[paul10w]

Hi, does anybody know if it is possible to torque the head down on a 98 1.6 Megane without using a special tool for angle tightening? For example, in the manual it tells you to torque all the bolts down to 20 lbs, then angle tighten them all by 100 degrees, surely this is just a way of increasing the torque using a different method? The problem is I don't know how to work out the basic poundage plus the given degrees to give me the overall poundage. Can anybody tell me how to do it using just torque settings, I don't even know the final torque settings for the bolts as the manual says tighten bolts to 15 lbs and then angle tighten to 110 degrees. Any help would be very very much appreciated, thanks, Paul

 

[madnoel10]

The head bolts are like super-duper elastic bands and can only be properly tightened using the angle method.
A graduated angle guage is very cheap or you can even make your own using a cheap school protractor.

 

[danthevan]

90 degrees is 1/4 of a turn, then give it a little more for 100 degrees

 

[S80]

Angle-tightening requires the bolt to be taken beyond its 'elastic limit' - where the clamping force doesn't increase much with bolt head rotation. If you've ever sheared a bolt head, you'll know what it kinda feels like.

In my experience, it's relatively easy to judge the required angle 'by eye' - providing it's all done in one movement. This is made easier by having a good long bar on the socket so you're not struggling to turn the bolt.

I did buy an angle gauge, but it was more trouble than it was worth.

The tolerance on the angle is often pretty generous, too....

 

[madnoel10]

Using a simple protractor transfer the required angle to a piece of stiff card - poke a hole in the centre pop it over the socket and away you go. A dab of white paint will give you a reference point - I use typing correction fluid.

 

[paul10w]

Thanks very much for the quick replies. I'll give the protractor method a go, so long as I can find one. Failing that I should be able to find something suitable on line and print that off. Incidently I have bought a set of new bolts for the head as I understand they are stretch bolts. Thanks again, Paul.