Just replaced my headgasket - it went well, but...

One nagging question, made much more troubling as this is the second time I'm experienced it... My bolts don't groan and pop when I give them final torque.

I re-used the OEM bolts and I torqued them to spec, in clockwise order. They were very lightly oiled and the bolt holes were clean and free of fluids and debris. I used my cheapo clicking torque wrench, but followed up with my more accurate "bendy-bar" torque wrench. My bolts were torqued as specified.

I went to ~15lbs-ft at stage I, to 44lbs-ft for stage II (checked with the bendy-bar), and followed up with a 90 degree turn using my torque angle gauge for stage III. My bolts did not groan and creak and expected. There was a lot of resistance, but I bet I could put some additional torque on them.

This gives me some concern.

The exact same thing happened when I did the gasket for the B5234T3 in my 1998 C70. I was so concerned about the lack of creak/groan on the the C70, I pulled the bolts and used a brand new set. I'm still paranoid about the gasket going in that car.

In contrast, when I've done head gaskets in B18 and B20 engines, the bolts have made all sorts of noise as they reached final torque.

Is this just me? Does anyone have any insight on the lack of bolt "groan"? Obviously my concern is that the bolts are not fully torqued and failure is imminent as soon as the hot summer driving season is upon me.

Thanks as always