R1200 cylinder head bolts

[rideaway]

In my DVD repair manual for the torque on the cylinder head bolts it says, closing torque, 20 Nm and below that it says final torque, 180degrees. I don't understand, could someone enlighten me? Am i supposed to turn another 180 degrees after I reach 20 Nm? Sound like a scary way to do it.

[bobbybob]

You're correct--initial 20nm with the torque wrench, then turn 180 deg more to finish up.

[BigAdv]

Yes this is the correct method of torquing the head bolts(nuts). It is called angle torque and is widely used as it takes the frictional variables out of the value. You can get angle gauges to measure the angle but in the case of these bolts it is easy to gauge 180 deg.(1/2turn) Just remember to torque the fifth bolt to 40nm only, no additional rotation. Its also important to lubricate the treads AND the face of the nuts before retorquing them.

 

Earl

[rideaway]

Thanks for the help, now I just need to figure out where to get the correct lubricants for the Running-in Check, - Optimoly TA, Castrol SAF-XO, Staburags NBU 30 PTM, Acid-free friction-bearing grease. Just want to make sure they have nothing to complain about if there are any warranty issues.

[Blast54]

Its also important to lubricate the treads AND the face of the nuts before retorquing them.

 

Earl

 

Unless it SPECIFICALLY says to lube threads in your manual torque values are meant to be on clean/ DRY threads !!

 

By lubing the threads, even with Anti Seize, you can easily increase the torque value the point where you will strip out the threads in the block

[ShovelStrokeEd]

In this case, it doesn't matter a whit weather you lube the threads or don't. I would, regardless of any information in the manual. You are not going for a torque value here, you are going for a specific stretch on the stud. 180 degrees is 180 degrees, lubed or not. A little lube on the mating face is probably a good thing to eliminate any possibility of galling.

[Blast54]

I am thinking of the original 20 and 40 nm.

[rickmoen]

Sounds like putting on an oil filter. Finger tight (snug), then 1/2 a turn.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Even there, Bill, the initial torque is really unimportant and if you were to exceed the spec by 20%, the bike would not care. The purpose of the initial torque is to make sure there is some torque on the nuts more than as a precision torque value. So long as all 4 are more or less even. The real clamping force comes from the 180 degree rotation. I small difference in the ultimate clamping force from a difference in the initial torque can safely be ignored.

[LJR]

Why do you want to do the 600 mile service yourself?

 

Most people here let the dealer do the inspection and retorque the heads.

[rideaway]

Why do you want to do the 600 mile service yourself?

 

Most people here let the dealer do the inspection and retorque the heads.

 

Well I have never let a dealer touch any of my bikes for the last 36 years, no reason to start now. I like to know how to do everything myself, and then if it's not done right I will know about it. I have done a lot of work in the past on my bikes, rebuilt my kids motocross engine from bare cases up and have done valve jobs on my goldwing and Kawasaki voyager. I have limited income at the moment so why give away the money if I don't have to. I figure if I get enough answers to my questions that are the same as what I think is right I should be okay. And I will carefully document everything I do.

[LJR]

You just bought an 18000 dollar motorcycle and you want to save a few bucks.

 

Ok, fine .

 

Your first post shows no knowledge of techniques used to torque head bolts. I was just trying to save you some grief.

[Limecreek]

Look in your personal email. I just sent you a video on how to torque the heads.

 

Cheers!

[rideaway]

You just bought an 18000 dollar motorcycle and you want to save a few bucks.

 

I was just trying to save you some grief.

 

No problem, I appreciate the concern.

The bike was actually $22400, which took me a long time to save up for. I am currently of work on long term disability, and then my bi-polar wife of 32 years ran off, so even though I won't be able to ride the bike much I went ahead and bought it any way, and I am so glad I did. It is the most perfect bike I have ever owned and I really enjoy the times I get to ride. It is a bike I will keep for ever, as long as I can still ride a bit. Hopefully I will recover and run into some of you at rallies one day. I used to attend most of the sidecar rallies in the west when I was well, had a blast.

[LJR]

Just to make it clear. I don't know when we started advising people to do there own 600 mile service.

 

Up until now ,the usual take on it has been :let the dealer do the first service (at least) and then you can learn to work on the bike as much as you want.

 

I want you to enjoy your bike as much as I have mine.

[Ken H.]

You're correct--initial 20nm with the torque wrench, then turn 180 deg more to finish up.

One minor point, the spec is actually 20nm in a X patten, the 90 degrees in a X pattern then and additional 90 degrees, again in a X pattern. Three separate passes. And yes, the spec. calls for the head bolts and nuts to be lubed with engine oil.

[HandyAndy]

You just bought an 18000 dollar motorcycle and you want to save a few bucks.

 

 

Give the guy a break!

 

There is nothing wrong with doing all the service yourself!

What makes you think the dealer is going to do it right?

 

My bike has never gone to the dealer for anything other than warranty work, and trust me there has been lots of it!

They have never given me any trouble over the fact that I do all my own service, and I have put 65,000km on the bike in two years.

I personally feel that the work I do on my bike is done far better and with much more care than the dealer could ever do! After all they are in business to make money, where as my interest is in keeping my bike running at it's best with the greatest reliability possible! Just so happens that I am saving money at the same time!

Just because it cost $20,000 dosen't mean that I have money to burn!

Whats wrong with saving a few bucks?

If the dealer had offerd to sell you your bike for a few bucks less would you have refused?

[BigAdv]

You're correct--initial 20nm with the torque wrench, then turn 180 deg more to finish up.

One minor point, the spec is actually 20nm in a X patten, the 90 degrees in a X pattern then and additional 90 degrees, again in a X pattern. Three separate passes. And yes, the spec. calls for the head bolts and nuts to be lubed with engine oil.

 

 

Wow, this tread is so full of disinformation I feel sorry for the poor bastard that originaly posted!!

 

My sugestion to the fellow that is the OP is to invest in the repair dvd. Pop in to SM cycle and talk to the young tech they have there, cant remember his name, but nice guy. Im sure he'd give you some info. I picked up my GSAdv from

them as I dont like dealing with blackfoot. I too did my on first services on both the GSAdv and the RT. The only thing that you may have to get the dealer to do is the trottle body synch. Every thing else is strait forward.

 

One comment on the post that I quoted, the procedure that is stated (90 and 90deg.) is for assembling a head that has been off, not for retorquing.(which is 20nm and 180deg.) The differance being that, when retorquing the other fasteners are still tight, ( only losen and retighten one at a time),so worpage or miss alignment is not an issue.

 

Like I said, the best money spent for someone looking to do there own work, is to get TFB. Its all in there and not open for debate. Then you have only yourself to blame when it all goes south!!!

 

Good luck and say hi to the guys at SM Cycle for me.

 

Earl

 

PS just noted that the OP has the dvd, maybe others need it.