rod bolt torque- oil vs. vasoline

Horsepwraddict

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Mar 3, 2007
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i know everyone says stretch guages are best but i dont have one. I have heard of people using vasoline (what i used last time i pulled a few caps on a used motor and put them back on) and others use motor oil and i have heard of people installing them dry.

whats everyones opinion and what do you do/use?
 

Hitman

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Oct 15, 2004
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I'd at least use oil.

better yet...buy some ARP's, and they have that nice little chart on all their boxes with torque figures for oil and moly lube.
 

Horsepwraddict

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ya, i always use lube. I think im going to invest in a stretch guage. I hate doing it with a torque wrench, it doesn't take much with a big torque wrench and it just feels loose.
 

78Bu88SS

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Nov 1, 2003
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You would be surprised how much different lubricants affect the torque reading. Always clean the bolt and nut good w/ parts cleaner, then either use 30wt oil or moly assembly lube. Torque specs are given using particular lubes and to get an accurate torque, the proper lube must be used with that spec. If the given torque is 45ftlbs using 30wt oil, use 30wt. If you use a slicker moly, that 45ftlbs would be significantly different.

The bigger the torque wrench the more usuable torque you are creating. It might seem easier to to but 45ftlbs is 45ftlbs. Basically, the longer the handle, the less force you need to apply to create the same torque.
 

LS6 Tommy

MalibuRacing Junkie
May 15, 2004
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78'Bu-88SS said:
You would be surprised how much different lubricants affect the torque reading. Always clean the bolt and nut good w/ parts cleaner, then either use 30wt oil or moly assembly lube. Torque specs are given using particular lubes and to get an accurate torque, the proper lube must be used with that spec. If the given torque is 45ftlbs using 30wt oil, use 30wt. If you use a slicker moly, that 45ftlbs would be significantly different.

The bigger the torque wrench the more usuable torque you are creating. It might seem easier to to but 45ftlbs is 45ftlbs. Basically, the longer the handle, the less force you need to apply to create the same torque.


X2. 100% correct.


Tommy
 

Horsepwraddict

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oh i know, im just curious as to what people do. aftermarket stuff is a different story but with stock stuff its so common for peoople to do whatever they feel like and everyone has a different opinion. On something like ARP's i would never do anyhing other than what ARP specifies.
 

Horsepwraddict

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Mar 3, 2007
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78'Bu-88SS said:
You would be surprised how much different lubricants affect the torque reading. Always clean the bolt and nut good w/ parts cleaner, then either use 30wt oil or moly assembly lube. Torque specs are given using particular lubes and to get an accurate torque, the proper lube must be used with that spec. If the given torque is 45ftlbs using 30wt oil, use 30wt. If you use a slicker moly, that 45ftlbs would be significantly different.

The bigger the torque wrench the more usuable torque you are creating. It might seem easier to to but 45ftlbs is 45ftlbs. Basically, the longer the handle, the less force you need to apply to create the same torque.

when i get my stretch guage i plan on doing a little testing/comparing, ive always been curious to see how torque vs. stretch figures compare.

And as far as a big torque wrench goes, i know that torque is torque and a longer handle will provide more leverage. You cant argue that it plays with your mind a little bit when you barely pull on it and it clicks off though. I need to invest in a lower rated 3/8's drive TW.
 

78Bu88SS

Dragway Regular
Nov 1, 2003
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Horsepwraddict said:
78'Bu-88SS said:
You would be surprised how much different lubricants affect the torque reading. Always clean the bolt and nut good w/ parts cleaner, then either use 30wt oil or moly assembly lube. Torque specs are given using particular lubes and to get an accurate torque, the proper lube must be used with that spec. If the given torque is 45ftlbs using 30wt oil, use 30wt. If you use a slicker moly, that 45ftlbs would be significantly different.

The bigger the torque wrench the more usuable torque you are creating. It might seem easier to to but 45ftlbs is 45ftlbs. Basically, the longer the handle, the less force you need to apply to create the same torque.

when i get my stretch guage i plan on doing a little testing/comparing, ive always been curious to see how torque vs. stretch figures compare.

And as far as a big torque wrench goes, i know that torque is torque and a longer handle will provide more leverage. You cant argue that it plays with your mind a little bit when you barely pull on it and it clicks off though. I need to invest in a lower rated 3/8's drive TW.

Haha I hear ya. Id say if you are using stock hardware, just use rebuild specs based on that. There really isnt a whole lot of variation between the two. Somewhere on the torque spec chart or in the manual its gotta say what to use as a lube. Me personally, Id use 30wt oil on stock hardware, and ARPs supplied moly lube on there hardware.

I forget where I was reading it but if you use a stretch gauge to tighten down a fastener then use a torque wrench to remove it, it requires a lot more torque then spec. Alot of this probably comes down to the lube. When I put together a motor, I usually torque the fastener slightly more then spec because of this.

Erik, this motor for the S10? Whats the specs on it? You told me once but I forget lol. What are you doing for a rear end? Hint hint I "may" have some 7.5 parts for sale soon if I convince my dad to go 9".
 

Horsepwraddict

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78'Bu-88SS said:
Horsepwraddict said:
78'Bu-88SS said:
You would be surprised how much different lubricants affect the torque reading. Always clean the bolt and nut good w/ parts cleaner, then either use 30wt oil or moly assembly lube. Torque specs are given using particular lubes and to get an accurate torque, the proper lube must be used with that spec. If the given torque is 45ftlbs using 30wt oil, use 30wt. If you use a slicker moly, that 45ftlbs would be significantly different.

The bigger the torque wrench the more usuable torque you are creating. It might seem easier to to but 45ftlbs is 45ftlbs. Basically, the longer the handle, the less force you need to apply to create the same torque.

when i get my stretch guage i plan on doing a little testing/comparing, ive always been curious to see how torque vs. stretch figures compare.

And as far as a big torque wrench goes, i know that torque is torque and a longer handle will provide more leverage. You cant argue that it plays with your mind a little bit when you barely pull on it and it clicks off though. I need to invest in a lower rated 3/8's drive TW.

Haha I hear ya. Id say if you are using stock hardware, just use rebuild specs based on that. There really isnt a whole lot of variation between the two. Somewhere on the torque spec chart or in the manual its gotta say what to use as a lube. Me personally, Id use 30wt oil on stock hardware, and ARPs supplied moly lube on there hardware.

I forget where I was reading it but if you use a stretch gauge to tighten down a fastener then use a torque wrench to remove it, it requires a lot more torque then spec. Alot of this probably comes down to the lube. When I put together a motor, I usually torque the fastener slightly more then spec because of this.

Erik, this motor for the S10? Whats the specs on it? You told me once but I forget lol. What are you doing for a rear end? Hint hint I "may" have some 7.5 parts for sale soon if I convince my dad to go 9".



yea, the motor is all together, sitting on the stand waiting to be run. Its a 355 with a stock crank, stock rods, forged flat-tops, vortecs, GMPP intake, holley 600 vac secondary and a crane energizer. Its a real mild build, i had torque in mind when building it. Desktop dyno shows 350hp 390ft/lbs. And it should peak around 5500 rpms which is exactly what i wanted. Should be fun in a reg cab short box 2wd.

as for the rear im running a girdled cover, welded tubes and a posi or locker. What parts 'might' you have nick? i will be looking for some sort or posi or locker, im thinking powertrax.

oh yea, i could tell there was MUCH less resistance using vasoline over the 30wt. i have used on other builds.
 

78Bu88SS

Dragway Regular
Nov 1, 2003
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Cape Cod, MA
Stud girdle cover and a powertrax 26 spline locker from the malibu. Is yours a 26 or 28 spline? I'll talk to my dad this weekend when I go home for break.
 

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