1929 Dodge DA head bolt torque

[Bob Zetnick]

Does anyone know the proper torque for my 1929 flathead six? When I removed the head it was anywhere from 60-70. I think the torque needs to be greater. I think the lower and uneven torque may have been responsible for head gasket leakage....anyway, about ready to put the head back on and any help is much appreciated.

[Guest 1930]

Instruction book states all head bolts should be turned down until the head of bolt just touches the head itself than given one sharp turn working from center outward and repeating the steps until cylinder head is tight. After engine warms up repeat operation. Dosent seem to accurate I know, I seem to remember 80 or 85 pounds but that is off the top of my head, I am still researching another topic and if noone can give a more accurate answer than I will look into it more but I think my guess is pretty close. I do not believe that they used torque wrenches back then.

[Bob Zetnick]

Thanks Jason, if you find anything else let me know. 80-85 lbs is still tighter than I had when I took the head off.

[Guest Backyardmechanic]

Bob,

This depence on the grade of bolt/stud you have .When we rebuilt a engine we always install 8 grade studs with matching nuts.so with 8 grade new fasterners we torque at 7/16-20 dry 80 ft lbs oil on threads we torque at 60 ft.lbs.If you are useing old studs and nuts i would reconment that you drop the torque 10 ft. lbs.

here's a good site that gives you the torque spec. just google "bolts and torque specs.

hope this helps

Vern

[Bob Zetnick]

Thanks, Vern. Yes, I am using the old studs. I looked at the site you recommended and I don't know what grade of bolts those are. According to your post maybe the 60-65 ftlbs wasn't far off. I do seem to remember when I did the engine back in the 70's that the torque was higher though.......hmmmm. Also, my head gasket leaked water into oil and I thought that maybe the low torque I discovered in taking the engine down this time helped to contribute to my head gasket problem.

[Guest Backyardmechanic]

Bob,

Have you had the head and block check for worpness?One can do this by useing a stright edge place it across the head/block useing a .001 feeler gage see if the feeler gage will slip between the stright edge and head/block.just make sure the surface is clean of old gasket and/or carbon.another way that water could leak into the oil pan is a crack some were.Sometimes one can see cracks at the valve seats b y cleaning them with a wire brush on a drill.But the sure way is to have the block mag'flux. you will have to do a tare down in order to do this. Take a good look at your spark plugs If one or more looks real clean then thats the cylinder where water is entering the oil pan.

good luck,

Vern.

[Guest 1930]

I would not even think of reusing the same head bolts, they get stretched and you cant get an accurate torque reading not that I would be super concerned with that, as long as they are good and tight evenly in the proper sequence and you get it in the ball park of where its supposed to be you should not have any problem, I just had a head magnafluxed here and it cost me 75.00, found the usual cracks where they are supposed to be and have welded them tight. There are other reasons why I would not use the same or original head bolts but you may already be aware of them. Just my opinion.

[Bob Zetnick]

Thanks for the info! I'll check the head for warp and cracks....visually it looks fine, but it sounds like there may be irregularities that I can't see. Also, I see Myers Early Dodge sells new head bolts.