I read that the torque spec is 26 foot pounds. Is that correct? Either way, I can't fit a torque wrench on them, I will have to do it by feel. I am pretty good at but does anybody have tips or tricks??

Also, what is the pattern of bolting them. Inside bolts to the outside? Or other way around? Or does it matter? Thanks!

 

Forget the torquing bud. I just tightened them as tight as I felt it should be. There is no pattern for bolting them on either. Just make then real snug as to what you think 26#s is and just make sure after you run them, double check them and make sure they haven't backed out.

 

start with the middle bolts and work you way out.

 

Cool sounds good. I will do it from the middle out and just get em as tight as I can and pray that the leak is gone... I've had this leak for at least 6-8 months. Ridiculous, I have tried everything to fix it except getting new headers and using aluminum gaskets... So if this doesn't work, long tubes, here I come!

 

Hmmm... I was told by a friend to work from the outside in? Oh well I doubt it made too much of a difference by the time i was done. And dont worry about torqueing them you'll have problems with fitting a torque wrench in there, I asked the same question awhile back.

 

I always use "german torque spec" Works every time.

 

I think the idea here is you don't tighten one particular bolt as tight as you can get it and move to another, you want to get them all started and tighten each one progressively until you get them all tight. That way the bolts "pull" the header in evenly against the gasket and there is less chance of warping the flange or damaging the gasket if you just reef the crap out of one bolt before tightening another.

Personally I start on the middle two bolts, get them snug then move to the back bolts and then to the frt. bolts and keep going in that sequence until they are all tight (basically till you can't tighten them any longer with a wrench). Know your strength and avoid going too far on a bolt, they only need to be tight, not super tight.

Like most have said, after you run the engine a few times, check the bolts religiously until they don't back out anymore then you can pretty well leave them alone and maybe one in an odd while check them.

 

I got a good idea now, thanks.

 

I torque them somewhere between real flipping tight and damn flipping tight.

 

I was always worried about stripping the holes... jeeze I'm starting to think that the reason I developed leaks was because the bolts were not on tight enough.