New head, OCI question.

[ossyoos]

I just had the head in my 03 Ford Focus SPI replaced with one that won't have the dropped valve issue. The mechanic put some Chevron 5w-20 in it and told me to put 500 miles on it and then change to whatever I want. I'm planning a trip next month in the car that will put about 2000 miles on it over a long weekend. My plan is to drive the 500 before I leave and then change to Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 right before the trip.

I know that new engines or significant repairs need some miles to break-in, and I think 500 should be fine. Is the advice I got from the shop good? Do I need to do anything else before I head out on the trip?

 

[demarpaint]

I'd follow his advise. After all if you have a problem and didn't follow his advise you run the risk of getting blamed, and footing the bill for additional repairs.

As far as what to do before the trip, make sure the oil is full, the coolant is full, and look for leaks. Techs make mistakes sometimes.

 

[Oil Changer]

Good advice. I recently changed an intake manifold gasket and I'm in the middle of a couple of short OCI. I know I dropped junk in the engine and still have residual coolant in the oil.

I'm backing it up with UOA to make sure I fixed it right/permanently.

 

[demarpaint]

I wouldn't be surprised if someone tells you to leave the oil in, that an early change is a waste of resources. Even if the shop changed the oil as part of the job, which should be done anyway. Keep in mind when an engine is opened up like that the filter might be trapping dirt that might have entered. But it isn't filtering out coolant that might have mixed in with the oil, and wasn't drained out completely. Safe than sorry is my motto.

 

[BigCahuna]

There's no break in requirements for a head replacement. Changing the oil will hopefully remove any anti freeze that might have gotten spilled in the oil passages. If the wrench changed it after his work, and you change it after 500 miles,I doubt there will be anything left in the oil that hasn't evaporated off at that point.,,,

 

[Oil Changer]

Sure there is. The head bolts and exhaust manifold bolts should be re-torqued. The valve lash should be checked. I'm assuming a remanufactured head so it could have a crack. The oil should be routinely checked for a while with a used oil analysis or two to back up the visual. Coolant should be monitored also.

A cylinder head replacement is pretty major surgery.

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
There's no break in requirements for a head replacement.

 

[doublebase]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
Sure there is. The head bolts and exhaust manifold bolts should be re-torqued. The valve lash should be checked. I'm assuming a remanufactured head so it could have a crack. The oil should be routinely checked for a while with a used oil analysis or two to back up the visual. Coolant should be monitored also.

A cylinder head replacement is pretty major surgery.

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
There's no break in requirements for a head replacement.


If it was done correctly, you shouldn't have to re-torque anything. If the bolts were replaced and they followed the torque sequence to a T, it should be fine. Things can go wrong with what you described as "major surgery", but if it was done correctly?? It should be fine.

 

[kschachn]

You would only "re-torque" the head bolts if the FSM instructed you to do so. Besides, if they are TTY (as many are) then what would you "re-torque" them to anyway? You've already taken the metal past plastic deformation and any torque reading is going to be meaningless.

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
Sure there is. The head bolts and exhaust manifold bolts should be re-torqued. The valve lash should be checked. I'm assuming a remanufactured head so it could have a crack. The oil should be routinely checked for a while with a used oil analysis or two to back up the visual. Coolant should be monitored also.

 

[Oil Changer]

After a few heating and cooling cycles, bolts need to be re-torqued. It doesn't matter how perfectly the work was performed. If the swap was done at a garage or dealership where hourly rates apply, it wasn't done perfectly.

Man, if you don't think the R&R of a cylinder head isn't major mechanical work, please tell me what is! Try doing it on a C-15 CAT!

Originally Posted By: doublebase
If it was done correctly, you shouldn't have to re-torque anything. If the bolts were replaced and they followed the torque sequence to a T, it should be fine. Things can go wrong with what you described as "major surgery", but if it was done correctly?? It should be fine.

 

[Oil Changer]

The head bolt can very well be torque-to-yield. I guess it's up to the owner to figure that out. It doesn't mean all is well and due diligence shouldn't be applied. I would if it was mine but you are obviously of a different opinion.

As for the FSM, you know those are wrong! I know this because a member here told me this when another member here had a transmission failure. Both the OM and the FSM said that the fluid, under non-severe conditions, should be changed at 100k. The fluid was changed at 75k. This member said that the FSM are wrong far too often and that the OM is more accurate! LOL!

Originally Posted By: kschachn
You would only "re-torque" the head bolts if the FSM instructed you to do so. Besides, if they are TTY (as many are) then what would you "re-torque" them to anyway? You've already taken the metal past plastic deformation and any torque reading is going to be meaningless.

 

[kschachn]

The FSM is wrong as to how to install head bolts?? Surely you can't be serious, even if you believe that what are you going to use instead? Something you make up?

The due diligence is doing some of the other things you state like watching the coolant and oil levels. As I am sure you already know, it is common for the coolant level to drop within the first week or two due to air in the system. But after an initial drop it should stabilize. That part I agree with.

But there is no way you can re-torque TTY bolts. Once the metal is past its yield point you're done with that technique.

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
The head bolt can very well be torque-to-yield. I guess it's up to the owner to figure that out. It doesn't mean all is well and due diligence shouldn't be applied. I would if it was mine but you are obviously of a different opinion.

As for the FSM, you know those are wrong! I know this because a member here told me this when another member here had a transmission failure. Both the OM and the FSM said that the fluid, under non-severe conditions, should be changed at 100k. The fluid was changed at 75k. This member said that the FSM are wrong far too often and that the OM is more accurate! LOL!

 

[Oil Changer]

No, I'm not serious. LOL means, "Laughing Out Loud". It was a joke. But yes, the member who told me that WAS serious!

I didn't disagree at all about TTY bolts. At this time neither one of use know if they are or are not. You're glossing over what I wrote because you want to argue with me because we share different opinions.

If it was my vehicle and it did not have TTY head bolts, I would re-torque and reset valve lash while in there. I would also re-check the intake and exhaust bolts, make sure all the vacuum hoses were still installed...

Edited to add: I just read my last post and I did not clarify that I agreed about TTY not needing a re-torque. At that moment I thought that was self-evident.

Originally Posted By: kschachn
The FSM is wrong as to how to install head bolts?? Surely you can't be serious, even if you believe that what are you going to use instead? Something you make up?

The due diligence is doing some of the other things you state like watching the coolant and oil levels. As I am sure you already know, it is common for the coolant level to drop within the first week or two due to air in the system. But after an initial drop it should stabilize. That part I agree with.

But there is no way you can re-torque TTY bolts. Once the metal is past its yield point you're done with that technique.

 

[demarpaint]

Back in the day when we swapped heads, if we wanted them re-torqued we'd tell the customer to bring it back and we'd re-torque them. If I were the OP and was concerned about re-torquing head bolts I'd call the guy that did the job and ask. The last thing I would do is re-torque a job that I paid someone else to do. Doing that makes the OP responsible if there's a problem and the shop finds out the OP re-torqued the head.

 

[ossyoos]

Thanks for the help, and the knowledge of re-torquing head bolts.
I have been monitoring the other levels as well. I'll probably put as many miles on as I can and then swap oil before the trip.

 

[artificialist]

An early oil change is a must when replacing a cylinder head. No matter how hard you try, you will always get some antifreeze in the oil when removing the old head.