Thread: 3.5 Litre Head Bolt Torque

The revised thinking is that they are not necessary at all (as per the later engines). The 20 lb ft torque is only to hold them in place and to fill the holes.

See RPi Engineering - V8 Engine and Component List

Hi Moody blue,
My book has 65 to 70 ft / lbs, there is a normal pattern with one special short bolt on the L/H side of the engine next to the dipstick tube. Talks about gradually tighten up to the specific torque in the correct order, thats all.

Originally Posted by Nomad9

Hi Moody blue,
My book has 65 to 70 ft / lbs, there is a normal pattern with one special short bolt on the L/H side of the engine next to the dipstick tube. Talks about gradually tighten up to the specific torque in the correct order, thats all.

That's the official information. Later thinking is to not fit them at all or to torque them quite low. This is to avoid the head bowing and gasket leaks as shown in the RPIV8 link above. LR stopped using the outer row of bolts in the early Nineties.