Just What I Needed....

[Austin S.]

lucky you to have gotten your hands on a diesel ranger.

i picked up an 84 d/ram-50 with the mitsubishi 4d55 from an uncle for 100$

couple of questions, i had to swap the head gasket, what torque do you think would be enough to set the head bolts back to?

this is my first diesel overhaul and would be thrilled if i could get any advice.

and btw, also you're lucky.

yours isn't covered in sticky black dirt coated diesel oil everywhere.

i couldnt even tell the motor wasn't painted till i got out a brissle brush

[Sharkey]

Hi Austin, I have a service manual for the Diesel Ranger, I'm sure it includes head bolt torque specs. Check back tomorrow afternoon and I'll have posted up some numbers for you.

[Austin S.]

just wanted to check in and see what you could dig up on those head bolt torques.

how's the swap going by the way?

i havent made much headway on my ram as its been an average of 20 degrees outside and my grarage isnt heated, and i need to make some money to buy stuff.

[Sharkey]

Austin, yes, I did do some research on the head bolts. I found out that the 4D55 uses standard head bolts that can be reused. Later model 2.8 liter engines used torque-to-yield "stretch" bolts that have to be replaced.

My manual is a Chiltons, which I have always regarded as being most useful for propping up wobbly table legs and as a poor substitute for newspaper when lighting fires. It gives the head bolt torque for the Ranger 2.3l diesel engine (4D55) as being "76-83 ft. pounds on a cold engine and 84-90 on hot" without giving any further information on tightening sequence.

Aluminum cylinder heads are very sensitive to receiving even pressure while torquing. All manuals I have read covering their replacement give a pattern that must be followed to insure that the stresses on the head are distributed properly to prevent warping during replacement and torquing. For that matter, the VW diesel heads are supposed to be removed by following the reverse torquing pattern when loosening the bolts.

I also see no interim torquing specs. Usually, to better even out the stresses, it's advised to torque the head bolts in the proper pattern in stages, say 45 pounds all around, then 65, then to the specification. I don't see that in my manual either.

I guess you could just wing it, pick some reasonable interim torque numbers and work from the center of the head out to the ends while torquing in a rotational pattern. I could scan and post a pic of the VW head bolt torque pattern as an example if it would help.

VW diesel head replacement procedures call for torquing the head, then starting the engine and letting it idle until it comes up to full operating temperature. Then the head bolts are retorqued to the hot spec. After 600 miles, the head is retorqued again.

No progress on my engine swap, I think about it every time I drive my truck, which is almost every trip to town these days.

[Austin S.]

good grief i expected it to be in the range of 150 ft lbs not 80-90

i expect if i just start in the middle and work my way out one at a time going back and forth. hmm good idea, i'll start at 45 and take it up in tens till 75 then fives. what would be the danger of over torqueing the head bolts? because i realy just want to make it an even 100 ft lbs to be safe, we are high compression here so i had always assumed i would be in the market for a bigger torque wrench.

thats oddly surprising.

anyway if its any consolidation about your project go into your garage and play around with your 4d55, you can start it on the floor pretty easily, like these guys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60It1t-G9EU

makes me mad every time i watch that, for those JDM guys to have those just lieing around, anyway thanks for the help and good luck with your project, and wish me the same because i will need it to finish this monstrosity of a welding project





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[Austin S]

sorry to bug you again mr sharkey but i have a question

would you be willing to sell 6 or so head bolts from the 4d55 in your parts ranger? i'd gladly pay 8 - 10 $ a bolt + shiping

my ram had a cracked head gasket witch caused 2 bolts to stick and when i tryed to pull em out they threaded off so i had to grind there heads off.

and 3 more look like they'd do the same thing if i tryed to put them back on