RE: torque (a bit off topic)

[Jim Jablonski <jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As a former service manual writer, I can personally relate to Don's 
comments.  It was not unusual, while pestering busy engineers for 
service information (tough job, as we were definitely considered to be 
the bottom-feeders), to receive a "whatever it was last year" answer to 
many questions.

Dated and obsolete writer's style guides forced some silliness, as well, 
like having to note the torque specs for everything, including 
ridiculous things like instrument cluster screws.

The kind of folks we could pay (or couldn't pay) to write the manuals 
led to issues, as well.  We went through quite a turnover trying to find 
folks that could a) work on cars, and b) write well.  No offense meant, 
but not an easy-to-find combination.

It was a lot of fun, though.  I remember having a co-worker block the 
view of a security guard in the lobby of Buick City HQ while I crawled 
under the car and disassembled the fascia with tools I had stuffed into 
my pants.  And another time opening up the trunk of a pilot car in the 
LTG garage, only to find one of the maintenance guys sleeping one off in 
the trunk.  Apologies, I could go on and on ...

Jim Jablonski
Royal Oak, Michigan
'64 Fury

Don Dulmage wrote:
> 
> 
> Might I respectfully suggest dont try and torque everything. Your car 
> was never built that way in the first place  and it almost always leads 
> to trouble. Somethings need an impact wrench and were designed to be 
> assembled that way. Sometimes the torque spec was guessed at by the 
> person writing the manual or established by an engineer with no hands on 
> experience  just so there would be a spec of some sort even though in 
> the factory it wasnt built that way. . I have rerpaired more bolts and 
> was even on a call yestersday when peole get over zealous with their 
> need to torque everything,  thinking of course they are doing a perfect 
> job only to have a mishap. In the engine I am careful  and torque all 
> the mains and rods and such but after that even I use my God given sense 
> of feel.
> I try to use what the factory would have used.
> As a profesional mechanic for now almost 40 years I can tell you with 
> some assurance for our older cars it works better.  Newer cars 
> expecially exoctics are a bit different and real specs exist. Our cars 
> though were not designed  or built in that era. 
> Don Dulmage 
> Author of
> Return to Deutschland (True Adventure)
> Old Reliable (Mopar)
> http://stores.ebay.ca/Don-Dulmage-Enterprises
> http://seniordragster.bravehost.com/index.html
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 


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