re: torque and fasteners
ARP's catalog has really good information on fastener tech, well beyond their products. It's worth a read. I admit I'd forgotten or not paying enough attention to fasteners, but this little episode has reminded me to pay more attention. I'm not sloppy or anything, but it seems likely that what I thought was "good practice" in this instance wasn't.
I underestimated the effect of lubricants on torque (and therefore stretch); plus the block deck was a very old surface, and I now do not trust my torque wrench. I'll either just buy a new one, or rig up a calibration setup for 75 ft/lbs to check it.
The block surface doesn't matter; the supplied matching washers make for the friction surface (I guess assumes that the head casting is not slick and the washers rotate there :-)
