I am in the process of freshening and detailing my 2.0 engine. While I have the engine sheet metal off, is it a good idea to retorque the heads? Are there any pros or cons to doing this?

Rob

Engine is out of the car? I would think there is no harm in retorquing, I guess, theoretically, if the engine hasn't been run, that the torque should be the same as when done before. I would expect the torque to perhaps be different after the motor has gone through some heat cycles but it would be a real pain to retorque the heads then with the motor in since the upper head nuts would be hidden by the engine sheet metal.

If it's out why not check the torque on them. Follow the torque pattern in your manual.

I typically only do this when the motor is brand spanking new. You get a "carbon" seal around the chamber and run the risk of upsetting that. I could be insane though...

I took a 72 bug away from my son in 1986 because he kept drinking too much. He asked for it back last june. He's now 40. It has about 50 k on the original motor. We repainted all the tin, replaced the clutch and pressure plate and bearing so decided to do the seal and check the endplay. It was ok. I had a 009 dist on it in 86 but decided to try a vaccum advance one this time.
I also put a new oilpump/filter on it with new pushrod tubes.

While we were at it we checked the head torque and it was pretty loose. More than I expected it to be. We had driven the car before we tore it apart to redo it and it ran ok.

Might check for the head studs pulling out. Type I cases have been known for that. I personally haven't run across one that needed re-torqued without a reason, but I have a fairly limited cross section...

you can not retorque rusty nuts on rusty stud. you can only try.
if it aint broke...

I broke a stud in an othewise healthy 3.6L a few years ago because I retorqued the head studs instead of just checking that they weren't broken. Only cost me about $3000

Kind of a freak thing really. As long as everything is clean with no corrosion issues I wouldn't be afraid to check them.