Engine Retorque lower intake manifold bolts

[91GTstroked]

When replacing lower intake manifold gaskets, it's recommended to retorque after a heat cycle or two. Are you guys removing the heater core coolant tube again to retorque that one bolt?

Thanks

 

[Noobz347]

No

Put a combo wrench on the bolt that you just torqued in the sequence.

Rotate it by hand until it [just] moved. Remember with your hands, how that felt and transfer it to the bolt you can't get a socket on.

Alternatively, you might be able to get a crows foot in there.

On a side note: You can replace hard to reach bolts with hardware that has an internal and external wrenching feature.

Something like this but for the next time you pull the intake:

Don't use the round ones. If the internal wrenching feature strips it can be a PITA.

These can be harder to find but they're out there. ARP has them along with some others.

 

[91GTstroked]

No

Put a combo wrench on the bolt that you just torqued in the sequence.

Rotate it by hand until it [just] moved. Remember with your hands, how that felt and transfer it to the bolt you can't get a socket on.

Alternatively, you might be able to get a crows foot in there.

On a side note: You can replace hard to reach bolts with hardware that has an internal and external wrenching feature.

Something like this but for the next time you pull the intake:

Don't use the round ones. If the internal wrenching feature strips it can be a PITA.

These can be harder to find but they're out there. ARP has them along with some others.

I appreciate your help! I'll try a combo wrench on it. I'm wondering if it even backs off a little? As it has a bracket on top plus another nut.

 

[Noobz347]

I appreciate your help! I'll try a combo wrench on it. I'm wondering if it even backs off a little? As it has a bracket on top plus another nut.

You're not retorquing for hardware backing off. You're retorquing because a couple of heat cycles between aluminum parts can compress a gasket and create vacuum leaks before heat-soak.

You're taking up the space made by all of the heat-soaked parts.