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Another reason why not to use aftermarket manuals

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I was working on a friends engine today, re-installing the heads, I had forgot my factory manuals at home and was using his Hanes manual. I was working on an EJ22 and the torque sequence is very complex. All the way through the steps it is talking about foot pounds, when I get to the thrid form the last step, it suddenly changed to inch pounds. I thought the torque values were really high, but not that high (I've had to torque some head at that value). So in the process of torquing the bolts to that value, one of the bolts broke. So I have to pull the whole engine, and now it is sitting in a machine shop wait from the machinist to come to work on Monday. By the way, there is quite a difference between 11 foot pounds and 132 foot pounds, but 132 inch pounds in close to 11 foot pounds.

That really stinks I'm sorry to hear that. I haven't had that happened to me yet(cross my fingers). I try to only use those manuals for general stuff.

 

Joe

Using SI units would be good but I just don't see many torque wrenches out there with N*m as there unit of measurement. Then again I may not be looking in the right places.

  • Author

I think some of you don't understand, the manual was using the term foot pounds throughout the whole process, then in the last process it changed to inch pounds. There was no mention of any other torque values, like N*m, so you couldn't compare them. It is just stupid to be using one value all the way through, and then change it at the end of the process. If I had brought my FSM that wouldn't have happened.

Man that sucks Corky.

I use a digital torque wrench at work and it's nice being able switch units of measure. Problem is that it's a Proto wrench and we can't get repair parts for it anymore even though it's only four years old.

 

I had a similar problem doing heads on a Ford. The Haynes book didn't tell me to replace the bolts and it turned out they're the one-time-use variety (they stretch.) So just as I'm approaching the target torque value on the last bolt...snap! Kinda sucks taking it all apart and buying another new headgasket.

If the auto manufacturers were required to post their FSMs online, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. But that'll never happen. It's just one of my pet peves.

Originally posted by GLCraigGT

Using SI units would be good but I just don't see many torque wrenches out there with N*m as there unit of measurement. Then again I may not be looking in the right places.

 

My craftsman adjustable torque wrench has ft/lbs on one side and if you flip it over it has newton meters :D

 

I think it cost like $50 or so :-\

my crappy haynes book has about 10 diagrams on pwr widows,but jack shat on the air suspension system or chassis gnd circuit

 

QUOTE"these systems are generally beyond the scope of the do it yourself mechanic"

 

Apparently writing manuals is well beyond the "scope" of these "perfessionals"!Do they even proof these things ?

  • Author

Oh, I forgot to mention that when the bolt snapped, there was so much released forced that it blew my torque wrench apart, thankfully it was a Craftsman and Sears replaced it.

  • Author

Well, bolt got removed, engine all together, it fired right up (I didn't expect anything less).

Glad to hear it. The way it sounds, is that it might have been a typo in the haynes manual. Is there any other reason they'd use FT/lb and then switch to IN/lb?

 

-Brian

  • Author

Yes, most foot pound torque wrenches don't go below 20 ft lbs. But my Craftsman can got down to 10 ft lbs. Haynes should have made it clear that they had changed to inch pounds, by bolding the text, or a special foot note.

Or just have stuck to a standard set of measurements, and not change them. I dont think I've ever run into anything like that by using my FSM. Probably the reason why all the chiltons and Haynes manual's I've had, i ended up using to level my computer desk.

 

-Brian

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