AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Maybe i'm reading the manuals incorrectly, but i can't find a torque setting for the 8 nuts that hold the heads down. can anyone advise please?

22 Lbs Ft for the head nuts. Don't forget to put the manifold on first and do the nuts up finger tight, then torque the head nuts. What head gaskets are you using?
Dave

Hi Dave thanks for the info. I'm using composite gaskets which came with an engine rebuild gasket set.

DerekAJS30 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 9:44 am Hi Dave thanks for the info. I'm using composite gaskets which came with an engine rebuild gasket set.

You need to be very strict with the tightening procedure; torque down, run motor for a few minutes, allow to get completely cold, retorque, ride a few miles, allow to get cold, retorque again. I then redid mine at 100 and 500 miles and (touch wood) they've been fine on my 650. If I take the tank off for any reason I check them again, but they've not needed anything further.

Malc

Interesting !! - Thank you for this advice. I will indeed follow that procedure.

hi Derek ;
i use 20 to 23ft/lbs on my model 30 heads with 5/16 studs , when i got the bike many years ago it had acorn nuts on the head studs and i found they were bottoming out and not actually pulling the heads down enough so i changed to normal nuts and all was fine then .

i use the thicker cylinder base gaskets from the club spares and also the clubs composite head gaskets .

i did try solid copper head gaskets once but had a fair bit of trouble with them not sealing due to being too thin and allowing the spigot on top of barrel to bottom out against the head .

cheers .
ian

Thanks Ian