Mohamed

Man, I haven't gotten to replacing that pan gasket yet. I think I might have the dealer do it as the bolts for the exhaust manifold (which runs underneath the pan) are basically caked on, if not melted on each other, let them deal with re-threading the holes for the manifold

radrex

I rebuilt a VW engine once - couldn't find a torque wrench. Overtightened the Head Bolts --- As soon as I started the engine - the pistons began actually hitting the heads. In a couple of seconds one of the Rods actually broke - End of VW Engine..

Anything that has a torque value listed - should be torqued to that value. Also, always use locktite.

Really important stuff can be drilled and wired down. I can't think of anything on a runner that needs that level of security.

jwahaus

I was doing a trany fluid drain and fill this weekend and was using my
torque wrench to tighten back up the drain plug. I kept turning and
turning and turning and ... Never did get to the 20 ft/lbs. :pat:

So it looks like my plug is stripped. I tightened it up the best I could.
It was going from a little snug to loose and back again. I put thread lock
around the bolt head to try and keep it in place until I fix it. I guess a
tap and die set is in my future.

weezy

No I don't use one, but would like to. Just a matter of getting my bootay to the store and buying one :/

MTL_4runner

Is it really supposed to be 20 ft-lbs??? Seems a bit high to me.

platform389

Tacoma transmission drain plugs are 27 ft-lbs. (Page MT-6 in the service manual)

This is why a correctly calibrated torque wrench is vital.

I still remember the guy that tried to tell me his $12 Harbor Freight torque wrench was just as good as my $200 Snap-On. He said when the wrench was out of calibration, he would throw it away and buy another. But how do you tell when it is out...after you strip the threads in your transmission?

PirateFins

I don't think locktite on a sparkplug, or drain plug would be a good thing.

4RUNR- yes you are correct tourqe values are dry. if you put anything wet on the thread (including locktite) it acts as a lubricant and lowers the value.

I don't use one. I turn wrenches in every different type of metal every day. If I happen to over tighten (hasn't happend yet), I have all the tools at my disposal to remove and fix it.

jwahaus

For the record, I a misscalibrated torque wrench wasn't the cause of
my drain plug getting stripped. The time before last when I changed
my trany fluid I must have misthreaded the plug bolt when I was putting
it back in. The bolt has seen a lot of action in the past month. I've done
5 trany fluid drain and fills (poor man's flush) in the past few weeks.

I noticed this time when I removed the plug that something wasn't
right. Once I loostened it with the wrench, it never became loose
enough for me to back it out with my fingers. Now, I find it pretty hard
to believe that I would have torqued in a misthreaded drain plug without
noticing it but since I'm the only one who has worked on my truck there
is no one else to blame.

Perhaps this could be caused by overtorquing? Since the plug is coated
with trany fluid oil perhaps it should be torqued less than the recommended
"dry" spec.

On another note, how does one check the calibration of their torque
wrench? I've got this idea of hanging weights on the end of the wrench.

platform389

The wrench has to be back to the maker or to a company that offers the service. Here are some links for your reading.

http://www.sacskyranch.com/torquew.htm
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/41998/index4.html
http://home.jtan.com/~joe/KIAT/kiat_3.htm

The instructions with my Snap On's even say to "exercise" the wrench by pulling in both directions three times before actually pulling the job.

sand_box81

I only use one on the heads. Idont mess with the bottom end

mt_goat

Yes it should be torqued less if the threads are lubricated.

The torque wrench will give an approximation that the proper bolt preload has been reached and this approximation is based on turning friction at the bolt/nut thread connection. If you grease or apply never-seize to the threads of your fasteners this will lower the friction at the thread connection and the torque wrench approximation will be different that if your threads were dry. The less friction there is at the thread connection more preload you are putting on the bolt for the same torque wrench reading.

LV_4Runner

Judging from my own experience of Head Gasker replacement on Acura vehicle, I can definately say you will be glad you have one...

You may end up doing the same job twice without torque wrench. If it is just bolting some easy-to-access component, maybe you can do trial-and-error method. However, if it is header, you will regret if you find it was NOT correctly bolted down after the job is done.

As an advice buying a torque wrench, it will be good idea to buy a little decent one paying extra mulla. When you buy one, buy a little larger range one. How larger range?

You actually work-range should be around in the middle of the range the wrench can handle. For example, if you want to apply say 100 ft/lb, you need to have a wrench can handle upto 200ft/lb. Of course, it also depens on what types of torque wrench you are going to buy.....

Regards,

Mohamed

Geez this thread is back from the dead.... I've had a torque wrench for almost a year now, if not more. Torque wrenchs are especially important as you have said during engine reassembly, I'm learning about all this right now.

Chevy Corvette engines have a wierd way now of torqueing bolts down and that is to first connect the bolts at 15 ft lbs, then go back with a tool that in which you torque using an angle. In other words, you torque all bolts with a simple torque wrench first to 15, remove that and then use an angle tool and turn the head to the angle spec (in the Chevy case, it's 80 degrees at the connecting rod bolts and inner main bearing bolts, 53 degs at the out main bearing bolts). And you can't use old bolts, must use new bolts every time you torque down bolts as they are more often than not stretch bolts. Pretty cool stuff...

bike4miles

As a bicycle mechanic I NEVER use a torque wrench because I have such a good feel for every bolt but on my truck I used it whenever I do and important torqu down such as timing cover or crank shaft pully.

Dirtoy4x4

Headgaskets and intake manifolds, yes. Especially 3.0 V6 head gaskets, however the "xxft lbs + quarter turn" crap really makes me wonder what toyota was thinking. I guess that is why those head bolts are only good once.

Headers I just usually go by feel. I think the key is to go back and tighten them back down after a couple hundred miles. Usually after the 1st tightening they stay snug.

kevin444

You can pick up a torque wrench for about 14 bux at your harbor freight.

kyle_22r

i used my cheapo freight 150lb torque wrench for putting on my crank pulley, but i used my 10-80lb 3/8 drive proto for important things.

i'd like to get a 1/2" drive proto someday when i've got a little extra cash to burn. i paid $50 NEW in the box for my 3/8 wrench on ebay...this is a $150 wrench we're talking about. lots of good deals to be had there.

StevieC

If there is a torque spec, I use one.

mt_goat

Actually that "xxft lbs + quarter turn" gives a more exact bolt preload than just a torque to "xxft lbs" procedure would because it removes the torque wrench from part of the tightening process. A torque wrench is not really very accurate because it uses friction at the bolt threads to estimate the amount of stretch in the bolt. That friction can vary a lot depending on how clean and/or lubricated the threads are. With the “number of turns” method you remove the "friction estimate" from the equation.

WolfpackTLC

Torque properly or die.

Nuff said.