Mazda 323 1.6 8v head gasket and head bolt torque settings .
Posted: January 9th, 2010, 5:53 pm
Dear Guy , it's been a while since my last visit over here , hope you're well ! and that the things got better with your business .
Anyway , i've started rebuilding/freshening up my brothers car (it's a 1990 year Mazda 323 with 1.6l 8v unit) , well cylinder head mainly , and upon collecting all the spare parts yesterday i have one dilemma with regards to the head gasket for which i would like to hear your opinion .. and the head bolt torque settings .
As always , pictures stands for thousand words ! so , here's the old OE head gasket (it's 100% OE item as this engine hasn't been apart yet since we bought the car from new) :
top side
![Image](http://img3.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/50314345d951d9c9a593517c34b827df6cf5515.jpg)
bottom side
![Image](http://img8.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031435d5d8a0cefbb3f07d93626bc13150502e.jpg)
New head gasket (aftermarket item) :
top side
![Image](http://img9.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/503143203598ee06356dfe1f03ff1b7bbca9e62.jpg)
bottom side
![Image](http://img3.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031433e96e0fc35003a5e35282be61ed502cdd.jpg)
Now , the thing that bothers me is this - the OE gasket has precoated areas around oil holes whilst the other , aftermarket gasket , doesn't so i'm not sure weather i should use some kind of sealant on this the same areas as on the OE gasket or should i fit it dry as it is ?!
The head gasket assembly instruction which came within the package says : "Do not use any sealants , greases etc. on the head gasket unless prescribed by the engine manufacturer"
Further on , head bolt torque settings for this type of engine are :
1 Stage : 40 Nm
2 Stage : 76 to 81 Nm
This "76 to 81" i don't quite understand , does it mean that each bolt should be torqued twice in just one stage and one sequence i.e. starting from the bolt No.1 torque up to the 76 and then again to the 81 Nm before proceeding further to the bolt No.2 , and so on ?
Heres some more pictures of the engine (it's all a bit dirty sorry ! will make some better ones when i clean up all the parts as i would like to ask you a few questions regarding what can be made with the cylinder head from this engine ..) :
engine
![Image](http://img7.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031429665bfed10465000cb4306d777b391a2c.jpg)
block with the head removed
![Image](http://img7.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031430e62d3d034663d28f97d920c928e9cae1.jpg)
head
![Image](http://img2.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031431cee16f2cd4ef59419ddb67d45b13df62.jpg)
Thanks !
Kind regards :)
Damir
Anyway , i've started rebuilding/freshening up my brothers car (it's a 1990 year Mazda 323 with 1.6l 8v unit) , well cylinder head mainly , and upon collecting all the spare parts yesterday i have one dilemma with regards to the head gasket for which i would like to hear your opinion .. and the head bolt torque settings .
As always , pictures stands for thousand words ! so , here's the old OE head gasket (it's 100% OE item as this engine hasn't been apart yet since we bought the car from new) :
top side
![Image](http://img3.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/50314345d951d9c9a593517c34b827df6cf5515.jpg)
bottom side
![Image](http://img8.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031435d5d8a0cefbb3f07d93626bc13150502e.jpg)
New head gasket (aftermarket item) :
top side
![Image](http://img9.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/503143203598ee06356dfe1f03ff1b7bbca9e62.jpg)
bottom side
![Image](http://img3.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031433e96e0fc35003a5e35282be61ed502cdd.jpg)
Now , the thing that bothers me is this - the OE gasket has precoated areas around oil holes whilst the other , aftermarket gasket , doesn't so i'm not sure weather i should use some kind of sealant on this the same areas as on the OE gasket or should i fit it dry as it is ?!
The head gasket assembly instruction which came within the package says : "Do not use any sealants , greases etc. on the head gasket unless prescribed by the engine manufacturer"
Further on , head bolt torque settings for this type of engine are :
1 Stage : 40 Nm
2 Stage : 76 to 81 Nm
This "76 to 81" i don't quite understand , does it mean that each bolt should be torqued twice in just one stage and one sequence i.e. starting from the bolt No.1 torque up to the 76 and then again to the 81 Nm before proceeding further to the bolt No.2 , and so on ?
Heres some more pictures of the engine (it's all a bit dirty sorry ! will make some better ones when i clean up all the parts as i would like to ask you a few questions regarding what can be made with the cylinder head from this engine ..) :
engine
![Image](http://img7.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031429665bfed10465000cb4306d777b391a2c.jpg)
block with the head removed
![Image](http://img7.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031430e62d3d034663d28f97d920c928e9cae1.jpg)
head
![Image](http://img2.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5031/5031431cee16f2cd4ef59419ddb67d45b13df62.jpg)
Thanks !
Kind regards :)
Damir