Both of the Cometic head gaskets in my road king 95" w/S&S 37g cams at about 9.8:1 are failing after about 13,000 miles. Little tooting sounds with rpms (slight crack of throtle) during warm up can be heard and puffs of exhaust can be felt at the head/cyclinder seam on the left side with the toot. The build is about two years old.

Do any of the pro's on here have a recomended torque process for the head bolts other than Harleys (torgue to 17 ft pounds and then 90 degree turn)? This is for Cometic or MLS type gaskets.
Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge.

 

I don't like that BS Harley torque either. Here is what I use, I believe it's from Head Quarters.I've never had a problem: Follow the bolt sequence from the manual:
1) 9 lbs
2) 14 lbs
3) 22 lbs
4) 35 lbs
5) 42 lbs done

 

I keep seeing Cometic toque process refered to on this site but I don't find a process on Cometic's site. Can someone post where they found Cometics process?
Thanks

 

This is the cometic process. Here's the best I could find. Google is your friend.

hold on i'll tell you what the INSTRUCTIONS from cometic says that came with my top end gasket kit.

step 8. alternately nug head bolts finger tight.
step 9. in sequence tighten all head bolts to 9ft-lbs. then in sequence tighten all head bolts to 14 ft-lbs. agian in sequence tighten all head bolts to 22ft-lbs. then in sequence tighten all head bolts to 35ft-lbs and finally torque all head bolts to a final torque of 42ft-lbs in sequence.

 

The 1/4 turn is not a bad way to do it. If the bolts are dry or sticky it's actually a better way. I've been torqueing them down twice. Run thru the torque steps, break them all loose then do it again. I had a couple problems and started doing it like this. Seems to work so far. Only time will tell.

 

Something to think about

Make sure the top cilender surface and the head sealing surface are smooth and true.

MLS like very even smooth surfaces.

 

Cylinders were new and heads were freshly milled when it was put together the first time.

 

I torque them twice, like wfolarry does. Have done a few that way and all are good but none have 20K miles on them yet, so we shall see.

 

I don't know what I was thinking when this was put together. Two of the head bolts had RED threadloc on them. When I went to remove them the stud came with on both of them. I had to use a saws all to cut the back one because it would not clear the frame...What a PAIN stupidity can be! Good thing I have time!

 

jus wack em down with a impact wrench ....about 3 duggas should do it good to go a million miles