Torque Wrench?

[flatnacker]

Hi guys, I did my valve clearances for the first time on the weekend and was wondering if you bother torquing the cam cover etc? As it is I cant find a dam torque wrench that goes low enough???? What do you all do??

[clark4131]

...was wondering if you bother torquing the cam cover etc...

ABSOLUTELY!!! Go to Sears, Lowe's, Home Depot or hijack the Snap-On truck, but get the proper tools. If you can afford $6000+/- for a bike, then $80 for a torque wrench in the correct range ought not to scare you. Then again I've seen my white trash neighbors do some amazing things with vise grips and a 12 oz hammer when they're working under the hood of their primer grey '72 Nova ...SC

[Matty05]

Hey Nackers, I got a kincrome 3/8" square drive torque wrench.

It goes from 5 - 80 Ft - Lb / 6.8 - 108.5 Nm.

I can't remember how much it was, like $60 or something.

If you are talking about the camshaft caps, then yes I use the torque wrench.

(you can get the wrench from Sear's or Home Depot )

[Brettv]

yeah i hear walmart has them too

i havnt used a torque wrench, i have a kincrome one, got it from bunnings for about $60. the reason i didnt use it is because i dont have the crow foot attatchment, and was too lazy to find one, i think the caps are only about 10Nm anyway, so 'just' tight should be ok??

ill prob try and use it next time

[byggd]

See if there is a harbor freight tools in your area. I picked up three of them for different drives/ranges for under $60 and surprisingly they are good quality.

[byggd]

See if there is a harbor freight tools in your area. I picked up three of them for different drives/ranges for under $60 and surprisingly they are good quality.

Oooops.....I see now you are in Australia. Sorry mate

[Brettv]

hehe, just stirrin

[trickwarrior]

buy an inch pound 1/4" drive for around 35 bucks. multiply all measurements by 12 hence 6lbs is 72in lbs.

[Rip Wheeler]

You MUST torque it to specs. Its critical, as the cam bore was machined at that torque, so guessing will result in an out of round cam bore and galling. I u se a Matco Tools 1/4 drive flex head I bought just for working on motorcylces, but it was spendy at $210 USD

[flatnacker]

Thanks guys. I ended up getting a 3/8 Warren and Brown one of ebay for $150 AUD that measures from 5-80 foot/lbs so that should do the job.

[Matty05]

What ever you get, use it!

[flatnacker]

Thanks Matty-I intend to, cant see the point in forking out $150 on a tool for it to grow cobwebs Its just a shame though that Walmart and Sears were all out of stock lol

[tony1970]

Unless you are going to pull the engine a 1/4" headed torque wrench will only fit between the intake cam cap and the frame. My 3/8" Sears will not fit. My friend lent me his Proto 3/8" with a slim head that will fit,but that is the only 3/8" one I have seen that will fit. Do yourself a favor and don't skimp on tools. I just picked up a new 1/4" drive Proto that reads both inch pounds and newton meters for $50 off e-bay that sells for $144 regularly. As for the cam cover you can hand tighten that, just make sure you use sealer on the gasket on the cam sprocket side. Good luck.

[crooks420]

ALWAYS torque to factory spec..... dont ask about lessons learned

Invest the money in both an inch-pound and foot-pound (go figure the metric equiv.) torque wrenches.... I personally have one in-lbs, and two ft-lbs... one for lower torques, and the other for higher torques. I have never used the "click" type, and prefer the scaled/ dial type: zero-ability.

Just my two cents...

Jesse

[GCannon]

The consequences are great if you dont get the cam caps down right, first the cam may woble or gaul in the cylinder head. This will mushroom the cylinder head cam bearing surface then the valve spring buckets will not come out of the head and if you let it go too long you will be buying a new cylinder head. You must be very carful with the steel locating dowels make sure they are seated fully in the head before torquing the cam caps DO NOT OVER TORQUE THE CAM CAP BOLTS. after setting the torque wrench clamp the drive in the vise and click the wrench a few times this will un bind the ball and spring in the wrench.