Replacing head cover gasket

[batstiva]

Let me know if you can't find a Hayne's any other way, my local McParts store always has them, as there are still so many Festivas running around here. I'd send you one of mine, but they are NOT gently used.

[Safety Guy]

You could also check the library. It's remotely possible they might have a Festiva or Aspire Haynes manual.

Iceracerdude, do you completely redo your VC RTV when you retorque your head bolts? It's interesting. When I did my B6, I chased the threads but didn't really clean them out so well. I did oil the bolts with motor oil but I forgot to oil the washers. Hope it turns out okay.

Karl

[Jdperrine]

I ordered one from ebay and it's on its way.

I've borrowed a torque wrench but it is in ft-lbs. Is there a conversion I can use?

[Safety Guy]

Good deal.

I'm trying Amazon next. "Cheaperness" really appeals to me! If I can lower my average shop manual cost from over twenty bucks to under ten bucks, I'll get two copies of each year!!

Actually, my '92 Festiva manual has its cover worn off and is looking a bit old and greasy now. Time for new!

I also need a Mazda 323 manual so I have more detail on the B6. Then a Protege for more detail on future B8s...when will it stop?

Karl

[Safety Guy]

I'm not sure this is right or not, but I figure that one pound foot is equal to 12 pound inches. Makes sense, right?

Maybe someone can confirm that.

Consulting my 1992 Festiva shop manual, your metric value would be 5 to 9 N*m (newton meters).

On my old Craftsman beam style T-wrench, ten N*m is almost exactly five foot pounds. So with your torque wrench, keep it just below that 5 lbs. foot mark.

Now the inches to feet math: 12 times 6 is 72, which is about where you want to be. No more than six foot pounds.

I'd keep it to FIVE (5) FOOT POUNDS to be safe. Again, you may want another opinion, but that's how I did mine and I was okay. I broke one once on my first B6 swap on my way to 44-80 FOOT POUNDS!! and I can't recall at what POUNDage the poor VC bolt broke, but I think it was around halfway there. (My guess is they'll probably break around 15 to 20 foot pounds.)

Karl

[Jdperrine]

Is there a sequence I should use? Should I just go around once with the 5ft setting?

[Safety Guy]

No sequence or special concerns on VC tightening. Six bolts. Five pounds foot each. Done.

Oh wait...did you coat the bolts with Velveeta extra cheesy before installation?

Just kidding!!

Karl

[scitzz]

No sequence or special concerns on VC tightening. Six bolts. Five pounds foot each. Done.

Oh wait...did you coat the bolts with Velveeta extra cheesy before installation?

Just kidding!!

Karl

I should hope you are just kidding, Karl! Phew. I mean really, everybody knows the Festiva prefers the low fat version!

[Jdperrine]

Everything went smooth. So far so good.
Still burning a little oil so we'll need to replace the head cover gasket.

Thanks for your help