Hey I'm due to check the valve clearances again, I've noticed that I'm also suppose to slacken and then tighten the head bolts, is this worth doing? I've never done it before and just don't see why it would be required if they are tight.
Thanks

Quote from: Jimbob on July 24, 2018, 10:09:10 PM
Hey I'm due to check the valve clearances again, I've noticed that I'm also suppose to slacken and then tighten the head bolts, is this worth doing? I've never done it before and just don't see why it would be required if they are tight.
Thanks

Well that is a good point. I used to do it every 6000kms. I did notice that each time they were not only tight but they needed a good bit of wellie to get them undone, so while they were tight maybe they were not tight and just jammed. I don't really know. I do know when when I first did this it stopped any leaking around the bottom of the cylinder head where it has the 487cc stamped on it.

However the last time I did this there was a bit of oil bubbling around one of the outer cylinder head bolts as you can see in video below. I was advised by Sledge to replace all the copper washers and that they should be replaced every time the head bolts are slacked off. While that won't hurt there's good reason to think it could be overkill. However I did buy a single new copper washer, but after a week the head seemed to seal itself up again.

I may in the meantime buy some more copper washers and replace them all next time and hope that will do for another half a dozen or more bolt slackenings. In the end it's your call whether you think it could make a difference to the valve clearance or not. I know lots of people won't bother, but I'm going to continue to do this, and I will note that I do not have any leaking at all around the bottom of my cylinder head, and this is a very common area to leak. Is this because I slacken and tighten them at every service like it says in the manual? Who knows, maybe, maybe not.

Personally I wouldn't bother retentioning the head bolts, If there are no leaks why bother? If there are leaks then new gaskets are most likely needed, not just a retention of the head bolts.
I only do my valve clearance when they get noisy "clak clak clak", If it ain't broke don't fix it. But thats just my policy.