Greetings all, thought I'd comment on what I found today as I'm progressing through my rebuild... namely to be aware of your torque wrench as they can be wrong! I was installing my pistons today and was using my larger torque wrench (typical 1/2 drive 17"). I have three... one I identified as bad as few yrs back that doubles as a back up breaker bar now, this one, and a smaller 14" 3/8 drive one. As I was torquing my rod bolts (65lbs) my experience told me it clicked off way too soon... didn't feel like 65lbs. So I got out the smaller one that only goes to 100lbs and sure enough it went a lot farther... to the point where I was wondering if it was going to click off or break the bolt since it was so different. Having broken a head bolt many years ago I decided to check the 14" wrench's function on a lug nut at 65lbs... clicked off no problem, so I trusted it and everything torqued/clicked fine. But, I can no longer trust my "trusty" old big torque wrench now (ya, the one I used to build the engine last time... gonna check my mains when I'm back under the car).
I have always stored mine set at 10lbs as I was told this was a good idea to keep them working properly. I've also heard of people comparing a beam style wrench to a click off style in order to make sure it's still calibrated and working correctly, but I don't use them (and I don't abuse them) that often to think that this might be necessary, but here ya go... just an FYI for ya all! It's a bit concerning now to have two decent quality torque wrenches seeming to go bad.
Glad you caught it! I have 5 torque wrenches, 2 click 2 beam & 1 really big dial wrench (500 ft/lb). When I get ready to do a job that requires accurate torque I use a square socket on one to link it to each of the other lower torque wrenches to compare them. If I’m just doing non-accurate torques like lug nuts I don’t bother unless I feel that it’s been too long since I compared them. The beam wrenches were my main wrenches back in the 60s & 70s but now just get used for checking the other ones.
Peace, Pat
67.5 SPL311 Stroker Restomod
Pat Horne, Near Austin, TX
We support Habitat for Humanity
A hand UP, not a hand OUT
Oh, I’ve never heard of leaving a light load on the wrenches, I back mine off all the way. What is the reasoning behind it? I know that it is not good to leave them set for high torque.
Peace, Pat
67.5 SPL311 Stroker Restomod
Pat Horne, Near Austin, TX
We support Habitat for Humanity
A hand UP, not a hand OUT
Good advice Greg. I sheared a rod bolt with a low quality torque wrench. I had a bad feeling and then snap! I have a beam wrench now. The clickers have a spring that you load when you adjust it up in value...so maybe the spring looses compressive strength when left set high. I need to go look at mine because I normally leave them where I last used them.
Most of my last 10 yrs of head installs
We're turn the bolts until it won't turn anymore .
( stretch head bolts the instructions are torque to 30 the back off to 19-22 ft lbs then 90 degree turn then another 90
Yes on the lowest setting to leave at , you can get wear on the hook that holds the spring loosening it up completely ,it can get off that spot and of course be off...per the Snap on tool man
Last edited by redroadster on Fri Aug 11, 2023 11:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Habitat.pat wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 5:33 pm
Oh, I’ve never heard of leaving a light load on the wrenches, I back mine off all the way. What is the reasoning behind it? I know that it is not good to leave them set for high torque.
Peace, Pat
Not idea on the reasoning... just what I was told 35 or so years ago... may be an old wise-tale. Was told to not keep them set to high torque, but store at 10lbs. Probably BS on the "10lb" part but reducing the setting wouldn't hurt for storing.
I see they are not expensive on Amazon... might get a digital one.
Since I've mostly been dismantling, I've only torqued to spec a couple of times, and both times I ran across inaccurate torque wrenches.
The first time was when Andy was helping me rebuild my 5-speed. His had gone bad, so we borrowed one from O'reilly's which worked fine.
And then I just had it happen again bolting on my flywheel, and I feel very lucky that I didn't break a bolt.
I was torquing to 55lbs and the wrench just wouldn't click... but, since I didn't want to bug my brother any more than I already had, I kept going... kind of wincing as I really reefed on it. I finally had to stop and decided I needed an experienced second opinion. Donovan confirmed that it was waaaaaaaaay too tight. Scary tight.
So, I went to O'Reilly's and borrowed a torque wrench. I brought that back to the shop and when I went to set it to 55, the whole wrench literally fell apart. Apparently I am cursed by torque wrenches. Back to O'Reilly's, but since they didn't have another loaner, I just bought one, and I used that to finish the engine/transmission assembly. Nice consistent clicks.
Worried that I may have weakened the bolts, and lucky to have a second set, I threw away the first and torqued to 55 – and now I can sleep at night.
I really like the beam wrench to double-check idea.
I think I know this one. I have a 3/8 drive snapon click type. I kept it in the bottom of my travel toolbox backed off and wrapped. When I needed it (6 monthes later) it had unwound and some of its parts were mixed in with the other junk also in the bottom of the box. 10 ftlbs is enough to keep the tool together. tightfit
