Head Gasket
Head Gasket
Author
Discussion

daveb500

Original Poster:

391 posts

216 months

Sunday 23rd August 2009
quotequote all
I think I might be about to do the head gaskets on my Griff 500 (to be tested and confirmed later this week). I intend to do them myself with assitance from a very experienced mechanic who worked on TVR's for a while but I'm going to need a whole bunch of Torque settings for the heads, rocker covers etc. I'll probably use the opportunuity to check out other parts for wear including the cam.

Does anybody have any information (inc torque settings) that might be of help? A workshop manual would be great but I'm guessing they are not easy to come by.

Barreti

6,689 posts

266 months

Sunday 23rd August 2009
quotequote all
The 'workshop manual' used by Griff and Chimaera owners is called The Bible and is available from shpub here clicky

GreenV8S

31,017 posts

313 months

Sunday 23rd August 2009
quotequote all
Haynes manual for either an SD1 or Range Rover Classic will have all the info you need. It's only a Rover V8 at the end of the day.

daveb500

Original Poster:

391 posts

216 months

Sunday 23rd August 2009
quotequote all
Is the LandRover manual on TheGriffithPages suitable then ?

http://www.thegriffithpages.com/images/stories/Wor...

pwd95

8,457 posts

267 months

Sunday 23rd August 2009
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Did the head gaskets on my old 450 Wedge & if I was going to do it again I would use ARP studs in the block.

v8 racing

2,064 posts

280 months

Sunday 23rd August 2009
quotequote all
To be honest it is all going to depend on which head bolts you select as they all have different torque settings, i would advise against using the later stretch bolts though as they are very easy to start pullint the threads out of your block!

pwd95

8,457 posts

267 months

Sunday 23rd August 2009
quotequote all
v8 racing said:
i would advise against using the later stretch bolts though as they are very easy to start pullin the threads out of your block!
yes Strech bolts....very scary.

daveb500

Original Poster:

391 posts

216 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Both TVR Power and Racing Green only stock the stretch bolts so I assume that must be what they use..... Are the stretch bolts the standard part?

rev-erend

21,619 posts

313 months

Monday 24th August 2009
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Barkychoc

7,848 posts

233 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
pwd95 said:
Did the head gaskets on my old 450 Wedge & if I was going to do it again I would use ARP studs in the block.
If you use ARP studs for the heads can you get the heads on and off with the engine in the car or does it have to come out?

spend

12,581 posts

280 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Heads will go on & off over the ARP studs insitu on my Chim, I have no reason to suspect the Griff would be any different. None of which may be at all relevant to you Chris confused

Barkychoc

7,848 posts

233 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
It was more of a curious question really - I'm going to use the old style seperate washer head bolts I think, the stretch bolts scare me a bit with the amount of torque going on (I broke 3 sockets getting the old ones out, though they were only average quality I've never broken any of the other sockets in the sets I have).

I've also seen elsewhere (OZ LR forum) discussion that stretch bolts may contribute to liner failure due to the forces involved, though I haven't the faintest idea if there's any truth in that.

daveb500

Original Poster:

391 posts

216 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Excuse my ignorance but if I don't use the standard stetch bolts, what is the alternative?

Edited by daveb500 on Monday 24th August 18:58

pwd95

8,457 posts

267 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Barkychoc said:
pwd95 said:
Did the head gaskets on my old 450 Wedge & if I was going to do it again I would use ARP studs in the block.
If you use ARP studs for the heads can you get the heads on and off with the engine in the car or does it have to come out?
Ahh, good question. The engine in the Wedge is further forward so the heads would come out easily without hitting the bulkhead. Anyone know?

Barkychoc

7,848 posts

233 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
quotequote all
daveb500 said:
Excuse my ignorance but if I don't use the standard stetch bolts, what is the alternative?

Edited by daveb500 on Monday 24th August 18:58
This is what I understand is the case with the head bolts - if I'm wrong shoot me.

LR originally used iron bolts made by neanderthals in a cave over an open fire hehe
These are easy to spot as they have seperate washers, and there were 14 of them per head, though you could do without the outer 4 on each side, either bin them or do them up to a low torque setting.

Then along came stretch bolts - these have the washer and head combined as one piece, and there are only 10 per head, the outer 4 were not used and later heads only have 10 bolt holes.
It doesn't take much imagination to work out how much force is involved to make a cylinder head bolt stretch (they are designed to so this, they aren't the same material as the originals).
These must not be re-used - they can be stretched only once.
Remember you're tightening these buggers up very tight into an alloy block eek

Then there's the ARP studs - I don't know but assume these work on the same principle as the original caveman bolts but have a finer thread so you can get them tighter, and are high strength steel.

Personally I feel most comfortable with the original type.



Edited by Barkychoc on Tuesday 25th August 19:33

spend

12,581 posts

280 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
quotequote all
Many advise against re-use of even the earlier bolts wink

ARP studs can be re-used upto @ 20 times, which makes them a cheap option in the long run wink

Torque sequencing, incrementally clamping down, and angular torques could practically be a topic for a doctorate hehe

daveb500

Original Poster:

391 posts

216 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
quotequote all
spend said:
Many advise against re-use of even the earlier bolts wink

ARP studs can be re-used upto @ 20 times, which makes them a cheap option in the long run wink

Torque sequencing, incrementally clamping down, and angular torques could practically be a topic for a doctorate hehe
Any idea where I can get the ARP studs from and what the torque settings for these are?

spend

12,581 posts

280 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
quotequote all
Real Steal, V8tuner are likely candidates. Torque settings are on the box and depend upon what lube you apply.

You can order from the US if you have time, just look for Buick 215. I honestly don't think its fair to the local traders to post ARP part numbers, so please don't ask wink

..but I would tell you the part numbers for proper ARP exhaust manifold bolts that are long enough instead of those short thread strippers everyone is selling hehe

TVR Beaver

2,874 posts

209 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
quotequote all
if you use std bolts or ARP ones.. do you have to re-torque them after say 2000 miles as you did in the old days with head bolts??rolleyes

spend

12,581 posts

280 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
quotequote all
You shouldn't have to, but it's always worth a check wink More likely remedial action required to yourself or car if they have slackened off though hehe