Head Blots mistake -- How bad and what to do

[godsend789]

So i had a problem i just found out.. I hope i did not mess up that bad but i have a bad feeling, i recently just got my 85 jetta diesel back to life... will but up pic's and let u all know how it was to do a full rebuild being my first one, after a new lower and top end rebuild.... So here is where i am at i did the 3 re-torque steps 30 lbs, 44 lbs,and 180 turn. I am almost positive i forgot the additional 1/4 turn after warm and have been running it for the past 1000 miles. I must of misread it i thought it was a full 1/2 turn after 1000 miles. any advice on what to do now should i just do a full 1/2 turn.. and would it mess it up to much if they were turned a 1/4 turn to far. thanks!

[texcl]

If the head gasket is not leaking I wouldn't worry too much, someone on here will chime in about whether 1/4 or 1/2 turn would be best. I used studs and I used foot lbs. to set my head gasket torque, I don't like the idea of quarter turns. When I torqued my head some studs needed more movement than others.

[the man 53]

A lot of people do not put the final 1/4 turn on these. If it isn't leaking I would probably leave it alone. Mark the miser IIRC had it down to the total torque being around 100ft/lbs. Wait for him to give a final answer and then just set it to that and make sure every bolt is there. Or leave it alone.

[godsend789]

Thanks for the input was worried there for a sec. The head gasket is not leaking as far as i know. I put alot of hard work in to my new baby and want the best so it will last's forever lol. I remember that the old head blots were in there dam tight my 425 ft/lb impact could not get them out lol. I ended up using a breaker bar and a pipe to extend it and turned them out by hand. I am wondering if down the road that not taking the bolts down all the way could cause a head to warp or head gasket to fail.

[coke]

If you've gone 1000 miles, I'd do the 1000 mile 1/4 turn retorque just because. You will be able to tell if they'll go more than a 1/4 turn when you turn them. But at the very least I'd do the 1/4 retorque.

[Fatmobile]

Searech for some of Mark's comments about feeling when the bolts are stretching,
and using a torque wrench to help you see when the torque isn't getting higher.