torqueing questions

[ron bayless]

I have a thread started here about my 80 gs 1000L and why it wont turn over freely as it should.Many have offered their help,but it lead me to think and now I have a different question.Since my motor turned over perfectly before i started taking it apart and putting it back together then the reassembly skills i dont have are probably the culprit.I will check the cam chain tensioner to see if it it adjusted properly,but what about these questions:
1.what if i got the valve cover bolts too tight,could the valv cover be rubbing against the cam chain?
2.what if i got the cam caps too tight,could that keep the cam from turning?
3.All I had was a gorilla type torque wrench, and it had no reading as low as 6.5 foot pounds for the caps or 4.5 for the valve cover nuts.You put it on a nut and as soon as you give it the least tug it goes to 10 so it was of little use to me even though i said from 4-150 pounds reading capabilities.All input appreciated. 4.If all my aforementioned bolts are too tight,can I go back and loosen them and be OK?

[Suzuki mad]

1. NO. There's more than enough room even if you haven't put a gasket in without them touching.

2. Yes. The cam will still turn but be very tight. If there's not enough oil getting to the surfaces you could be causing a slight seizing on the bearing surfaces ruining the head.

3. ? 4.5 to 6.5 ft/lbs torque is very small, just over hand tight. The best way to describe it is to get the bolts to start to go tight and then a little extra turn. Almost like a minute on a clock face little turn. I use a 1/4in drive socket with a small rachet thats less than 2inches long for those jobs.

4. Yes. As long as you haven't stripped any.

Get rid of 'Guy the gorilla' and get a click version. When it reaches the set torque the neck of the tool breaks casuing a click sound which say's 'tight enough.'

Suzuki mad

[ron bayless]

1. NO. There's more than enough room even if you haven't put a gasket in without them touching.

2. Yes. The cam will still turn but be very tight. If there's not enough oil getting to the surfaces you could be causing a slight seizing on the bearing surfaces ruining the head.

3. ? 4.5 to 6.5 ft/lbs torque is very small, just over hand tight. The best way to describe it is to get the bolts to start to go tight and then a little extra turn. Almost like a minute on a clock face little turn. I use a 1/4in drive socket with a small rachet thats less than 2inches long for those jobs.

4. Yes. As long as you haven't stripped any.

Get rid of 'Guy the gorilla' and get a click version. When it reaches the set torque the neck of the tool breaks casuing a click sound which say's 'tight enough.'

Suzuki mad

LIKE I SAID,YOU ARE DOUBLE COOL.M8!

[rphillips]

Sorry, Too much torque, on cam caps, shouldn't make engine any tighter. Proper torque is important to prevent stripped threads, twisted off bolts, or bolts backing out. Get a torque wrench, buy, beg, borrow, steal, or you can rent one @ Auto Zone, O'Charlies, Advanced Auto Parts, etc.

[waterman]

Ron, I have been following your tale and wondered if you had lubed the head after your gasket replacement. I have replaced my leaking head gasket on a 650 and if I remember correctly, after installing the head you should use assembly lube on the cam journals as well as the cam lobes. Further, the shop manual notes that 50cc of motor oil should be pour over the valve springs etc.
I doubt that you over torqued the cam cover bolts since the soft aluminum of the head would would probably strip out, don't ask me how I know...
When I regasketed my bike, after setting up the cam timing, I hit the starter to make sure that everything spun correctly and to make sure that oil was getting up to the cam journals.
My advice would be pop off valve cover, check for plenty of oil in valve depressions and near cam journals. Then I would remove plugs and manually spin engine to recheck valve timing. Once sure everything was okay, try starter without plugs, should spin easy. Go from there.

[fgh]

Torque wrenches have a hidden littlle secret. They are accurate only when set to 80 percent of their max. If the max torque is 100 ft lbs then it will give unreilable readings if set to less than 20. This is for the click type. I'd guess the bar type are also inaccurate when going for low torques. I have a Snap On that maxes at 75 that I have used for 7 to 8 lb bolts and not stripped them. But I decided that instead of pushing my luck that way I'd try a Harbor Freight 1/4" wrench. They are about $30 and a reliable guy on the Wing board says he uses one and it works without a problem. Even claimed to have tested it and it was pretty accurate. Hopefully my luck doesn't run out when I put the heli-cores in for the cam chain tensioner bolts and try to put 84 inches on them. LOL

[ron bayless]

Thanks guys.I cant see why over torqueing would not make the engine harder to spin,but i am definitely going to take the valve cover off,better lube the cam journals,i had used white assembly grease,but did not pour oil over the valves etc.I am going to loosen cam caps,more grease,oil the valve area,remove the plugs and manually turn over the motor to make sure things turn easily this time.Man,screw up and you pay dearly.