LD28 cylinder head tightening tool

[richard Novossiltzeff]

The cylinder gasket was changed and time has come to retorque. I'm new to this and the manual mentions the use of a special tool. It only seems to be a regular 10mm driver. Snap On has that at $28CAN, 4½'' long. Can any of you LD28 buffs confirm what is best for this job?
The boat is in the water and raving to go fishing...
Thanks
Richard

[TheDieseliminator]

Richard, recently I just finished changing out the cylinder head with new head gasket on the LD28 in my Maxima. What I used to loosen and tighten the head bolts was a 10mm Craftsman 3/8" drive hex bit socket. It worked very well and if you need to you can use a 3/8" to 1/2" drive adapter as low as you can go to help you out if going to a larger socket wrench is needed. If you go to Craftsman's website you can find the exact socket you need and just buy that for your retorque job. I found that it worked well for me just to put it out there. Hope this helps.

Salvy

[asavage]

The cylinder gasket was changed . . .

For statistical purposes, can you tell us why the head gasket was replaced?

[richard Novossiltzeff]

Richard, recently I just finished changing out the cylinder head with new head gasket on the LD28 in my Maxima. What I used to loosen and tighten the head bolts was a 10mm Craftsman 3/8" drive hex bit socket. It worked very well and if you need to you can use a 3/8" to 1/2" drive adapter as low as you can go to help you out if going to a larger socket wrench is needed. If you go to Craftsman's website you can find the exact socket you need and just buy that for your retorque job. I found that it worked well for me just to put it out there. Hope this helps.

Salvy

Thanks for the info, I also found that the local NAPA store has the same drive, 3/8'' X 2'' long for $8CAN. I'll let you know how I made out.
Richard

[richard Novossiltzeff]

The cylinder gasket was changed . . .

For statistical purposes, can you tell us why the head gasket was replaced?

Hi Al,
I don't know. At the time of the sea trial in March '05, the boat was put in the water, the engine was started and coolant was found leaking out of the front part of the cylinder gasket. I was told that the gasket was torn at a point where only ¼'' or so space was available between n°1 cylinder and the coolant chamber - in other words, a weak point, it seems. Nobody offered a good explanation except that the gasket just gave up of old age? I went ahead with the sale because the surveyor confirmed the engine was otherwise in good shape, one valve guide had to be replaced, the valves reground and the head resurfaced.
2 days ago, I put the the boat in the water and the engine started like a charm, with 20sec. on the glow pugs and not a sign of smoke... Nice throaty sound...
For your information, after many hours of thinking, I was finally convinced and went ahead and used PetroCanada DURON 5W40 synthetic oil. This is supposed to be the best (?) diesel oils available by any North American standards at $6CAN a quart. Check their web site. We shall see!
Richard