valve cover torque

[seasand77]

What is the factory torque requirements for torqing the bolts on the valve covers of 1971 455ci 2v? Thanks

[Sgt Art]

Very little as in 7 lb ft. I use a 1/4" drive "T" type socket drive and snug until tight. These little bolts should not be over tightened as it will warp the sealing surfaces of the rocker arm cover.

[rocketraider]

"Fully driven, seated, not stripped" is the only spec I've ever seen for valve cover bolts. Sgt Art has a good idea. A cordless screwdriver or adjustable torque drill at lowest setting would work here too. I've put many in a bench vise and used the jaws as an anvil to straighten the flanges.

You'd think with 10 bolts, Olds valve covers wouldn't leak <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />. Just that many more points to leak at I guess!

[Sgt Art]

Here's a good link for that sort of thing. I too, had only heard

Fully driven, seated, not stripped but somewhere had a list of that little detail. It's kind of silly as I've never seen anyone using a torque wrench for small stuff like that. On transmissions, I've seen the little pounds-inch wrenches used but I only have a 1/2 drive torque wrench that would be ridiculous trying to torque a bolt to 7 lbs.

http://www.442.com/tech/torque.html