Bruce :
Unless you are talking about re-using the old head gasket (definitely
_not_ recommended, although I've done it), that's not the way it works.
The concern over bolts/studs that have been over-torqued is that they
permanently distort, which both weakens them and distorts the threads so
they bind.
The test given for studs is to get a new nut in the correct thread and
make sure it spins easily the entire length of the threads on the stud.
If it binds part way down the threads, the threads are distorted. Using
such a stud will likely lead to leaks, because the clamping force on the
head gasket is less than it should be, rather than more. I believe the
same test should be valid for head bolts.
If you still have doubts, you might look into the price of a set of head
bolts. They are cheap insurance on some engines, although the studs for
a TR2-4 are fairly pricey.
Randall
Eganb@aol.com wrote:
>
> Regarding torquing the cylinder head, my other concern is that I don't know
> if the cylinder head bolts have been over-torqued. So, if I re-torque them
> to regular specs, it might leak because the gasket has been flattened too
> much?
|