Do you Re-Torque the heads
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
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From: Potter County, PA
Do you Re-Torque the heads
Do the heads on a Shovelhead engine need re-torqued after a rebuild? Some folks do, some don't. I didn't see where it said to do that in the Factory Service Manual. If it matters I used the multi-layer Cometic head gaskets.
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From: la la land jerzey
[QUOTE=sbrmike;19995341]Do the heads on a Shovelhead engine need re-torqued after a rebuild? Some folks do, some don't. I didn't see where it said to do that in the Factory Service Manual. If it matters I used the multi-layer Cometic head gaskets.[/QUOTE
no on the mls cometic head gaskets
no on the mls cometic head gaskets
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Mid-Mo.
I'll throw this out there. Bought a new 79 FXS. Never had to take it in to have the heads "re-torqued". I've had several shovelheads over the years. Rebuilt them all in one way or another. Never "re-torqued" a head and never had a problem. If your surfaces are square and you know how to torque a head you should never have to "re-torque" a head.
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From: West Central FL
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
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From: Potter County, PA
For the record, I have rebuilt 4 Shovelhead top ends in my life. I have never re-torqued the heads. I am not on this one either. This is the first time I used the multi-layer steel Cometic head gaskets. I did have to cut 3 of the 4 brass rivets for clearance. I always used factory Harley head gaskets in the past. A big mistake last time was I went to the12 point 7/16" head - big bore style head bolts. Those bolts are black oxide and the ones most exposed to the elements on the front of the bike just disintegrated, the 12 points on the head that is. They were in 14 years. I put in 9/16" hex head, cadmium plated head bolts this time.
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From: la la land jerzey
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Minneapolis
for those of you that re-torque - please post your method - do you remove one bolt at a tme - put on a new Colony washer - retorque that one bolt - then go to the next bolt on the diagonal and repeat 4 times on each cylinder? Do you just loosen one at a time and retorque? loosen all and retorque ? I watched an idiot do a hot retorque on an aluminum head once - he warped the crap out of that thing - he kept turning them and turning them - some would turn easy - and he say - wow - this one was loose - I would laugh and say - give it more torque - hell yeah - another whiskey and move onto the next bolt - hilarious
Club Member
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
I do a torque check after some miles on a cold a engine, have had some loosen but it was with the old stock or James blue gaskets. Since MLS gaskets became common haven't had issues with any.