09-05-2023, 07:59 AM
Hi again Denis
I rebuilt my engine as a novice, nearly 20 years ago.
I too was caught out by the 360 in lb torque figure, which was an error in an Austin publication that has trapped many people over the years. I didn't stretch any studs though. Before fretting too much about the figure, remember that a good proportion of the torque is down to friction which in turn will depend on the roughness of the threads and any lubrication or lack of. As long as they are reasonably tight with a hand spanner, and re-checked frequently when cold, you should be OK. The front water branch has a paper gasket which can settle, so those two particular studs may loosen initially.
I remember that the bores were very oily until the engine had run in for a few hundred miles and the rings had bedded down. Even with the water drained, as soon as you separate the head from the block you will get a mess of oil and water, so genuine gasket leakage can be hard to spot. Any leakage would normally have shown up on a compression test.
The only last thing I can think of is that the block face has been raised a little around one or more studs, something a straight edge will reveal. The standard advice is to remove the studs and lightly chamfer the holes, but stud removal runs the risk of breakage and having to seal the threads against water leakage so not something to be undertaken lightly.
I rebuilt my engine as a novice, nearly 20 years ago.
I too was caught out by the 360 in lb torque figure, which was an error in an Austin publication that has trapped many people over the years. I didn't stretch any studs though. Before fretting too much about the figure, remember that a good proportion of the torque is down to friction which in turn will depend on the roughness of the threads and any lubrication or lack of. As long as they are reasonably tight with a hand spanner, and re-checked frequently when cold, you should be OK. The front water branch has a paper gasket which can settle, so those two particular studs may loosen initially.
I remember that the bores were very oily until the engine had run in for a few hundred miles and the rings had bedded down. Even with the water drained, as soon as you separate the head from the block you will get a mess of oil and water, so genuine gasket leakage can be hard to spot. Any leakage would normally have shown up on a compression test.
The only last thing I can think of is that the block face has been raised a little around one or more studs, something a straight edge will reveal. The standard advice is to remove the studs and lightly chamfer the holes, but stud removal runs the risk of breakage and having to seal the threads against water leakage so not something to be undertaken lightly.