I get to install this oil pan twice, yay!

[66 Sat]

The problem with using a torque wrench on such small bolts with low torque is the accuracy of the wrench (potentially low) and the feel with such a long lever (no feel).
I'd do them by hand and then pinch them up with a short wrench.

 

[t.flatt]

I think that spec is way too high. I know the trans pan spec is. It'll split at the factory spec.
Doug

It might be. I think the dimpled bolt holes on the brand new oil pan are the biggest cause. The weird thing is that the gasket that split was between the block and windage tray. The oil pan must be made of much harder metal than the windage tray. I did flatten out some bolt holes on the windage tray as well after I took it apart.

 

[t.flatt]

The problem with using a torque wrench on such small bolts with low torque is the accuracy of the wrench (potentially low) and the feel with such a long lever (no feel).
I'd do them by hand and then pinch them up with a short wrench.

Yes, I've heard torque wrenches can not be trusted! For such low torque readings a mechanic's feel is probably a better guide.

 

[dvw]

I trust a good light duty torque wrench. I don't trust the spec. Gasket material has changed over the years.
Doug

 

[Phantomx]

I’ve got a tiny 1/4” drive beam torque wrench for that kind of stuff. Are you sure it wasn’t supposed to be 15 inch pounds?
Travis..

 

[khryslerkid]

I’ve got a tiny 1/4” drive beam torque wrench for that kind of stuff. Are you sure it wasn’t supposed to be 15 inch pounds?
Travis..

You would think so but everywhere you look they say 15 ft lbs.

The last gasket I bought was the Superformance. Won't squeeze out like cork. I use a 1/4" drive with a 6" extension and just snug them up one handed. You can watch for the gasket to squeeze out a tiny bit then stop. I think the last time I used a thin bead of Right Stuff.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Lay your finger on the edge of the gasket while torquing the bolts, when you feel the gasket start to deform stop and move to the next bolt.......

 

[beanhead]

You would think so but everywhere you look they say 15 ft lbs.

The last gasket I bought was the Superformance. Won't squeeze out like cork. I use a 1/4" drive with a 6" extension and just snug them up one handed. You can watch for the gasket to squeeze out a tiny bit then stop. I think the last time I used a thin bead of Right Stuff.

View attachment 1677318

Yes yes yes!
Using a 1/4" drive with one hand makes it hard to over-tighten these...of course some guys can screw up anything...but this is how I do it too and no problems.
Another tidbit I learnded from a former (old guy!) Chrysler factory race pro was to NOT use grade 8 bolts...grade 5s are better in this situation. If you use grade 8s they'll loosen with use and you'll get leaks, and constantly be under there re-tightening.

 

[RJ Squirrel]

Update on the summit windage tray/gasket. I jinxed myself by joking I might only have to do it twice. I dropped a washer in the valley before I had the valley pan on. It was like a pachinko game it bounced around and then made a loud "tink" when it hit the bottom of that new pan. Winner!
Anyhoo- the pan came off easy because I didn't use any sealer on the bottom side of the gasket, just the top at the timing cover and the rear main cap areas. I also filled all the dimples on the pan flange with JB weld and sanded it smooth. That took awhile because JB weld shrinks and needed three coats. So the windage tray stayed on the block securely and I could see that the ribs in the gasket compressed nicely and were sealing to the pan all around. Put the pan back on with no sealer again. I used 85 inch-pounds torque, that 15 foot pound spec seems like way too much to me.

 

[MarPar]

Update on the summit windage tray/gasket. I jinxed myself by joking I might only have to do it twice. I dropped a washer in the valley before I had the valley pan on. It was like a pachinko game it bounced around and then made a loud "tink" when it hit the bottom of that new pan. Winner!
Anyhoo- the pan came off easy because I didn't use any sealer on the bottom side of the gasket, just the top at the timing cover and the rear main cap areas. I also filled all the dimples on the pan flange with JB weld and sanded it smooth. That took awhile because JB weld shrinks and needed three coats. So the windage tray stayed on the block securely and I could see that the ribs in the gasket compressed nicely and were sealing to the pan all around. Put the pan back on with no sealer again. I used 85 inch-pounds torque, that 15 foot pound spec seems like way too much to me.

 

[t.flatt]

Update on the summit windage tray/gasket. I jinxed myself by joking I might only have to do it twice. I dropped a washer in the valley before I had the valley pan on. It was like a pachinko game it bounced around and then made a loud "tink" when it hit the bottom of that new pan. Winner!
Anyhoo- the pan came off easy because I didn't use any sealer on the bottom side of the gasket, just the top at the timing cover and the rear main cap areas. I also filled all the dimples on the pan flange with JB weld and sanded it smooth. That took awhile because JB weld shrinks and needed three coats. So the windage tray stayed on the block securely and I could see that the ribs in the gasket compressed nicely and were sealing to the pan all around. Put the pan back on with no sealer again. I used 85 inch-pounds torque, that 15 foot pound spec seems like way too much to me.

Screwing yourself is much easier to do than you'd first think! Glad it was an easy fix for you.

 

[Demonic]

It's inch pounds. 15 inch pounds, not foot pounds. That's from my 69 FSM.

 

[t.flatt]

Both my mopar engine building books state it as foot pounds. I guess that one got by the editors! I re-did the pan and went to 10 foot pounds. It came out looking great!

 

[t.flatt]

Fuel to the fire! This is my 1970 FSM. 200 in.-lbs. Look on the bottom row. That equals 16.67 ft-lbs. Yeah, time and gaskets change!