After reading a thread that mentioned about headbolts stretching and becoming loose over time, I decided to take a look at mine and sure enough they were what I would regard as not tight :-/

 

I don't have a torque wrench, so can't check torques, but I was able to nip them 90 degrees really quite easily, and they definitely could have been tightened another 180 degrees...

 

Car has done 116k, 1.9tdi 100bhp.

 

Should I take it to the garage and ask them to torque them up again, if so does anyone know what Torque? I have read different things, varying from 20-30Nm.

 

thanks in advance

 

Mike. 

If they were that loose the car would be surely blowing coolant out like a steam engine??

 

Id be replacing the headbolts one by one with the 150 type and torqueing them up then using the angle gauge to do the job right

You can't re torque a stretch bolt anyhow.

 

I would think now you have over tightened your head bolts. A PD100 shouldn't worry a head bolt, even in tuned form.

You can't re torque a stretch bolt anyhow.

 

I would think now you have over tightened your head bolts. A PD100 shouldn't worry a head bolt, even in tuned form.

really? I barley turned them, was just curious as to whether I should get them re-torqued, but I won't do now given what you say.

 

cheers

Do as post #2 says. Get new bolts and replace 1 at a time.

really? I barley turned them, was just curious as to whether I should get them re-torqued, but I won't do now given what you say.

 

cheers

Well, a typical head refit for a stretch bolt engine (numbers are nominal, not actuals for your engine) goes something like:-

1. Tighten bolts in pattern to 30lbft
2. Angle tighten in pattern 60 degrees
3. Angle tighten in pattern a further 30 degrees.

Do as post #2 says. Get new bolts and replace 1 at a time.

Is it normal for the pd engines to need their head bolts replacing? Bearing in mind this was just me checking out of curiosity and like I say I don't have a torque wrench so can't even say for sure if they were loose compared to what they should be, just I expected them to be a lot tighter given they are head bolts.

 

 

Well, a typical head refit for a stretch bolt engine (numbers are nominal, not actuals for your engine) goes something like:-

1. Tighten bolts in pattern to 30lbft
2. Angle tighten in pattern 60 degrees
3. Angle tighten in pattern a further 30 degrees.

 

 

30Nm is quite a lot right? I mean this should feel pretty damn tight? 

 

Forgive my ignorance but why can't you just re-tighten stretch bolts? are they at risk of snapping?

If you have had the car from new and know the head has never been touched then you know what you have.

If you only know the car from recent times then best do some maintenance.

You found the Head bolts lose.

Got a pic of the bolts you're talking about? You're not confusing camcover bolts with headbolts by any chance?

Got a pic of the bolts you're talking about? You're not confusing camcover bolts with headbolts by any chance?

I think I may be Wino yes :-( 

 

I'm talking about the bolts (maybe 10) that have a 10mm head which fasten the cam cover/rocker cover? to the engine. 

Is it normal for the pd engines to need their head bolts replacing? Bearing in mind this was just me checking out of curiosity and like I say I don't have a torque wrench so can't even say for sure if they were loose compared to what they should be, just I expected them to be a lot tighter given they are head bolts.

 

 

30Nm is quite a lot right? I mean this should feel pretty damn tight? 

 

Forgive my ignorance but why can't you just re-tighten stretch bolts? are they at risk of snapping?

I'm more comfortable with numbers in lbft, they are NOT the same thing! As for "being a lot", metric torque wrenches are normally sold in 2 types, 2-20Nm and 20-200Nm, so 30Nm isn't really a lot on that basis.

 

When you tighten stretch bolts, they stretch. This is by design. The metallurgy is beyond me (and I have an ONC in Metallurgy), but they have distorted, and can't reliably be re-tightened to the original torque.

I think I may be Wino yes :-( 

 

I'm talking about the bolts (maybe 10) that have a 10mm head which fasten the cam cover/rocker cover? to the engine. 

Ah, if we're talking top cover bolts, as long as the cover isn't leaking oil, then they're "tight enough". They're also not stretch bolts.

Ah, if we're talking top cover bolts, as long as the cover isn't leaking oil, then they're "tight enough". They're also not stretch bolts.

Sorry, I feel silly now :-( I cannot see any major amounts of oil leaking, although there is generally quite a lot of old oil in and around the engine block/ cam cover etc. It is hard to say where it has come from/ when it happened. I have noticed, though, that there is a leak of oil somewhere, as I have recently had a new dogbone mount installed and over one of the screws (think it is the bolt connecting it to the gearbox?) it is filthy with black oil  

LOL!!!

 

Just got an image of you wielding an enormous breakerbar tightening the cam cover bolts.

Edited 9 December, 201510 yr by Lofty

Sorry, I feel silly now :-( I cannot see any major amounts of oil leaking, although there is generally quite a lot of old oil in and around the engine block/ cam cover etc. It is hard to say where it has come from/ when it happened. I have noticed, though, that there is a leak of oil somewhere, as I have recently had a new dogbone mount installed and over one of the screws (think it is the bolt connecting it to the gearbox?) it is filthy with black oil  

No problems; it's better to ask what turns out to be a daft question than to do something expensive!

 

Incidentally, I normally tighten top cover bolts with a 1/4" socket set, spin them up finger-tight with an extension bar, then angle-tighten about 60 degrees if the cover has a cork or rubber gasket so the gasket provides friction to hold the bolts.

 

Also, if you suspect oil leaks, the first thing to do is clean down any areas where you think oil might be leaking so that the leak will show up easily.

If the oil leak is down the back of the engine, it could be the cam cover gasket leaking and it's running down the back of the block, or the turbo oil feed/return could be leaking.

 

Best bet like Ken says, get it all cleaned off and start looking at a clean dry block, be easy to spot then

aye, all excellent advice, thanks a bunch people. It's made my shiny new dogbone all horrible  :no:   

 

If it is the cam cover gasket, are these easy enough to source and replace? I am very keen to have a go at things myself as much as possible but will let the professionals do major engine work.. I have replaced brakes, taken EGR off and cleaned, self service etc, so that's my level of mechanicing

Its a very simple job, if youve done the above you'll be fine replacing the gasket. all you do is remove the 10mm bolts and lift the cover off, remove the gasket, replace, refit.

You can get them from most car places, eurocarparts sell them for example, usually around £10

Its a very simple job, if youve done the above you'll be fine replacing the gasket. all you do is remove the 10mm bolts and lift the cover off, remove the gasket, replace, refit.

You can get them from most car places, eurocarparts sell them for example, usually around £10

 

cheers, Eurocarparts have paste: http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Skoda_Fabia_1.9_2006/p/car-parts/engine-parts/engine-parts1/car-gasket-seals/?300770180&1&e176732b007d79f6b0a830cb6ac887988e019087&000541

 

GSF have a gasket: http://www.gsfcarparts.com/110vg0200

 

Id prefer to not mess around with sealant if I can help it, are there any major differences?

 

cheers

The gasket is a rubber gasket, not a paste so stick to the GSF one.

however, euro car parts do sell teh correct rubber one.

Edited 9 December, 201510 yr by hutchysrs50

The gasket is a rubber gasket, not a paste so stick to the GSF one.

however, euro car parts do sell teh correct rubber one.

Agreed, but IME unless it's hardened or the seat is contaminated the only cause of a rubber gasket leaking is if it's under-torqued (already discussed).

Agreed, but IME unless it's hardened or the seat is contaminated the only cause of a rubber gasket leaking is if it's under-torqued (already discussed).

 

I think next oil change I will remove sump and cam cover and replace seals and clean the sump out properly - can only be a good thing with the car nearly 10 years old :-) plus I like fiddling

I think next oil change I will remove sump and cam cover and replace seals and clean the sump out properly - can only be a good thing with the car nearly 10 years old :-) plus I like fiddling

 

Keep in mind theres some awkward bolts holding the sump on, they run along the side of the gearbox so try them first, if they come out keep going, if they get stuck, just stop the job then

 

I removed my sump and cleaned it out, i also removed the oil pick up pipe and cleaned that as well. my car would of been 9 years old at the time with 80,000 miles on and was quite clean but it did have some rubber silicone gasket on the pickup pipe and small other pieces of rubbish, so IMO it is worth doing if you want 100% oil pressure and nice fresh oil

I think next oil change I will remove sump and cam cover and replace seals and clean the sump out properly - can only be a good thing with the car nearly 10 years old :-) plus I like fiddling

 

Please stop fiddling until you're quite sure what you're doing, overtightening the camcover bolts will distort it and make the leaking worse. Leave the bloody sump alone if it isn't leaking.

Please stop fiddling until you're quite sure what you're doing, overtightening the camcover bolts will distort it and make the leaking worse. Leave the bloody sump alone if it isn't leaking.

Somebody's time of the month!!

I will do what I want to do thanks.