Loose Cylinder Heads

[appetite]

Robbie,

Thanks for the torque wrench review. After a fruitless local search, I ordered the larger, 3/8 Craftsman online.

Let you know how it goes.

James

[Lanval]

Ft-lb. read this:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/ho ... -of-force/

Thanks for that. A nice little read for a Tuesday morning.

L

[Amskeptic]

Ft-lb. read this:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/ho ... -of-force/

Thanks for that. A nice little read for a Tuesday morning.

L

Well, I am Mr. Lubricate The Threads In All Cases for rust prevention and dis-assembly ease. I use the red Loctite as a lubricant when tightening the rod cap nuts. The lug bolts that they write must not have even a fingerprint of anti-seize, well, you should see the slathering I give them. But, I am mellow on the torque, so haven't had a fastener or component failure.
NotYetColin

[BellePlaine]

Craftsman (Sears) has two good 3/8" drive models out right now. There's a short handle one for 25-250 foot-pounds. The long handle one is good for 10-75ish foot-pounds and I have had excellent results with it. (Just letting you know so you don't get the short one thinking it's more accurate for lesser torque settings; backwards!)

Robbie

I just bought the 10 - 75 foot-pound Craftsman wrench on sale for about $40. I paid double that for the inch-pound wrench to use on the oil strainer nut. One thing that I learned was to store your torque wrench at it's lowest setting otherwise it will lose calibration. Not sure if this is true, but why not?

[BellePlaine]

Also, I just did this job as well. Be sure to clean up the stud threads outside of the valve cover if they are rusty otherwise you'll never know if you're at 23 foot-pounds. I used a small wire brush attached to my dremel at slow speed and lubed with a drop of engine oil.

[Boxcar]

Hi.Appetite,
We can follow Colin's directions.

I am nearby in Livingston. Have a Craftsman clicker. Not traceable to the bureau of standards, but shiny yet used and stored in its case.
Built my engine and a few others, first cases split when I was fifteen.

Lets get your heads on right!!
//Eric

[appetite]

Hey Eric,

Thank you very much for your kind offer. The deed is done and I think I have it sorted out.

I received the torque wrench yesterday and got to work. There was indeed a few nuts loose. I had some difficulty negotiating the length of the wrench itself underneath the bus. Do most people jack up their bus on a job like this?

I think it was successful: no more blappyity blap. I'm trying to lean out the window, driving, while the bus warms up to ensure that the sound is really gone.

I appreciate the helpful hints in this thread.

James

[Boxcar]

Hey that's great!
Like you I revel in those good sounds!

//Eric

[Lanval]

I received the torque wrench yesterday and got to work.

Any chance you could link to the one you bought? Mine is too big to fit unless my van is lifted, and wasn't planning on going that far. Curious to see what you ended up with that worked.

Best,

L

[appetite]

Hi Lanval,

This is the one I bought:

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-micro-cl ... ockType=G3

10 to 75 foot pounds, 3/8 inch.

Looks like it is on sale for $40 less than what I bought it for!

It is long, and therefore difficult to maneuver without jacking up the bus. I had the whole assembly apart, and only have a stock jack, so I did the best I could.

I think the procedure was a success. We shall see...

James

[Lanval]

Looks like it is on sale for $40 less than what I bought it for!

Hmmm... likely purchase there, thanks. Out of curiosity, does the collective prefer the click-type or the pointer-type? I have the latter, but would prefer the click-type for this job...

Best,

L

[vistacruzer]

click type every time, you can set it and feel it when your there. sometimes seeing the pointer is the hardest part of the job.

[Amskeptic]

click type every time, you can set it and feel it when your there. sometimes seeing the pointer is the hardest part of the job.

Clicker torque wrenches need to be stored at "0" I have been told.
ColinBeamerAllTheWay

[asiab3]

click type every time, you can set it and feel it when your there. sometimes seeing the pointer is the hardest part of the job.

Clicker torque wrenches need to be stored at "0" I have been told.
ColinBeamerAllTheWay

I've only owned click type, so I can't compare, but I have owned three different units:
My 1/2" drive click type stops at it's lowest setting, so it can't go to zero.
I THINK my Craftsman 3/8" drive goes to zero. At least it goes below 10 ft/lbs and I usually store it there.
The Harbor Freight Special went to zero once then never back up. Then it went back to the store....

Beam types won't have that problem...
Robbie

[vistacruzer]

Yes you back it off anytime it is not being used. Or you will compress the spring and lose its worth. I guess I could use my pointer one to check the clicker one.