What angle tightening means
Some engine bolts are given as a torque followed by one or more angles, for example 35 Nm + 45° + 15°. You tighten to the first figure, then turn the bolt through each further angle in turn (Torque values explains this). On the NA (Z22SE) list from the TIS, every one of these bolts also carries the note "use new bolts". The Turbo lists are less consistent about the note, but the Turbo job guides that quote the TIS steps say the same for the bearing caps and the pulley bolts (see the table below).
Engine: bolts with angle tightening
| Fastener | Engine | Tightening (Nm, then angles) | What the guides say |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cylinder head bolts | NA | 30 + 75° + 75° + 15° | Use new bolts (TIS torque guidelines) |
| Cylinder head to block bolts | Turbo | 25 + 90° + 90° + 90° + 15° | The second Turbo list says to fit a new bolt with red screw locking compound |
| Crankshaft bearing (base plate) bolts | NA | 20 + 70° + 15° | Use new bolts |
| Crankshaft bearing caps | Turbo | 50 + 45° + 15° | New bolts (TIS step, in the crankshaft guide) |
| Big-end (con-rod) cap bolts | NA | 25 + 50° + 50° + 10° | Use new bolts; the TIS crankshaft steps also say to renew the bolts |
| Con-rod cap bolts | Turbo | 35 + 45° + 15° | New bolts (TIS step, in the pistons guide) |
| Flywheel or drive plate bolts | NA | 53 + 25° | Use new bolts |
| Flywheel bolts | Turbo | 65 + 30° + 15° | The second Turbo list says to use new bolts and coat them with red screw locking compound |
| Crank pulley (rotational vibration damper) bolt | NA | 100 + 75° + 15° | Use a new bolt; hold the pulley with the holding adapter |
| Crankshaft toothed belt gear bolt | Turbo | 130 + 45° (the second list says + 5° more) | New bolt (TIS step in the timing belt guide). The two lists disagree on the last angle and the thread doesn't say which is right |
| Camshaft sprocket bolts | NA | 85 + 30° + 15° | Use new bolts. One owner had seen a video that gave 85 Nm and 30° only, but the TIS includes the extra 15° |
| Camshaft pulley bolt | Turbo | 50 + 60° + 15° | New bolt (TIS step in the camshaft guide). The second list says use new bolts |
| Balancer shaft sprocket bolts | NA | 8 + 30° | Use new bolts |
| Lower oil pan to upper oil pan bolts | Turbo | 8 + 30° | Use new bolts (second Turbo list) |
The jobs are in Crankshaft and bearing clearances (NA), (Turbo), Pistons, con-rods and piston rings (Turbo), Crankshaft seals and pickup (NA), (Turbo), Camshafts and sprockets (NA), (Turbo), Balancer shafts (NA), NA timing chain, Timing belt tensioner, guide roller and covers (Turbo) and Flywheel removal and refitting.
Clutch (an owner's numbers, not the TIS). One owner refitted a Turbo clutch with new flywheel bolts and threadlocker, tightened in stages to 65 Nm plus 30° and then 15°, and new pressure plate bolts at 15 Nm, also with threadlocker. The TIS figure for the NA flywheel bolts is different (53 Nm plus 25°), so use the figure for your engine. See Clutch replacement: dropping the gearbox.
Engine: nuts
- Exhaust manifold nuts (NA, 12 Nm) and front exhaust pipe to manifold nuts (NA, 16 Nm): use new nuts (TIS torque guidelines). See NA exhaust manifold replacement (Z22SE).
- Turbo manifold to cylinder head nuts (8 Nm, with an additional pass at 8 Nm) and intake manifold nuts (22 Nm): use new nuts (second Turbo list). The catalytic converter replacement steps in the TIS also say to install new nuts on the manifold with the turbocharger. See Catalytic converter replacement.
- Rear silencer support brackets and the intermediate pipe mounting: the TIS steps say to install new nuts. See Silencer (rear box) replacement.
- Turbo studs and bolts: the turbo replacement guide lists some bolt part numbers, but says we haven't checked which are worth renewing. See Turbo replacement.
- Oil intake pipe to oil pump (Turbo, 8 Nm): the second list says to recut the threads before re-use and fit the bolts with red screw locking compound.
Driveline and chassis
- Axle shaft to wheel hub castellated nut: use a new castellated nut. The TIS says tighten it to 120 Nm, undo it until it turns freely by hand, then tighten to 20 Nm + 80° and secure it with a new split pin. The engine removal steps repeat this for the nuts they remove. See Engine removal and installation (NA).
- Engine damping block (mount) nuts and bolts: the TIS steps say to use a new bolt and nut at the support bracket, and a new nut where the block is secured to the chassis. See Engine damping block replacement and Engine mount replacement.
- Shock absorber nuts: the TIS steps say to fit a new nut at the lower wishbone and a new Nylock nut at the chassis. See Shock absorber and spring removal and replacement. For aftermarket coilovers, one owner said you don't need thread lock but could buy new bolts, and that he didn't bother. That is one owner's view. See Adjustable shocks: fitting.
- Swing arm to spring strut nuts (second Turbo list, 65 Nm): use new nuts.
- Front axle body to body bolts (second Turbo list, 90 Nm + 45° + 15°): do not fit or remove with an impulse or impact driver, and use new bolts. That list's heading says Astra GSi, so check this against the TIS for your car before relying on it.
- Steering column intermediate spindle to steering gear (second Turbo list, 22 Nm): use new bolts.
- Track rod end nuts (30 Nm): the TIS says to use a new Nyloc nut and no thread lock. See Track rod ends and rear tie rods and Steering rack replacement.
Hub carrier bolts
The hub carrier bolts are covered separately because failures were reported. The guide lists new Nyloc nuts with the note "don't reuse them". It says the fix for a failure is new, higher-grade bolts, correctly torqued, and that old ones should never be reused after geometry work (the view of specialists quoted in the owner thread). One owner whose bolts were replaced with standard parts found them bent again two months later. See Hub carrier bolts.
Two other owner reports of fitting a new bolt: one swapped in a new pivot bolt at the top wishbone after using an old one to line up the shims (Front wishbone removal), and one fitted new bolts to the steering arm as a precaution (Aftermarket steering arms and ball joint tapers).