oil pan torque spec

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Feb 20, 2016 | 10:59 AM

dthut

Thread Starter

Mountain Pass

Joined: Mar 2015

Posts: 184

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oil pan torque spec

hey guys, im doing the oil pan gasket and the torque spec is 10-12. both my torque wrenches only go as low as 20 ft-lbs. should i purches one that goes that low, maybe in inches? or should i be fine just getting it snug?

Feb 20, 2016 | 12:37 PM

Canus

Senior User

Joined: Apr 2012

Posts: 324

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From: Spencer Mountain, NC

dthut, define "snug". What is snug to you may be either loose or too tight to me. That is the reason torque specs are supplied for bolted fasteners. Buy yourself an inch pound torque wrench with a usable range for the applications you will be using it for. The torque you will be applying should fall in the middle third of the wrenches range. Remember that 12 inch pounds is equal to 1 foot pound.

Feb 20, 2016 | 08:12 PM

77&79F250

Moderator & parts slinger

Joined: Feb 2007

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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county

As a matter of fact today I needed to torque something below the minimum 20 Ft lbs available on my Ft lb torque wrench. Glad I had a inch lb torque wrench in the tool box.

Guess you might be able to the local parts house and borrow or rent one? Even better, go buy an inch lb one and convert. That way you can cover all required torque ranges.

10 Ft lbs ='s 120 inch lbs
12 Ft lbs ='s 144 inch lbs

Oil pan is not something you want to over torque and bend the lip on.

Craftsman has a nice 3/8 drive inch lb torque wrench.

Sep 16, 2022 | 04:53 PM

Robert415

1st Gear

Joined: Sep 2022

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Tecton 1/4 inch drive worth it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dthut

I would and I did. It cost me $52.00 on Amazon.
I have a 2004 sable ls. Needed 12lbs torque for trans bolts. It was leaking because of being over torqued by the previous owner. Just like my oil pan gasket swollen out leaking on my 1993 f150 4.9 because it was over torqued. Nothing is leaking.
It's a 1/4 inch drive. 8mm bolts on my sable, 13mm bolts on my f150.
Buy it, its worth th he money.

Sep 16, 2022 | 10:04 PM

tbear853

Hotshot

Joined: Feb 2004

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From: The Shenandoah Valley

I use a lot of "snug" like for 5/16" fasteners through a cork gasket. I use torque wrenches for like engine bolts into castings like oil pumps, rod caps, main capa, heads, wheel studs & bolts usually but not always, etc. We used to build cars to race and use a TW on head bolts and bearing caps, not even on intake bolts. I reuse a few bolts too.

Sep 18, 2022 | 11:09 PM

79calicruiser

Tuned

Joined: Aug 2021

Posts: 256

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Test your skills on a oil pan gasket. The most important thing is to get all the bolts tightened in a cross cross pattern so it tightens up evenly. Don’t need to tourque wrench the pan just get it on even and tight if u get crazy your gasket will start squirting out and then you may have a leak again. Sometimes you might need to do it twice but that’s how you learn at least that’s how it’s been for me

Sep 19, 2022 | 06:00 PM

5851a

Logistics Pro

Joined: Oct 2006

Posts: 4,029

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From: East Central Ia

No torque wrench for low setting? Use 1/4 inch wrench set stubby handle, give you a lot better feel. way lower torque for small fasteners. Use 3/8 torque wrench for anything larger like manifolds and connecting rods. Use 1/2 inch for mains and heads or suspension. Just my thoughts, middle of the scale reading on wrench good rule to follow for the job.