Re: valve cover cap screw torque

[Pete Ruegg]

Hi All,
What is the aluminum valve cover cap screw torque on my 327?

[Joe L.]

Re: valve cover cap screw torque

Pete-----

It's variously reported in the range of 25 lb/inches to 55 lb/inches. I use 55 lb/INCHES. That STILL won't feel like it's tight enough, but it's tight enough. Use more and it could get expensive. Remember, this is lb/INCHES; it's NOT lb/FEET.

[Pete Ruegg]

Re: valve cover cap screw torque

Thanks Joe,
I'll remember that it AIN'T foot lbs but 25 to 55 inch lbs. I'll torque them to 55 in.lbs the same as you have ...Pete

[Charles M.]

Re: valve cover cap screw torque

How can that be converted to lbs/feet? Simply divide by 12 or what?

[Charles M.]

Re: valve cover cap screw torque

I found this at "Ask Jeeves".

(quote)
A lb/ft of torque is the amount of leverage exerted by a one-pound weight hung at the end of a one-foot lever extending out at 90 degrees from the point of attachment. That is the same as two pounds hung on a six-inch lever (half a foot & twice the weight, you know?), or a half-pound hung on a two-foot lever. If the pull is exerted at less than 90 degrees the torque is correspondingly less.

An lb/in of torque is a one-pound weight hung on a 1-inch lever. Lb/inches are used to express small amounts of torque. You can convert directly by using a factor of twelve. 10 lbs/ft of torque is 120 lb/inches. 96 lb/inches is eight lbs/ft, etc.

(end quote)

[Joe L.]

Re: valve cover cap screw torque

Chuck------

Divide by 12 is the simple answer. However, this is moot since, presumably, the reason that one would want to know the lb/feet equivalent is to use a lb/feet scale torque wrench to set the torque. ANY lb/feet scale torque wrench is going to be inaccurate in the torque range of 2-5 lb/feet (the approximate equivalent of 25-55 lb/inches). To accurately apply this sort of a torque value, you're going to need a LOW RANGE inch/pound torque wrench.