Valve adjustment complete.....I don't think so!

[schubee]

Well, I finally finished adjusting my valves and I'm in a rut now. The tech article indicated to torque the valve covers to 6 lbs. This may be a stupid question, but where can I obtain a torque wrench that torques that low? I went to Sears and the lowest their wrench goes is 25 lbs. I think this is pretty critical because I want to avoid warping or over-tightening the valve covers.

BTW, the only obstacle I ran into was my cat pipe was in the way when turning the adjustment screws. I was too lazy to take it off but I managed to squeeze in there. Oh, and number 3 & 6 intake took some patience!


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John
'81SC Targa

[This message has been edited by schubee (edited 10-21-2001).]

[Britwrench]

Try any of the tool vans, Snap-on make an
ideal 1/4" torque wrench for this job.

[makaio]

John,
What I did was buy a inch pound torque wrench, and just convert it to foot pounds. I don't have the conversion in front of me, but it came with the wrench.

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Matt Chamblin
78 911 SC

[Superman]

I think your SC may have the nicer, stronger exhaust valve covers. At any rate, the trick is to not get them too tight, and to get them all even. One method that will work just fine is to hodl a ratched in your hand so that the ratcheting mechanism is in the center of your palm. From this position, it is pretty hard to get them too tight, unless you're Superman. In this way, you can put them all on firmly and evenly, and you'll be in the 6 lb/ft neighborhood. it's when you get them on unevenly, or torque them down to 40 lb/ft that you get into trouble.

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'83 SC

[911pcars]

Superman's method is a good way to prevent overtightening the nuts. Geting an inch pound torque wrench might be good to "feel" what 6 ft. lbs is. BTW, the conversion is 12 inch lbs = 1 ft. lb. = 1.35582 Nm, thus 6 ft. lbs is 72 in.lbs.

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

[Early_S_Man]

John,

I don't know what Sears is selling these days, or the specs, but my Craftsman 3/8" drive, click-type torque wrench measures from 5 lb-ft to 75 lb-ft, and the 1/2" drive model measures from 10 lb-ft to 150 lb-ft. My beam-type 1/4" drive torque wrench actually cost MORE than the other two ... it didn't come from the Sears tool sale catalog! But accuracy, reliability, and compact size make it the right tool for rocker-arm shaft work, and the sump plate and valve cover capability are 'freebees' that came along with it!

I have said it before ... it takes 3-4 torque wrenches (4 if you have one dedicated to lug nut usage) to properly maintain a 911!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa
1992 Dodge Dakota 5.2 4X4 parts hauler

[Jdub]

Another plug for this website, wherein you can dowlnoad a conversion table:

http://www.joshmadison.com/software/convert/

Jw

[cab83_750]

I bought mine from Sears and it covers 6#. They carry 3 types and the one that you need is the lowest one.

The other 2 cover higher settings. The 2nd one must be the one that you bought!

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Generally speaking, torque wrenches are only really accurate toward the middle of their range, so if you've got a 5-to-100-pound wrench, I wouldn't trust it at either end of the scale.

Stephan

[john walker's workshop]

just snug it by hand, for criminy's sake. do you think any porsche shops use a torque wrench on every tiny thing?

[CraigD]

If you check again at Sears and look for an inch pound torque wrench they have one that covers 5-250 inch pound. I purchased mine there last month for $65.75 using 5% off for using my Sears card. As stated previously 6 foot pound = 72 inch pounds. Personally, I started at 48" pounds for all nuts then 60" pounds and finally 72" pounds. By the way I am now using the Real Gasket reuseable silicone gaskets. So far so good but only the initial use under my belt so far no removal and reuse. If interested see
http://www.realgaskets.com and click on automotive.

Happy motoring,

Craig

[JDaniel]

"just snug it by hand, for criminy's sake. do you think any porsche shops use a torque wrench on every tiny thing? " --Oh come on John, don't blow my fantasy of a sterile shop with specialized tools and men who perform feats of magic. Isn't that why we pay up to $80/hr?


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Dan Tolley
1987 911 Coupe
http://www.cheaterswayside.com/911/gallery.asp?sort=0&userid=294

[GIBSON]

Seems to me there's a big difference between guys like John who have done this every day for years and developed a sense for what works and what does not by repetition of tasks. John knows torque by feel, the rest of us who do these things once a year don't.
I can guess what might feel like 6 lbs but what do I know... A torque wrench just makes me feel more confident that I'm doing the job right. I'm no professional and don't claim to be. John is and I'll bet he has few oil leaks on valve cover gaskets. For me to have that level of confidence I need all the help I can get.

Bruce Herrmann

[Pillow]

Just hand tight with a 13mm hand wrench is good enough and is in the 5-8 lb range. This is with no straining or leaning on the little wrench. I agree with John that the trick is basically getting them all down snug more than the exact torque spec.

Remember that a torque wrench gives you a lot of leverage that you do not have on hand tools... You might be amazed how weak you are with just a standard 13mm wrench no matter how much profanity you throw at it Put a foot long lever on there and it is effortless.



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Adrian Pillow
1979 911 SC
1966 VW Microbus
PCA - Peachstate Region