Hey guys,

After getting my heads and cams done a whilst ago, apporx 10 *** kms ago. Anyways it is suggested i get the cylinder heads retentioned and a service. I was wondering how much its going to cost to get the cylinder heads done? Im thinking to go to mitsubishi as i havent had a service done there in a whilst, to get everything checked.

Thanks Mike

are you still running standard head bolts mike or did you change to head studs? if they're still the bolts i would say they are fine. standard head bolts aren't strech bolts so they shouldnt loosen. i did my rebuild 20,xxxkms ago and all i get is an occasional tappet noise (bloody thing!!:rant: )

If your heads were put back on using torque to yield bolts, which OEM bolts are, they don't need to be retensioned.

Ok thanks guys, do you think it would be worth getting it checked out or not to worry about?

Ok thanks guys, do you think it would be worth getting it checked out or not to worry about?

If you haven't had a problem in 10000km, they're fine.

Just a couple of months ago I needed a new head gasket and the mechanic wanted it back for a retention.
I queried him on it as it is a mono torque gasket apparently, but he said he has been retentioning for years.
Afterwards he said the outer bolts went down a bit.
When I got the car back originally there was only water in the radiator to check if the job was done right, so he needed the car back to put in coolant and retention at a cost of $140.
Rip off?...........you decide

Just a couple of months ago I needed a new head gasket and the mechanic wanted it back for a retention.
I queried him on it as it is a mono torque gasket apparently, but he said he has been retentioning for years.
Afterwards he said the outer bolts went down a bit.
When I got the car back originally there was only water in the radiator to check if the job was done right, so he needed the car back to put in coolant and retention at a cost of $140.
Rip off?...........you decide

but you have an astron II right?? even in the manual it tells you to retention your head after doing the head gasket and it says approx 300 klms:shock:

can't comment on 3rd gens as i know nothing about em.

but you have an astron II right?? even in the manual it tells you to retention your head after doing the head gasket and it says approx 300 klms:shock:

can't comment on 3rd gens as i know nothing about em.

Yep, astron II, but I thought the gaskets now were monotorque meaning it gets torqued initially and that's it.
Maybe someone can clarify.
Suppose it's possible back when the engine was designed they weren't monotorque, but now they are available.

I have NEVER retensioned a head on an Astron, if you use a good quality monotorque gasket there is no need.

When these were new, do you think the dealerships retorqued the heads on a first service, NO they did not.

I have NEVER retensioned a head on an Astron, if you use a good quality monotorque gasket there is no need.

When these were new, do you think the dealerships retorqued the heads on a first service, NO they did not.

So is that to say that if you don't use or have a monotourqe gasket then you shoud retention it ?? better safe than sorry yeh.
did my head gasket last year and even with a monotourqe a couple of the head bolts went down an 1/8 of a turn.
So just because you don't do it doesn't mean it dosen't need to be done. Ok it shouldn't need it with a monotourqe but i never leave things to chance especially with an old magna.
Not trying to stir because you seem to know a hell of alot about magna's:D but alot of mechanics are arrogant enough to think that they know it all even though as a person or mechanic for that matter you still learn new things eveyday.
for me id retention it cos that hour of effort is worth it if things keep running smooth plus the worst that can happen is it doesn't need it. but id rather find out it didn't need it then then find out it did.

So is that to say that if you don't use or have a monotourqe gasket then you shoud retention it ?? better safe than sorry yeh.
did my head gasket last year and even with a monotourqe a couple of the head bolts went down an 1/8 of a turn.
So just because you don't do it doesn't mean it dosen't need to be done. Ok it shouldn't need it with a monotourqe but i never leave things to chance especially with an old magna.
Not trying to stir because you seem to know a hell of alot about magna's:D but alot of mechanics are arrogant enough to think that they know it all even though as a person or mechanic for that matter you still learn new things eveyday.
for me id retention it cos that hour of effort is worth it if things keep running smooth plus the worst that can happen is it doesn't need it. but id rather find out it didn't need it then then find out it did.

Well I will put my 20 years experience forward to you and again say you do not need to re torque and in fact that if you do re torque a mono torque gasket you run a larger risk of faulure as these are not designed to be backed off and re torqued

Seconded what Madmagna has said.

If you back off a mono torque gasket, you break the seal. It will never seal properly again (when the gasket is seated, and then heated, it forms a bond, physical/chemical reaction - once broken this process wont repeat).

On a slightly similar note - if you're worried that you need to retention any bolt - grab yourself a torque wrench (kinchrome, sidchrome etc) and just check to see if it is tentioned properly. Its a lot easier, and a lot more accurate then 'judging' how much torque you've applied.

Possibly the reason why people need to 'retention' bolts is they have over tightened them in the first place, stretching the bolt slightly, after some time the bolt will loosen, and you repeat the process. Eventually you destroy the bolt at best, possibly damage the thread in the block.

didn't back off the gasket just set the wrench at the mark and see if it went down some more otherwise it would be hard to tell if it went down any futher than the first time.
so not to dig but the question i posted!! do you think it's warrented (sp?) to re-torque a gasket if your not using a mono-torque?

I see what your saying about the mono-torque but that wasn't my question. was not trying to knock your 20 years experience. but i have had mechanic with 40 years experience break my car. So when i want to know about something i like to get both sides that's the reason for the question. not trying to be an **** so don't take it as a personal knock. your one of the few ppl here that i would talk magna's too because i can see that your knowledge far exceeds most and your pasionate about it to.(mechanic work that is).

I see what your saying about the mono-torque but that wasn't my question. was not trying to knock your 20 years experience. but i have had mechanic with 40 years experience break my car.

Madmagna doesn't break cars.... He fixes cars..... :badgrin: :badgrin:

I've known him for more than 10 years now and in those years, not one car ever comes back broken.... The backyard looks like a magna museum, he works on first gen, second gen, third gen, next gen, etc... :badgrin:

He might be a pain in the ass but he sure knows what he's talking about. Trust me, I have to listen to him talking about cars all the times!!!!!!


PS. YAY my first post ever in Tech Torque....