Overheard a guy at the parts counter say he just uses a torque wrench on everything now

I was picking up a new water pump for a 6.7 Powerstroke in Billings last week and this older mechanic was talking to the clerk. He said, 'I got tired of guessing, so now I torque every bolt, even the small ones.' I mean, I always do it for heads and rods, but it made me think about all the valve covers and intake manifolds I've just cranked down by feel. Maybe I've been leaving some consistency on the table. How many of you actually break out the torque wrench for the 'less important' stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

harperjohnson1d ago

My buddy in Boise cracked a thermostat housing he just snugged by hand.

miagarcia1d ago

Honestly, I get the idea, but that sounds like a huge time sink. For a valve cover or something simple, a good calibrated wrist and common sense has never let me down.