Paul L

What tool(s) do I need to get that bolt between the EGR and the choke tube cover torqued down? It looks difficult enough without the carb. For the secondary torque after intitial run-up to operating temp and then re-torque with the carb in place it looks impossible. Or does the carb come off for the second torque?

PatsLs1vette

Id use a swivel socket on a long extension,looks like a 7/16 head on those bolts.

Paul L

The hex head is 3/8". With a universal joint, entension plus socket do you get an accurate torque reading?




[Modified by paul79, 8:29 PM 2/23/2003]

PatsLs1vette

On an intake its not that critical,youll lose alittle bit but just go a little tighter then.i never ever torqued intake bolts in all the motors ive built.Tightened them up from the middle ones to the outter ones then started motor and got it hot then tightened again.

Paul L

OK, but I do not have the "experienced" feel for tightness. I admire people who do! And know a few. I would imagine little would be lost by using an extension however.

mapman

Paul,

Try this for "feel". Take one of the bolts and put on a washer and thread a good quality (grade 8) nut on it. Adjust your torque wrench for the torque level in question.

Put the socket/bolt on the torque wrench and with the "nut" facing upwards, tie the torque wrench down so it won't move.

Then, using the wrench you will use to tighten the manifold bolt, practice tightening the nut until the torque wrench "clicks" indicating the proper torque has been reached. A few trials and you can "dial in" your arm to approximately the proper torque level.

My $0.02 theory. :lol:

Paul L

I will try that! I once worked with a Honda mechanic (long time ago) who put cranks and main bearings in without a torque wrench. This always puzzled me. He was from Brazil. I asked him why? His answer was, "I was trained in DC-3 engines. The wrench makes the mistake, not me." I checked his history as best I could. Not one plane went down when he was with a former firm and there was never a comeback from his work when I was service manager at the Honda dealership. He had the "feel"....I do not advocate what he did but you do have to wonder.

BeaterShark

Paul, you probably don't want to replace your bolts, but I have manifold bolts which require an allen wrench instead of a 6 or 12 pt socket. This allows easy access to those bolts without even removing the air cleaner.

I use the normal "L" allen wrench in the inner 4 and an allen socket on my torque wrench for all the others.

True, you can't get a torque wrench on the inner 4, but you can use the allen wrench on one of the others and then "verify" the torque setting with a torque wrench. I've done this and found that I was pretty consistant. I think it also helps that the allen wrench only has a 6 in. lever, so you get a lot of feel.

MRZ28HO

So that's how you calibrate your arm, and to think I was going to pay someone to do it for me. :lolg: Actually that is a good idea. After a while dealing with certian torque values, you kind of know how much to tighten, by hand, to reach a set value. That Brazilian guy doesn't surprise me, nor would I condone it ;) , I have met a couple of guys that can/would do that (if the need arose). :yesnod:

gerry72

There is a tool made for this. It is called a torque adapter. Snap On sells them. The wrenches look like a very short boxed wrench with a square drive on one end. They come with a torque conversion chart since they do add length to the wrench. Of course, this is if the proper torque is really important. Otherwise, adapted methods work in almost all instances.

The usual recommended torque for intake bolts is 25 ft/lbs. For anyone -this doesn't seem like a high torque load but just as an experiment put a bolt in something and try to hit 25 ft/lbs using a box wrench. Now check it with a torque wrench. You'll be surprised just how far you are from 25 ft/lbs.

Paul L

I will see if I can borrow one of those tools.

Paul L

Chris,
Those ARP bolts were darn expensive so I am afraid I will have to stay with them.

Twin_Turbo

the adapter is commonly known as a crow foot

Clink69

Do they make a 12 pt. crows foot?? thats what he needs.

joe73vette

I used a box wrench on my engines, after calibrating my arm as mentioned above. Joe

70BBvert

Mac tools makes an offset open end just for these applications. It extends the torque wrench to allow bolt access. They give you the instructions to recalculate the torque setting due to the additional length. Not cheap though - I paid $22 for the one I needed to torque the intake on my 390 Mustang. I think its 3/8". Email me if you want to work out a loan :)

Jim

Paul L

Joe,
You used a simple box-end wrench with no torque reading?

70BBvert

here's an idea of what they look like
http://www.mactools.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ItemNum=240-003

Jim

Twin_Turbo

There are 12pnt crow foots available here, at least that's what the text says.
http://www.kamasa.com/english/socketbits/k1200p.htm

The illustration is showing a 6 point.

I have been looking for one here in the Netherlands but no luck so far, all I have a 6pnt ones.

Jim, those look like they are just the ticket (although not exactly cheap). Do they come w/ a torque conversion chart or not?

Marck


[Modified by Twin_Turbo, 2:06 AM 2/25/2003]

70BBvert

Marck
It came with a chart/formula to recalculate the torque setting, but I can't find it anywhere. It's an easy calculation though.