torque spec valve cover

[whereda40at]

so i was reading the manual on my ka24de and it says that the torque is 35 lbs for the first time around and then the second is 69-95 lbs per inch.

is it me or does that seem over kill. i tested 35 on my strut and that was really hard until my torque wrench clicked?

[burnsauto]

you sure it wasnt inch lbs?. If so..thats not much at all.

For example - 80 in. lbs = 6.6 ft. lbs

You can just tighten a valve cover down by hand...tight is tight. Start with the Center bolts and work your way out to the corners, going in an "X" pattern.

[Sileighty_85]

German Torque Spec- Good-n-Tight

[whereda40at]

FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK
my fucking torque wrech is on 35 inch pounds and it fucking over torqued the fucking top left corner. fuckin piece of shit.

[illvialuver]

just think about it, it only need to be hand tight. as tight as you can wiht your hand, like snugness, not so much tight.

[garagelu]

There really isn't any point to using a torque wrench on valve cover bolts. Just torque till snug and you are good.

[burnsauto]

yeah, unless it rotates under load...doesnt really need to be torqued down to a specific amount... tight is tight with something like that. Just have equal pressure on all the bolts, go in an X pattern, and use silicone on the dips on the head, you're fine.

[surreybc]

I looked around for the torque specs for my 91 240sx and never found anything. whoever tightened last stripped the bolt holes anyway. divide 12 to get ft lbs.
5 lbs is adequate.

[murda-c]

torque till tight, but don't pinch the gasket too much.

[xplicit240]

yeah i never heard of tq specs for the valve cover. i just made sure it was tight enough to seal =(

[Silverstreek]

just by looking at my downloaded fsm for 91-94 240SX, it says 5.1-8.0 ft lbs of tq. look at the red circled areas, shows nm first, then think that's metric and then ft-lb.
and there is a proper sequence of removing and reinstalling the rocker cover, so do it right. you might get lucky just tightening them down snug in a "x" pattern, but why not do it right the first time?

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/lodwickb81/vctqspecs.jpg

[burnsauto]

well its not a matter of getting "lucky" by using the X pattern. That pattern works, and thats why i recommended it. That way, it forces out any "wrinkles" you may have in the gasket when you put it in the valve covers grove. It helps align everything correctly so you have a lesser chance of having a leak.

[garagelu]

Everyone should get in the habit of doing a X torque pattern wherever possible anyway. Obviously you want to create equal pressure over the two mating surfaces.

[surreybc]

ka24de valve cover sequence

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e25/vancouverbc_2008/timing-03.gif
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e25/vancouverbc_2008/timing-16.gif

write down the sequence or print this out. i always drill hole in cardboard to store the bolts in right placement while car is disassembled.

[Matej]

Half of my valve cover bolt threads are stripped, they just sit there. I don't torque anything on my car, not even the clutch haha.

[s13dan]

I just go hand tight, then 1/2-full turn or so.

[whereda40at]

ok well the bolt that snaped in the head is out. i went and got an extrater set. so that is out and im about to go to the junk yard and get a new bolt. stores dont carry that bolt. thanks people. and fuck you fsm torque specs.

[JVDSKYRINE]

ROFL. It's a fucking valve cover. Torque specs? You've gotta be joking me.

I just use a tiny 1/8" socket wrench.

[burnsauto]

ROFL. It's a fucking valve cover. Torque specs? You've gotta be joking me.

I just use a tiny 1/8" socket wrench.

1/4"** ratchet ;)

(sorry... had to. lol)

[Silverstreek]

well, i just went to do mine today and 3 bolts holes in the head are stripped. more likely via the previous owner who took off the cover to remove the top guide, but not the one on the side, too lazy i guess. so now gotta figure out how to deal with this bs. wish i could just put a shit load of thread lock on them and make that work, but i know it won't.
oh and they also didn't put any grease on the spark plug boots so now i need new wires cause numbers 2 and 4 ripped off at the ends leaving just the bare wire and the part that goes around the tip of the plug. i can only imagine what surprise awaits when i go to remove those plugs. people not doing shit right pisses me off...

[racepar1]

Why the crap would you torque the damn valvecover? I mean I know it HAS a torque spec, but so does EVERY single bolt on the entire car. You are wasting your time, there are only a few torque specs and sequences that really matter and this is not one of them. Tighten the valvecover from the center out, make the bolts snug but don't strip them like an idiot, done.

[whereda40at]

but my main thing is that.....why the fuck would would the torque spec be so damn high on a valve cover. does the machines that make the motor really do it that tight?

[racepar1]

but my main thing is that.....why the fuck would would the torque spec be so damn high on a valve cover. does the machines that make the motor really do it that tight?

It isn't that high, you are reading something wrong. It is probably in inch pounds, or maybe you are seeing the cylinder head bolts.

EDIT: OMFG, in your OfuckingP you state "35 lbs for the first time around and then the second is 69-95 lbs per inch"!!! LBS per INCH, not LBS per FOOT!!!!!! Those are two different torque measurements! You need an inch pound torque wrench if you wanna torque it.

[surreybc]

but my main thing is that.....why the fuck would would the torque spec be so damn high on a valve cover. does the machines that make the motor really do it that tight?

is 5 to 8 lbs too much? i guess it is better to just go an half turn past hand tight. alot of people overtighten so it isnt a bad idea to know what is the right torque.

i used high temp liquid gasket maker around my stripped bolt and have not had any leaks in a couple months.

[surreybc]

but my main thing is that.....why the fuck would would the torque spec be so damn high on a valve cover. does the machines that make the motor really do it that tight?

ok, you didnt read the thread. the fsm manual torqe spec was in inch pounds not ft pounds.

[racepar1]

is 5 to 8 lbs too much? i guess it is better to just go an half turn past hand tight. alot of people overtighten so it isnt a bad idea to know what is the right torque.

i used high temp liquid gasket maker around my stripped bolt and have not had any leaks in a couple months.

Shit my valvecover has been missing a couple bolts (due to stripped threads in the head) for like a year now with no silicone or anything and it still doesn't leak.

[murda-c]

A half turn past hand tight? How bout just hand tight lol.

[flclsteve]

yea my threads were stripped recently costed me a good penny to get em replaced

[burnsauto]

helicoil, $20.

[blueshark123]

its around 8 ft lbs common sense would have told u that

[whereda40at]

It isn't that high, you are reading something wrong. It is probably in inch pounds, or maybe you are seeing the cylinder head bolts.

EDIT: OMFG, in your OfuckingP you state "35 lbs for the first time around and then the second is 69-95 lbs per inch"!!! LBS per INCH, not LBS per FOOT!!!!!! Those are two different torque measurements! You need an inch pound torque wrench if you wanna torque it.

i have an inch pound torque wrech. it is the craftsman microtorque wrech (3/8). and i read it correctly ill take a pic of it later of the service manual. it says "valve cover.........first 35 inch pounds torque
........second 69-95 inch pounds torque"
that is what has me all fucked up.

[burnsauto]

divide by 12. it won't seem that big a deal and screw with you so much.

god help you if you ever install rocker arm stoppers at 103.3 in. lbs.. :keke: