Oil Pan (sump) bolt torque spec?

Anyone?

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

On a 986, the oil drain bolt torque spec is 37 ft. lbs.

Bruce
2001 Boxster
1984 Carrera Targa
1977 911S (Euro)

and i provided the answer: two stage torquing first 3 lb-ft, in the proper alternating, in--> out sequence, then repeat at 7 lb-ft

BTW, while the factory agrees with your 37 lb-ft spec for the drain plug, i would not apply that much torque to it - and never do. I use about 25.

G

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/2016 08:22AM by grant. (view changes)

That reminds me of when the dealer broke the plug on my 981 about 2 years ago: not that 37 is much too high, but maybe they torqued significantly more, thus cracking it.
Here's a very rough comparison: the cam cap bolts on Alfa 1750 engines are spec'd to 14, and considering all the stress, that torque was adequate, so for mere pan bolts, 7 seems plenty.

Quote
Laz
That reminds me of when the dealer broke the plug on my 981 about 2 years ago: not that 37 is much too high, but maybe they torqued significantly more, thus cracking it.
Here's a very rough comparison: the cam cap bolts on Alfa 1750 engines are spec'd to 14, and considering all the stress, that torque was adequate, so for mere pan bolts, 7 seems plenty.

Drain plug is like any other coponent it can fail at any time, but they thankfully seldom fail at any time. However, what often results in the early/premature demise of the Boxster drain plug is somone loosens the drain plug without inserting the tool bit all the way into the hole. The hole and bit are a close enough fit that there can be some resistance when inserting the bit and one stops short of inserting the tool bit all the way. The plug is loosened but drain plug is very stressed because the bit was not inserted all the way. The plug gets deformed and now a tool bit very likely can't be inserted in all the way because a ridge had developed where the tool bit ended. When the plug is torqued down the bit again isn't (can't be) inserted all the way and the plug can then fail as it is not capable of withstanding the torque with only half its tool bit socket being used.

This kind of happened to me. I had my Boxster's oil/filter changed at a quicky lube place. The dealer was booked up solid and I was leaving on a road trip and didn't want to run the oil any longer than it had already been run. to change the oil/filter myself required lug ramps, drain pan, oil/fitler, tools, 30 miles to the office and do the oil change on the floor of the shipping bay. I thought with me superintending things would be ok. But I failed to detect the tech didn't insert the tool bit in far enough. He mananged to get the drain plug out ok and back in ok and I drove the car 5K miles on a road trip and in a few weeks was back at the local dealer to get the oil/filter changed at its 5K mile interval.

The tech found the hole deformed to the point he had to hammer the bit into the hole to get it deep enough he could unscrew the drain plug without it breaking. Luckily he had a spare old drain plug in good shape which he gave me. I ordered a couple of new ones and gave him one to replace the one he gave me and next oil change had the used one replaced with the new one. I keep a new drain plug in the console of both cars.

allen "hole" was dirty, i was sloppy, result was stripped allen - solution was hammer it in and replace.

Now i keep it nice and clean :-)

I also don't put it on as the dealer apparently does, with an air wrench :-(

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

There are adjustable ones.

I can't remember the brand -- not Snap-On though -- the wrenches the techs have which are things of beauty. Small straight and right-angle air wrenches that look like they would work equally well with fine timepieces or battleship assembly. I watched one tech remove the front bumper screws and install them using one of these wrenches. He had the screws out in no time all the time talking to me. Puts the screws in too with the wrench. Takes him no time. And time is very important in that environment.

with electric or air... but slowly. Then I **really** finish them by hand or with a torque wrench.

The key is slowly, at least with the electric impact wrenches i have. But they still save time and, frankly, repetitive stress on me.

But yes, I have seen wrenches that can be set to be gentle. Suffice it to say few use them :-)

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Sorry Grant. I misunderstood your original question. You were asking about oil pan bolts, and I was thinking the sump drain bolt...my bad!

I agree that 37 ft lbs. for the sump bolt is a high torque value. I actually use LN Engineering's aluminum sump bolt that contains a strong magnet. The torque spec on that aluminum bolt is 19 ft. lbs. which I feel more comfortable with.

Bruce
2001 Boxster
1984 Carrera Targa
1977 911S (Euro)

you strip the $2 bolt. Or if you're using an LN adapter until you strip the $200 oil pan.

j/k