alfa-digest V7 #281

[Rollins <73500.616@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Original message:

<Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 17:32:00 -0800
From: "Henrik H Johansen" <two-h@domain.elided>
Subject: Cam covers - advice needed

I have now cracked two cam covers while torqueing them down to 15 lb-ft, =
at
least that's what I set my torque wrench to, and lo and behold crack,
crack.

I got a new (used, no cracks) from APE in Hayward, and before I start
cracking it up, too, I'd like to know if there are some specifics I have =
to
take care of. I have new gaskets, both for the bolts and the cam cover it=

self.>

Are you using a click style torque wrench? If so, check  the calibration.=

They do get out of spec in time. At a recent tech session, the speaker sa=
id
that the racecar mechanics with whom he had worked had their expensive
t-wrenches checked about every six months (and the wrenches were usually
out of spec). Snap On vendors usually have a device to do the testing. Th=
e
beam style is less-likely to get out of whack, but is usually not  very
accurate outside of the middle third of its range. I'm guessing that 15
ft-lb is in the lower third of your wrench's range.

Have your t- wrench checked. =


Paul Rollins
Vancouver, WA

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