Torque setting - valve cover bolts - '71 Fairlady Z?

Kerrigan

Well-Known Forum User
I put on a new gasket and the instructions tell me to torque the cover bolts to 30 inch-pounds, which is about 2.5 foot-pounds by the conversion table.

Local Z guys said 10 flt-lbs.

I compromised at about 4 ft-lbs, which seemed nice and snug.

I'm wondering if I made them too tight, but if it's just better to leave them as is instead of backing them off and re-torque to 2.5 ft-lbs?

What's your practice?

Thanks!!
 

morbias

Well-Known Forum User
IMO they are only valve cover bolts, the valve cover isn't under any sort of great internal pressure so personally I would just go by feel and torque them snug enough that there is no oil leaking past the gasket. Worst thing you can do is strip the threads in the head!
 

MaximG

Well-Known Forum User
I agree with Morbias but out of interest the Nissan workshop manual says 7 to 12 ft-lb.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Yeh, after many years of working on cars things like this tend to come naturally however if I was working on an F1 engine I'd use a torque wrench. There is of course technical reasons why torque figures are given and I always remember what my neighbour told me about tensile strength i.e. over-tightening can reduce it.

Basically consider what material the bolt or stud is screwed into and use an appropriately sized wrench or spanner. When I tighten those cam-cover bolts I use a 1/4" drive socket-set and grip it lightly with my fingers - it works for me.
 
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