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Re: It's the head gasket!

To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: It's the head gasket!
From: Douglas Frank <frank@zk3.dec.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 14:46:24 -0400
Cwn74@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 8/18/2002 2:05:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Cwn74@aol.com 
> writes:
> 
> 
>>The metal is softer when hot and 
>>will compress some.
>>
> 
> Also the studs will stretch when/while hot and you need to tighten them up!


Here's the deal as I understand it: when hot, the studs expand in 
length, which relieves the clamping force that was set when cold.  Say, 
for argument's sake, you established 1000 lb. of clamp force on the head 
gasket when torquing the nuts on cold studs.  Then heat the studs, so 
they stretch, so when at operating temperature, the clamp force is 
reduced to something considerably less than 1000 lb.  Ka-blooie.

Therefore, re-establish the original clamp force by retorquing while hot.

Of course this means the clamp force goes way up as the engine cools and the

studs shrink... to the point that they can fail.  So pay attention to the specs

and don't buy cheap parts!


-- 
--
Douglas Frank    DigitalWhoopsCompaqImeanHP Co.
ZKO              110 Spit Brook Rd.       The older I get,
603-884-0501     Nashua, NH USA 03062       the better I was.

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