That's a pretty darn good idea!!

 

What ever you do don't spin it if you have any chance of a bolt in there. Those fins are so thin it takes nothing to damage one. Turn it over and shake it, gently probe with a magnet but make sure you do a visual inspection with a mirror and flashlight before you try to turn it or fire the engine up. Vacuum is a great idea.

I didn't answer on your question because I don't know the technical end of it. On one hand I'd have to say once they are torqued to spec they are stretched and they shouldn't be reused.

On the other hand I'm thrifty and I'd want to reuse them and figure they hadn't stretched much in such a short time. They would have stretched some but I might try to reuse them in this situation since it's been such a short time they've been installed and no chance of the type of fatigue they can develop after years of operation and many hundred heating cooling cycles. BUT , , , I'm just guessing I might get away with it.

Head gasket, no way, it's junk. You could probably get away with it but I wouldn't take the chance. If YOU had the head machined and you knew the deck was perfect or you had it decked then again I might use it but you're going off someone saying the head was worked and I don't know how good a surface you've prepped on the block. Clean is one thing but "FINISH" is everything for the metal to grip and seal into the gasket. And achieving the proper finish DIY isn't that easy even if you have a comparitor to check your work.

Intake and exhaust, exhaust isn't that critical and they are plenty thick so they should seal easily. The intake is critical but if it comes apart clean, no tears, no chunks missing it should seal back up properly.

Big thing on everything you want to save is to disassemble using the torque sequence and taking it in steps even if installing didn't have steps.

All this work, it's a painful and expensive lesson but bolts maybe, head gasket no way I'd want to take the chance of a third time going in there.

Some reading to help you make up your mind.

https://www.google.com/#q=can+you+re...olts+used+once

Interested to hear what Boxpin and some of the guys who have built engines have to say about reusing the bolts and gaskets. I don't have first hand experience on doing a Volvo head.

Robert, ever had an opps and had to redo a head gasket. Reused the bolts ??

 

Ya know, there are some nice Hondas on Craigslist

 

[QUOTE=Kiss4aFrog;366498]Ya know, there are some nice Hondas on Craigslist

Ok, I guess I deserved that one! <grin>


Thanks for all the advice. Both the intake and the exhaust gaskets came off clean so I'll re-use them. I agree with you on the head gasket. I'm getting a new one. Bolts.....I may just bite the bullet and get new. Depends on how they feel and look after they come out. I have the old ones still so I can see how much they stretched compared to the the newer ones.

 

Well, I pulled the head today. I think it has a bent intake valve on cyl #2. I first pulled the valve cover and saw nothing wrong. Then I pressed on the lifters with a piece of soft wood. All the valves on #2 were stiff but free and sprung back nicely when pressure was removed. So, off with its head <grin>

Looking closely at it, I could see where the one intake was not seating quite right. I tried pressing down on it and seeing if there was any carbon chips, etc holding it open, but nothing was found. So....I took it into our machine shop along with the original warped head. I told them to basically make me a good head out of two bad ones, do a valve job and put in new seals.

More to follow when the bill (ouch) comes in Now to try and find that bolt and hope it is NOT in the turbo!

Glenn

 

YEEE HAAAA! I DON"T HAVE TO PULL THE TURBO!! I found the damn missing bolt. I decided to take the pressure washer and carefully blast all the insidious areas under and behind the motor where something dropped can hide. When I was finished, lying there on the ground just as pretty as can be was my missing bolt! Things are looking at least a little better!

Glenn

 

LOL, glad that did it for you. I though a Yee Haa moment was going to be the shop calling you with a bill of less than $150. Hopefully things will continue to get better.

 

Well, the story continues a bit. Actually this is more of just an update. I got the cylinder head back from the machine shop today. Sure enough one of the intake valves was bent on Cyl #2. I had the guy clean the head, check it for cracks and warpage, do a full valve job and replace the stem seals. Total out the door was $187 (I supplied the new stem seals and they were able to use a valve from the old warped head). Looks really nice. As soon as my other parts come in I will start putting it back together. I decided to shoot the nickle and get new head bolts along with the new head gasket. Call me chicken, but I do NOT want to take the damn head off a third time!!

 

Head bolts and gaskets are not one should cheap out on thats for sure lol.

 

Sorry I haven't posted on this in the last few days. Actually I have not been able to work on the car as my wife had bilateral knee replacement surgery, and I have been spending my time taking care of her. At the rate of her progress, I expect it will probably be the weekend before I can even think about turning a wrench again. And the saga continues.......

 

Well, after several adventures, including a blown head gasket, a warped cylinder head, a replacement cylinder head with a bent intake valve, and a bad replacement intake manifold gasket, I FINALLY got the kids car together and out for a road test today. While I was in there I did some tweaking and fixing of little things that needed it. All I can say is WOW.....It runs nice and smooth and seems to have quite a bit more power than I remember. Still have a couple of small fluid drips I need to check on and see if they are actual leaks or residual leftovers from the major engine surgery, but I'm finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel, and this time it doesn't look like an oncoming train!

 

Very nice to read. Hurrah!!!