The 1994 Ford Shop manual has the following description ..
1. Advance half turn after gasket contacts sealing surface
2. Caution : Do not loosen all of the bolts at the same time, only work on one bolt at a time.
3.8L SC Engine
1. Tighten in four Steps :
a. 37 lb-ft
b. 45 lb-ft
c. 52 lb-ft
d. 59 lb-ft
e. back off all bolts one at a time 2-3 revolutions
f. Tighten long and short bolts in sequence as follows
- Tighten to 37-44 lb-ft
- Rotate an additional 180-200 degrees
- Go to next bolt in sequence
When cylinder head retaining bolts have been tightened using the above procedure, it is not necessary to retighten bolts after extended engine operation. However, bolts can be checked for tightness if desired.
Use some motor oil or moly lube on the bolt threads to achieve an accurate torque reading.
- Dan