MTFCA Forum

Page 95, 373 (d)

As noted in Ford Service, always torque first the center bolts, gasket has thinnest walls between #1 & #2 and # 3 & #4 cylinders, helps prevent common blow out there. Sequence the others on perimeter.

This is another instance in the manual that the procedure is described to where you have to read it. I wondered the same thing years ago about how to do it and didn’t notice it being explained that way. We had a Ford tractor that I removed the head to have the valves ground on it and I had bought a shop manual for it.
It had a chart in it how to tighten the head down. Starting from the center and evenly working your way out. When I removed the head for a repair on the T I assumed the head would be retightened from center out. It worked. And A few years later thumbing through the T manual I saw the head being replaced. That’s when I closely read the paragraph about how to do it.

For several charts, check out: www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/218188.html, from the old Forum. Jim Patrick

How come the Service Manual states there are 14 Head bolts?

Thanks
Kirk

I had replied with a copy of the head bolt sequence from the manual awhile back and it was corrected by another member. Couldn't find his name but here is his corrected copy.

The fifteenth bolt is utilized for the electric horn bracket !

Check out the illustration that Dan posted - you can see the where the missing #15 bolt would go !

So the missing head bolt is where the horn bracket would go? It does seem odd that the bolt hole in the head is shown without it. So it would be assumed that it would be that bolt would be tightened down last? Maybe it’s shown that way since the service manual shows a later black era car in it and that’s where the horn would go.

Thanks Steve T,
The electric horn bracket was the clue.
Then reexamining Dan's illustration and fig 226 on previous page of Ford Service cleared it up for me.

John we were typing at about the same time.

Kirkiep.
This is another instance in the Service manual where you have to look close and read between the lines! Sort of I guess.

The above illustration is for the '19 - '25 horn bracket which utilizes that head bolt & one of the water inlet bolts - the '26 - '27 horn bracket utilized both water inlet bolts.

Yes. The horn holding head bolt is #15. Just cropped the Ford Service page too much. Note next line about the horn head bolt.
Earlier in the Chapter the one head ‘horn’ bolt 15 is removed and the paragraph continues about removing the balance of the 14 bolts!

Wow! Again it just shows (when in doubt read the instructions!) Thanks Dan.

This is the one, we have always used.

Herm.

Thanks Dan

Yeah John that might be easier than watching a 25 min youtube video for 5 min of instructions.

As you can see from the several posts and references to the old forum, there are different sequences recommended. Most important thing is to start in the center and work out toward each end by alternating from one side to the other side till you get them all down. The other important thing is to tighten them by 5 ft lb at a time so that they are tightened evenly and not one is very much tighter than the others. This method is very important especially not to crack the head.
Norm