Valve Cover Bolts

[Hecka]

How many here have sheered off their valve cover bolts by tightening under 20lb ft?

I'm asking because today I replaced all of my tappets(which one of the bolts on the rocker arm assembly has cross threaded the hole), and while screwing the bolts back in, one of them sheered right off. I set the torque on my wrench to 19 foot lbs and it didn't even click before the bolt sheered off. Of course, two other bolts were sheered off by one of the P.O.'s, and now the cover's being held on by 3 bolts.

SO frustrating. Now I have to drill out the holes and re-thread them. I was just about finished getting the festy back on the road when this happened. Does anybody think it's a bad idea to drive it as it is right now? Of course, I did a little check on the cover to see if it would budge by using my hands to try and move it around, which it didn't budge.. still, I don't think that's a good enough test, but I wonder if it would be good enough as a temporary placement, while I wait to get the messed up bits replaced. I also am going to buy a set of grommets from rock auto, since the old ones are super cracked and crap.

What's the torque specs for those valve cover bolts anyway?

I tightened all the rocker assembly bolts down to 19ftlbs, which I'm sure is acceptable. I don't have a manual or anything, just found what I could online. If anybody has a complete list of torque specs, I'd appreciate the documentation...

Thanks!

[dalebwilson]

44-80 inch lbs

[Hecka]

Holy crap... I was way off... So that 44-80 inch lbs is for the valve cover bolts, yes? I hope I didn't over torque the rocker assembly bolts as well.

[gergorian]

Holy crap... I was way off... So that 44-80 inch lbs is for the valve cover bolts, yes? I hope I didn't over torque the rocker assembly bolts as well.

You should definitely get a haynes manual if you dont already have one. Think of it this way if you have a 6mm shank bolt I can guarantee that its not designed to be torqued to 20+ ft/lbs. This quick guide should help http://www.openbuilds.com/attachment...ings-jpg.1228/

[dalebwilson]

Yes the valve cover bolt torque is measured in IN LBS. From memory....the rocker assembly bolts have a 12MM head and torque at 19-20 FT LBS. Best advice is to get a manual.

[Hecka]

You should definitely get a haynes manual if you dont already have one. Think of it this way if you have a 6mm shank bolt I can guarantee that its not designed to be torqued to 20+ ft/lbs. This quick guide should help http://www.openbuilds.com/attachment...ings-jpg.1228/

Thanks, that helps. I don't know what I was thinking. I should have gotten a haynes. Now I have to spend the extra time fixing what I broke.

[sketchman]

My sig. Free manual.

[SWRT]

Well, you didnt destroy the threads on the others, did you?

I can tell you it's no fun to heli-coil new threads since aluminum gets
everywhere and it's not magnetic :/ We had to do that on my friend's
Mom's Subaru since the PO left a bolt out of the valve cover. We had
an extra, but found out why it was leaking and why there was no bolt

In retrospect I would have taped up a wall along the edge where shavings
couldn't go anywhere. Live and learn, I guess.

[shadetree]

That's the issue ! I think hanes manual says 20 ft pnds and it's wrong .

[drddan]

I am looking at my Haynes manual. It states .... Valve Cover bolts .. 44-80 IN LBS

[sketchman]

I love that. A difference of almost 100%.

Even worse than axle nut specs. Last one I looked up was 155-200ft/lbs. Might as well have just said REAL FUNKIN TIGHT bro.

Tighten them by hand unless you get leaks. I never have with a good gasket.

[Hecka]

Well, you didnt destroy the threads on the others, did you?

I can tell you it's no fun to heli-coil new threads since aluminum gets
everywhere and it's not magnetic :/ We had to do that on my friend's
Mom's Subaru since the PO left a bolt out of the valve cover. We had
an extra, but found out why it was leaking and why there was no bolt

In retrospect I would have taped up a wall along the edge where shavings
couldn't go anywhere. Live and learn, I guess.

I'm definitely going to have to drill out the bolts that have been sheered of into the head, and will rethread the holes. Yeah I found out about this shavings issue also, when I used my hack saw to take off a portion of the intake hole to allow for removal of the valve cover. Shaving everywhere. And when I tried to get them up with my magnet, nothing was happening and I was all like, "ahhhhh crap!"

Thanks, sketchman, for the download!

[rmoltis]

Holy crap... I was way off... So that 44-80 inch lbs is for the valve cover bolts, yes? I hope I didn't over torque the rocker assembly bolts as well.

I also ran into this problem when replacing the bolts.
I was sort of in an auto mode of putting things back together that day and did the same thing.
I had my wrench set to ft lbs and skimmed over the in-lbs specification.

We all live and learn.

[SWRT]

I'm definitely going to have to drill out the bolts that have been sheered of into the head, and will rethread the holes. Yeah I found out about this shavings issue also, when I used my hack saw to take off a portion of the intake hole to allow for removal of the valve cover. Shaving everywhere. And when I tried to get them up with my magnet, nothing was happening and I was all like, "ahhhhh crap!"

Thanks, sketchman, for the download!

Hmmm...if you have a screw extractor set you may try drilling with
a small drill bit into the bolt and extracting it. It may save you a lot
of trouble. If it's cheap it may be worth a shot since you may need
the kit again someday.

[Hecka]

Yeah I realized yesterday that an extractor kit is probably the best route to go for me. I already bought the Tap & Die kit from HF, but it was so cheap that I think I'll keep it for a rainy day. I'll just get the extractor kit from a closer store.