessary on an M10 engine, just plain ole ft/lbs in the proper sequence.

 

mike

[2002Targa]

Just a regular old torque wrench for me.  The tube was in the bottom of the "to go back on" box.  Hoping to drive it this afternoon, but need to go watch the Hobbit with the Fam first.

now that I'm thinking about this, I've never heard it discussed.  Does anyone "undo" the bolts in the same pattern too?? 

[downhillwolf]

Boltes unwind the same pattern just the other way around. From sides to center. You can probably reuse the head gasket...

[Buckeye]

With all due respect the reason I asked the question was because attached document was included with purchased gasket as well as service information (attached link) was published by BMW.

 

My personal experience; first time installed a new head gasket and just torqued in proper sequence resulted in oil leak around presure port, where on second attemp I followed manufacture installation guideline and no leakage issue what so ever.

 

I am sure others used old procedure and never had any issue and maybe this was single case.

 

 

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/121366-cylinder-head-oil-leak/?hl=cylinder+head+oil+leak#entry125577

FYI, angle torquing isn't necessary on an M10 engine, just plain ole ft/lbs in the proper sequence.

 

mike

 

[Tommy]

I think I would just open the bolts that need to. Two at a time. And then tighten all just couple Nm's more.

With angle method they go much tighter. I would not open everything and try reusing the gasket.

 

Tommy

[Hans]

Depends on whether you are a gambler. You might get away with it - two at a time, but its not that big a deal to slide a new gasket in there and redo front cover. Head gaskets are one time only. You may do more damage if it doesn't work and the gasket fails.

[FB73tii]

Head gaskets are one time only.

Hans--I'll have to disagree with this. I have re-used stock head gaskets with no problem. They are cheap so I would not re-use many times, but it can be done. This has been discussed before here.

 

IMO there would be no reason to pull the head just to install that oil rail. But I would drain coolant if I was loosening all the head bolts at once.

 

I think I would just open the bolts that need to. Two at a time. And then tighten all just couple Nm's more.

 

I would not use the "two-at-a time" method if all the other bolts were at full torque. Could imagine backing off all bolts a bit (in the appropriate release pattern, of course) but not fully--then using the two-at-a time method. This might avoid the need to drain coolant. Then torque as usual.

 

I've never angle-torqued, and have never had a head gasket leak because I did not. That's not to say it is a bad method, I just have not done it.

[2002Targa]

Oil rail installed.  Luckily I hadn't gotten to adding the coolant yet, so loosening all the bolts and re-torquing wasn't a big deal. 

[LarsAlpina]

FYI, angle torquing isn't necessary on an M10 engine, just plain ole ft/lbs in the proper sequence.

 

mike

 

Mike,

 

I´d say it depends on the stuff you´re working with. Cylinder head gaskets delivered today do use more actual production methods and other materials than back in the days. If you can take a new old stock gasket bought years ago from your parts storage I would agree to mount it just the way it was always done. If you buy a new actually produced gasket I would always follow the actual mounting instructions that come with it.

 

Best regards, Lars.

[Hans]

I was under the impression that head gaskets were one time, but if its been done successfully, I will file that away. having argues with a front cover leak for some time, I get cautious. 

[ray_]

Were the cover and head milled at the same time?

 

Cheers,

I was under the impression that head gaskets were one time, but if its been done successfully, I will file that away. having argues with a front cover leak for some time, I get cautious.