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So say the manual says something needs to be torqued at 12-17 inch lbs.

How do you torque it down? Right at 12? Right at 17? Or maybe in the middle say 14? Or does it really not matter as long as its in that range?

If it's inch pounds i do it in the middle or to the closest multiple of five, just because my TQ wrench is easy to set at denominations of five.

If it's foot pounds I do it right in the middle, both my Mastercraft and Mac one are a PITA to wind up or down but I don't want to torque to the least amount needed.

I thought so. Thats how i do it as well. In the middle number as possible. Im asking because I just replaced my oil cooler. New OEM gasket. Torqued to spec right in the middle of what that manual wanted but it seems to be leaking AGAIN. I was just curious how others do it. Do you recommend a re torque of stuff after its heated up and cooled down?

kulluminati777 wrote:I thought so. Thats how i do it as well. In the middle number as possible. Im asking because I just replaced my oil cooler. New OEM gasket. Torqued to spec right in the middle of what that manual wanted but it seems to be leaking AGAIN. I was just curious how others do it. Do you recommend a re torque of stuff after its heated up and cooled down?

Often times its not just the gasket thats leaking... sometimes its the pressure sensor, or possibly a cracked hosing...

I actually don't torque anything like that acording to the books.. I go by feel with a hand wrench most of the time..

Plus when you torque something with a torque wrench its very important the threads are clean, the bolts screw in and out by hand easy... When the wrench clicks you want it to happen while you are turning the bolt at a bit of a slow consistent speed...

When gaskets come into play you have go back and double check the torque, often times the gasket squishes leaving your first bolt loose..

Depending on the task I usually do it in the middle + quarter/half turn

I use the middle for anything with short thread depth, narrow bolts, etc. that run higher risk of being stripped.

Anything larger, with deep threads, I run the "max" torque.

I always go just shy of max reason being I've never heard of some thing getting tighter but I have seen torques drop after use from gaskets flattening out or what ever. Be sure to have your toque wrench calibrated as well to be sure it's actually applying the correct torque. As far as stripping the threads I'd rather have them strip while I'm torquing than strip when I'm driving down the road. Go Max or Go Home.