Loose Cylinder Heads

[appetite]

Kind forum,

After installing a stock exhaust and new heater boxes at my IAC visit last week, Colin noticed a troubling "blapping" sound (his description) upon start up. He immediately diagnosed loose cylinder heads and urged me to open the rocker arm assembly and tighten the cylinder head nut, pronto.

Gulp.

He sent detailed, step by step directions, but I am chicken shit to attempt the procedure alone, without the watchful eye of someone who is more competent than I, which is pretty much everyone...

Anyone in northern New Jersey (Montclair) wanna come by while I open this puppy up and audit my work? I'd be happy to compensate.

Thanks,

James

edit to add: 69 Bus, 1600 DP

[Amskeptic]

Kind forum,

After installing a stock exhaust and new heater boxes at my IAC visit last week, Colin noticed a troubling "blapping" sound (his description) upon start up. He immediately diagnosed loose cylinder heads and urged me to open the rocker arm assembly and tighten the cylinder head nut, pronto.

Gulp.

He sent detailed, step by step directions, but I am chicken shit to attempt the procedure alone, without the watchful eye of someone who is more competent than I, which is pretty much everyone...

Anyone in northern New Jersey (Montclair) wanna come by while I open this puppy up and audit my work? I'd be happy to compensate.

Thanks,

James

edit to add: 69 Bus, 1600 DP

Contact boxcar, retro1302 or skip. But really, it is pretty simple.
Colin

[Jivermo]

Although it would be nice to have someone there working alongside, this is a perfect example of a job that you need to trust yourself to do. As Colin said, it is pretty simple. The act of you taking this on yourself is important in and of itself. It is a part of the learning experience that is a key element of owning and caring for these vehicles. Step by step, work with thoughtfulness and care. This is so much more than just tightening and checking these bolts...this is about you.

[cegammel]

As I'm sure all of these guys would agree, a large part of VWs, and everything else for that matter, is confidence. Worst case scenario, you drop the rocker arm in the sand and have to ask how to stick all the pieces back together. Worst case if you don't do the job...leaky cylinder heads...

Jump in there with confidence; you'll be fine.

[zabo]

yes. it will all be clear and simple once you get in there and start doing it. just take your time, keep a clean work area. and take pictures as you go (just in case the rockers come apart. or you forget which way tht spring goes)

[appetite]

Simple is in the eyes of the beholder (or in this case, the hands of the tool holder). I'll see how it goes...

[appetite]

Question:

Is this the kind of torque wrench that most use?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-3-8-i ... lsrc=aw.ds

And I need this kind of 12 inch extension?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/URREA-3-8-in ... lsrc=aw.ds

[wcfvw69]

I can't see the torque wrench but any decent torque wrench will do. Sears also sells them as well as Harbor Freight. The clicking when you reach torque style are the best. Any extension that fits the socket and torque wrench will also work.

[appetite]

Sorry, bad link.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-3-8-i ... lsrc=aw.ds

[cegammel]

That one will work, but a balance beam style will be more reliable in the long run. If money is tight, pawn shops often carry name brand gear for the same or less than the off brand retailers.
Around here, craftsman wrenches run $1-2 at the pawn shops...

[asiab3]

Sears also sells them as well as Harbor Freight. The clicking when you reach torque style are the best.

My HF torque wrench worked for one click, then it ramped up to the max setting then never worked again. At least they took it back no questions asked…

Craftsman (Sears) has two good 3/8" drive models out right now. There's a short handle one for 25-250 foot-pounds. The long handle one is good for 10-75ish foot-pounds and I have had excellent results with it. (Just letting you know so you don't get the short one thinking it's more accurate for lesser torque settings; backwards!)

Robbie

[Jivermo]

You could rent one, as well. If you are going to own a VW air cooled, you might as well buy a decent one. I own both styles, click and dial indicator. I prefer the dial type. Just get your hands on one or the other, and get to work.

[appetite]

Dumb question: foot pounds or inch pounds?

[Jivermo]

Ft-lb. read this:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/ho ... -of-force/

[asiab3]

Dumb question: foot pounds or inch pounds?

The torque spec for the cylinder heads is in foot pounds. 10mm head studs finish at 23 FOOT/lbs. 8mm head studs finish at 18 ft/lbs. Colin has very specific instructions for you as far as tightening order and increments, so the 18/23 ft/lb values are for the final results only.

Now, some larger torque wrenches have a scale in inch pounds for some god-forsaken reason, so if you get one, you'll be looking at 216/276 in/lb for your FINAL values. Again, Colin's procedure on this makes the whole process very clear, but keep asking questions if you need to. I bet you'll wrap up the job and be like "why was I even stressing?"

Robbie