I keep seeing guys skip the torque sequence on head gaskets

Last month, a shop in my town had to redo a Duramax because they just cranked the bolts down in a circle. The head warped and it leaked after 500 miles. The manual spells out the exact pattern and steps for a reason, it spreads the load evenly. How many of you still use a torque angle gauge on every job, or do you think it's overkill?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamiekim5h ago

That's just asking for a comeback. Saw a guy at my old shop skip the sequence on a 4-cylinder, said it was a waste of time. The thing blew smoke in two weeks. The manual isn't a suggestion, it's the only way to get the clamp right. Calling it overkill is how you get a very expensive paperweight.

simono905h ago

It's like people skip steps with everything now, not just cars. Seen it with recipes, furniture, even kid's toys. Why do we think we know better than the instructions?

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