I'm having my e12 head planed after a blown gasket, and hope to reinstall on the weekend. Does anyone recommend torx bolts on this, or is that only on sixes? Can I reuse my head bolts? What kind of torque wrench is recommended? What should I be looking out for to avoid having to do this again?

ALWAYS use new head bolts, as they stretch, your local dealer will have them. Torque settings are as follows: Stage 1 25 - 33ftlb, Stage 2 43 - 47ftlb, Stage 3 49 - 52ftlb. Start in the middle and zig-zag to ends on alternate sides (stage 1 torque, then repeat stage 2-3). Head gaskets usually blow after getting very hot. Try flushing the rad and replace the coolant. Change the oil and filter too as it may be contaminated with coolant.
Beaner7102.

ARP bolts are extremely high quality and would be a good replacement for stock.

I'm having my e12 head planed after a blown gasket, and hope to reinstall on the weekend. Does anyone recommend torx bolts on this, or is that only on sixes? Can I reuse my head bolts? What kind of torque wrench is recommended? What should I be looking out for to avoid having to do this again?

The torx bolts did not apply to the M10 engine they were for the M20 engine which used stretch bolts. Stretch bolts are designed to be used once and discarded and not to be reused. They are sold in sets only. But these are not for your car. The factory head bolts can be reused, but I don't like to do that they are pretty cheap.

Before you even start slide the cam in the cam bore with a little oil on the lobes and rotate the cam by hand. It should turn free and easy. Any binding means the head is warped, and it has now been machined at the surface, but still warped in the cam journals.

What to look out for? First make sure that the person who surfaced the head did so with the front upper timing cover bolted to the head. This is a must other wise the head will be thinner than the front upper cover and there will be a step at that point and the head gasket will leak oil.
Clean out the bolt holes in the block and dry them, take a probe and poke around the bottom and dig our any trash. You don't want the bolts bottoming on crap in the bolt hole before the head begins clamping to the gasket. Use a few drops of oil on the bolt threads as a lubricant for proper torque.
Make sure you have the cam timed in the head, and the pistons in the correct position so as not to bend the valves.

Make sure you clean all the little holes in the oiling tube spray bar, this is a must so the cam get proper lubrication. At the meeting point of the upper and lower front timing cover, head and block come together, put a dab of Silicone glue in that little hole to head gasket to help seal that critical point.

Al Hafner

hey i remember when u guys were on laceniga and pico...
i was but a lad gleeming through your display cases

17 years later same car(75 02)
new catalog
sooo glad u guys finally gace us our own
just wishg it was thicker ;]

Rach002-

hey i remember when u guys were on laceniga and pico...
i was but a lad gleeming through your display cases

17 years later same car(75 02)
new catalog
sooo glad u guys finally gace us our own
just wishg it was thicker ;]

Rach002-

Your right It has been about 17 years, we moved to Texas in 1988. However I do get back to L.A. quite often. We will be adding parts to our web site as the program for the classic cars grows. Then those Items will be added to the next catalog.

Al Hafner

that rocks!!!!
for years our lil cars got no respect when it came to aftermarket and replacement parts!!

you guys got my order!!!!
ill be getting some new ball ends after the holiday (gift to myself ;] )

thanks for helping keep my baby rollin'

Rach002

that rocks!!!!
for years our lil cars got no respect when it came to aftermarket and replacement parts!!

you guys got my order!!!!
ill be getting some new ball ends after the holiday (gift to myself ;] )

thanks for helping keep my baby rollin'

Rach002

A very good friend of mine has been running an M20 modified engine on his 2002 for a few years now. The car has been very competitive.

A very good friend of mine has been running an M20 modified engine on his 2002 for a few years now. The car has been very competitive.



i would love to see pics.
how did he get it in?
did he have to use a shoe horn?
how about enigne mounts?

thanks
Rach002

i would love to see pics.
how did he get it in?
did he have to use a shoe horn?
how about enigne mounts?

thanks
Rach002

I'll round up some photos early this week. and post them. It does require a transmission also since the bolt pattern of the m20, is different from the m10. The car is havy aqt the nose, so big brakes are recommended. But accelleration is pretty impressive. This engine I loaned him was over 200hp at the flywheel. And torque was also pretty impressive, it would rev to 7000 RPM, so the car was a pretty good match for an e30 M3