EJ25 heads - dispute on how to do things

[whw]

Currently doing head gaskets and timing belts etc. on EJ25 motor.

A one-time mechanic mate is helping me.

Regarding the head bolt tightening and torqueing sequence my mate is adamant that the Subaru instructions are bullshit.

Mate reckons that the heads just need to be screwed in to a sequence he knows and torqued down to a given value.

He reckons the Subaru way of progressive tightening and backing off to angles etc. is just Subaru claptrap.

Then when the bolts are in he says that he would need to “peen” the bolts – meaning a good bash on the tops. He claims he has always done that.

The old head bolts came out clean – as clean as the day they went in. There is absolutely no debris or damage to the bolts or the holes’ threads. The old bolts screw back in perfectly. (New one will be used, of course)

Mate insists that bolt holes need to be cleaned up with a thread top. I suggest that the threads are fine.

I showed the bolts to an engineer and explained my mate’s plan to tap. Engineer said bolt threads looked fine and that the cleanliness and formation of the bolts and threads would suggest that running a tap through them would be unnecessary.

I have told my mate that things should be done as per the Subaru methods and instructions. That does not make him happy.

Anyone here ever heard of things being done as above?

Oh, liquid gasket material puts him into a spin. Anyone got suggestions for a good one?

[gotasuby]

I say do it you mates way and get him to offer a warrety

[Koom]

I'm pretty sure Subaru know more about how to put their motors together than your mate does.......

[DRFVDR]

Your mate is not a Mechanics arse hole

do it as suggested by Subaru

[Jakee]

Nah I would do it his way. He obviously knows best I mean he could probably change the cam belt. In the dark. With the hood shut. On fire.

Subaru tell you to torque the bolts up specifically for a reason, you cant just tighten them all up how you reckon they should and she'll be right. But then again, who do you trust, an irrational one time mechanic or a multi billion dollar manufacturer?