StuDeelicious
Recruit
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2011
- Messages
- 2
I need to replace my head gasket after my starboard engine overheated. I know there’s been a million threads about replacing head gaskets on these motors but I may have a unique scenario here! I rebuilt my engines a few years ago and when I did it, I replaced the heads on each engine with a ford racing aluminum 460 head. Changing the heads also required converting the rockers over to scorpion roller rockers and drilling a gaping hole into brand new heads for that right angle hose. I also had some thread issues in one engine block so that motor has arp studs. I followed the manual doing 130 ft lbs and retorqued after the first start and cool down. Here’s my question- with the arp studs, do I still torque the head stud nuts to 130? I’m afraid if it needs to torqued higher due to the aluminum block. With the aluminum head conversion should the torque still be 130? I don’t think the head material should change the recommended torque. And lastly, how critical is the retorque? The main reason I’m concerned is that is what pulled the threads out of the block the first time around on the rebuild and the secondary reason I don’t want to do it is I need to remove the rockers and readjust them to access the intake side of the head bolts. I don’t know if anyone has 3.7 liter aluminum head with head stud conversion but I would like any input on a torque value and procedure before I reassemble this beast. And yes, this thing runs great despite everyone’s hatred of these motors. I think the aluminum heads and roller rockers must put the motors over 200 hp each. Unfortunately I never used this boat with the stock motors to compare the differences between before and after. It was blown up when I got it. But it’s a 27’ sea ray and just hums along at 4000 rpm at 29 mph and sips gas through 2 barrel carbs. Unfortunately the starboard motor overheated when I ran aground the end of last year and I hurt the head gasket.
