Head bolt torque?

[Steve_D]

I'm about to fit the heads back on my 3.5 V8 efi and will be using composite gaskets.
Does anyone have revised bolt torques for composite gaskets?

Many thanks

Steve

[GreenV8S]

Didn't know the composite gasket was any different to the thin one, I thought they were all the same: 65-70 ftlb for the long bolts and just nipped up for the outer row. If you're using stretch bolts this'll be different of course.

[100SRV]

Hi,
I wouldn't bother fitting the four outermost bolts (outside of the Vee) when using a composite gasket, I left them off when I put new cylinder heads on my 3.9 and have had no trouble (famous last words!). I think we did the same on a 4.6 we used in a TT Bowler too, but that was a while ago so I'm not certain.
This is in line with factory practice on the later 4.0 and 4.6 blocks where only the ten bolts straddling the combustion chambers were fitted.

100SRV

[GreenV8S]

They certainly shouldn't be tightened fully, but I think they're usually fitted and just pinched up to avoid leaving the empty holes.

[Steve_D]

The gaskets have not arrived yet but Paddocks think the bolt holes don't exist in the composite gasket. Will wait and see.

Steve