Re-torquing barrels

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gortnipper

gortnipper

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After the rebuild, I have re-torqued the five external barrel base nuts, as well as the head nuts/bolts (installed new ARP sets on both). However, I didnt pull the head to do the four internal bolts.

I am going to re-torque again, and am wondering about those four internal bolts and whether or not I should really pull the head for this time?
 
I've never pulled a head just to re-torque the 4 long barrel bolts. If weeping or any leakage appears then that is just cause , but I would be happy until that , and then you have plenty of time to deal with it.
 
Perhaps it’s just my paranoia, but it’s one of the reasons I don’t use a gasket under the barrel, if there’s nothing to compress, the through bolts can’t loosen. Well at least that’s my uneducated theory!
 
Over 43 years of ownership I have never retorque the 4 inside barrel bolts even after rebuilds and after head work I only retorque the head once not like some who retorque many time in a short period of time, but back to the barrel nuts and bolts, I have never had any problems with weeping or leaks, if there is no leaks or weeps I wouldn't worry about it.
I am still using all my orginal head and barrel nuts and bolts and I use a base gasket, 850 Commando motors are pretty good at keeping oil inside, so if its not leaking then leave it alone is my motto.

Ashley
 
After torqueing up the barrel , I put the complete engine minus head in the oven (when wife isn't looking )
1 h , a little over 100 °C , to let it go trough at least one heat cycle .
Then retorque after cooling .
Probably useless , but it can't hurt either ..
 
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ludwig said:
After torqueing up the barrel , I put the complete engine minus head in the oven (when wife isn't looking )
1 h , a little over 100 °C , to let it go trough at least one heat cycle .
Then retorque after cooling .
Probably useless , but it can't hurt either ..
Click to expand...
How do get away with that?!!! That's brilliant
 
Until she catches you at it....The outcry could take years to fade.
 
ludwig said:
After torqueing up the barrel , I put the complete engine minus head in the oven (when wife isn't looking )
1 h , a little over 100 °C , to let it go trough at least one heat cycle .
Then retorque after cooling .
Probably useless , but it can't hurt either ..
Click to expand...

When the wife comes into the kitchen and sees me sitting next to the stove with an oven mitt on one hand and a shop manual in the other she just shakes her head and leaves the room. She doesn't even ask about the bearings in the freezer!
Ride On
Dave
 
"What's that petroleum smell in the house"

" I dunno, it must be coming from that Refinery down in Washington state. The air has been full of it all day"

Glen
 
I'm a lucky guy. My wife could care less if I leave the toilet seat up, blow my nose in the shower, pee off the deck or bake Norton parts in the oven. I also clean them in the stainless kitchen sink and bake on paint.

The bad news is it makes it hard to get good boy points for not doing things that piss her off. I'm also the cook in the house and am pretty fastidious about cleaning up, so that goes a long way in keeping the peace.
 
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Hi David. A lot of engines made now are designed not to be re torqued, simply because its impossible to do as in the case of your 850. I think because of that, you are best to leave it alone, including [ not ] re torquing the accessible nuts.
Dereck
ps Are you going to Akaroa.
 
kerinorton said:
Hi David. A lot of engines made now are designed not to be re torqued, simply because its impossible to do as in the case of your 850. I think because of that, you are best to leave it alone, including [ not ] re torquing the accessible nuts.
Dereck
ps Are you going to Akaroa.
Click to expand...

Hmm... not so sure on the accessible nuts? :confused:

Yeah, sent my fees in yesterday. You? Sent you email yesterday as well.
 
oldbeezer said:
I think ummmm that the Norton engines referred to in this thread were not designed recently.
Click to expand...
It's not the engine design, it is the gasket material. Modern engines use MLS (multi-layered-steel) head gaskets, and re-torque is un-nesessary.
I wonder if this material will ever find its way to our old bikes.
 
Its probably not likely that the barrels will warp, but will they. My reused solid copper head gaskets don't seem to need re-torquing. I don't consider a CF Bedford 2.3 litre to be a modern engine.
 
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