Re-Torquing heads after fresh

Running out of time before a race next week and I don't think I'll be able to get everything done so I can run some heat thru this thing and re-torque the heads. What's the consensus on doing this?

It's a Blown Alky SBC with water.. Copper with O-Rings and grooves

 

Re-Torque

I do it. I never prefer to rush through things, I've screwed up enough stuff rushing. With the water I would think it would be even more important. This is just me however.

Corey

 

We run a solid block and water heads. After fresh gaskets I retorque the morning after the first race day, usually ends up with 3 or 4 runs on it, I pull the rockers and headers off that night and then put it back together in the morning, run it the rest of the season maybe checking them a few times.

 

I use a hot water circulation pump a buddy gave me and a turkey fryer. Made some plates and some hoses. Dont have to put the intake on so I can get to the inners. It takes about 1 hour to get up to 200 deg. I wrap it in sheets and old towles and hold it there for an hour or so. It takes about half a propane tank. It saves time !! I use the down time to clean the shop I got about 100 bucks in it

 

Been running a blown sbc for 20 yrs with water and O-rings and I dont retorque the heads and have never had a problem

 

Im with Will H. on this, seems like the short cuts end up in a lot of miles..dave

 

Re-torque

I retorque every night (or the next morning) after I have run the car down the track, doesn't matter if it is one pass or six passes. Also leak the motor after the retorque.

I filled my (SBC) block solid and ran water thru the heads. Car ran 6.60's.

 

I run some canted valve heads and to re-torque the heads you have to have all 16 valvesprings off, so what I do is run two heat guns into the coolant holes for a half an hour to get temperature into the casting it will heat the block up also then I re-torque

 

I ran blown sbc for years 14-71 45 lbs boost.When i put new gaskets on i would torque them loosen them up and re torque. With the 18 and 14 dergee heads you would have to take all the valve springs off and headers.I would change the gaskets often because the middle cylinders would leak 40% after 10-20 runs.

 

Well I'm glad I did, my crew cheif and I got the whole job done from running engine, broke down, back to running engine in 2.5 hrs.

Headers/exhaust off, 4 center valve springs off, blower and acc off, all rockers off, plugs out, ect...and back together. Didn't think we would actually finish in the 3hr time window I had to work on the car tonight but we busted it out.

Every single bolt moved anywhere from 1/16 to 1/8 of a turn.

Last time when I retorqued, I did the 'back off and tighten' method so I never got a chance to see if they moved further than the orignal torque, this time I just torqued and they all moved. Torqued at 75lbs with ARP torque lube on all bolts from assembly.