vagalati

OK, I'm going to replace the head gasket again and I don't want to spend hours unscrewing and screwing to the correct torque every single bolt from different parts inside the engine bay. I know I have to be very careful with the head itself so especially there I'll take it slow.
I have an air compressor and was thinking of buying an air tool kit like this one: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...ct_description

Is using these power wrenches recommended for automotive? The honda service manual has specific torques for pretty much any bolt/screw.
If not recommended, what kind of tools should I use to make the job more enjoyable and faster?? What do you use?

lowlife9

they have torque specs for a reason. if you go using air tools your going to start striping or breaking bolts.

ezone

I'd say a big maybe. Depends on your needs.
The first review I saw at the bottom of the page pretty much said it all.

A buddy of mine bought a very similar set from Fleet and Farm.....The tools are definitely consumer grade meaning they are not as powerful as what I buy as a pro (his 1/2 gun from this kit wouldn't take off lugs on his one-ton GMC Dually.....Mine will break the studs off).
I assume the lifespan would be appropriately short too.
However, they are cheap. What, like $23 per air tool in that kit?

Mine were definitely not cheap.
I also make my living with mine.

Kit includes (1) 1/2in. 260 FT/LBS Impact Wrench,
Weak punk stuff. LOL
But good enough for most car lugnuts and stuff.
The sockets I remember as decent.

My Ingersoll-Rand was advertised at 1100+ ft-lb and it still won't take out half of the crank pulley bolts I see.
Like this one:
(1) 3/8in. 60 FT/LBS Ratchet Wrench
That's plenty 'nuff to mash all your knuckles and hold them there if you aren't careful.

TIP-TRICK: Once your fingers are mashed because the trigger got caught and is STILL applied, unplug the air hose with your free hand to let the tool "relax".

Also, break bolts loose before pulling the trigger.
Use for speed, not to tighten or loosen.

(1) 4,500 BPM Air Hammer with 3 Chisels,
No idea.
Wear ear protection.
Put the air chisel on a big steel workbench when nobody is looking and pull the trigger..... Great fun.


(1) 1/4” 25,000RPM Die Grinder,
Ok. Hope it has a throttle that can be feathered. It is really rare that I ever need that thing running full blast. You can do major damage in a hurry.

Those grinding stone bits? Just throw them away now. You will put your eye out when one shatters at 25,000 RPM.


TIP-TRICK: Don't EVER let any high speed grinding stone freeze. Stones absorb moisture and freezing will cause them to crack. You won't know it is cracked until it is too late.
I have a story about a bench grinder and my dads 68 Nova that was sitting in front of the workbench. And then having to change my underoos.

Use real carbide burrs with this one if working with metal.

I'm not sure what the sanding discs are I saw mentioned, but I doubt they should be spinning that fast. Maybe those are barrel shaped sanding drums? Those are handy.



Nutshell: Air tools are GREAT for taking things apart.
Don't put critical things together with them. Do that by hand.
You have no "feel" with most air tools, and it takes a crapton of experience to get that "feel".

(I sometimes install sparkplugs with an impact gun just to make onlookers jaws drop.)

lowlife9

op disregards torque specs and procedures wonders why hes replacing his head gaskit again.

ezone

I totally missed that.

04 Honda Civic

iTrader: (2)

What IR gun you have ezone? 2135?
That Matco looks like a rebranded IR
I was hoping it would remove my crank bolt when it comes time to doing my tb again.

I think its a good setup for someone getting started, but I find it better to buy name brand used tools second hand.

If your not looking for pro stuff, check out Sears and Harbor freight they are good options as well, heard a few pros using Harbor freight earthquake guns with great sucess, a bit more pricey-but still in the realm of a DIY/weekender.
If you work on your own car often enough your tools will pay for themselves many times over.

There are torque specs for every bolt on a car, but if I have to be honest they are not all necessary. Of course when your torquing down a head you better have a damn good torque wrench, but doing things like a water pump, motor mounts, alt bolts can be done by "feel" It just comes from wrenching long enough, and knowing what your air tools are able and not able to do. You need to be careful, using a Half inch gun on full blast to run 10mm fasteners into aluminum for example can get you into trouble pretty quick. You need to know your tools, and use common sense.

Ill be honest and say that my 1/4 inch air ratchet is the best tool I own, it really wont overtighten anything, even with 120 pounds behind it. I use it to run almost all fasteners down and then use a hand ratchet to tighten them down properly.

I own all blue point, mac, and IR stuff when it comes to air tools and I didnt pay nearly as much as sticker price, buying them used.

ezone

I have no idea. I'd have to see if it still says anything that is readable. It is the red composite body like in the video.
My first 1/2" IR lasted close to 20 years, and it was neglected and abused. Only oiled when it was noticeably weaker than usual.
It is.
Good idea, if you can find it that way.

Do you realize how many people have NO feel for things like this?Forget air power. I mean by hand.
Even "pros" that don't have common sense or "feel" when it comes to tightening things?
Can't tell the difference between having the bolts "squish the gasket", "hit bottom", "get tight enough to hold", and then SNAP!
Or look up specs wrong, then rigidly adhere to those wrong specs --- no matter what.
Well used for sure when doing timing belts and the like. We run 165-175PSI. Mine will snap off 6mm threaded hardware (10mm head) if I let it.
I DO use mine for the vast majority of tightening. My idea of hand tightening is using the air ratchet by hand (unpowered) after running it in with air (when necessary).
Impact? Controlled trigger pull. But I also know my tools well enough to trust my judgement and stand behind it.

I won't buy Snappy or BP again, was rebuilding yearly after 5 years.... I-R has done me well, first lasted close to 20 before any hint of failure.



Speaking of SPECS...
Bubbas Teknikal Tips:
[autostream]http://autostream.com/ibcivicforums/?page_type=firebirdplayerthumbnail&framepage=1358& transactionid=1355555684-982224733&posted_by=_www.civicforums.com&youtube_v ideo_id=AkNsa0BK7Zw[/autostream]

lowlife9

Harbor freight earthquake sounds official.

04 Honda Civic

iTrader: (2)

I run 120 pounds and it gets down to about 90 before it kicks on again, I guess its over time that you start to understand your own strenght, your tools strength, as well as the strength of your air tools.

I hate tightening gasket bolts down, specifically oil pan, you need to be pretty careful on how you much you tighten em of you will leak.

I dont know if your being sarcastic or not lowlife, but its actually a decent gun from what I read, I dont actually own one, and am very picy about what chinese tools I buy.

vagalati

nope nothing to do with it; I didn't use any power tools before and I spent hours torqueing everything as honda recommends in the service manual.

I was looking for air tools that are safe (e.g. automatically shut off at specific torques but couldn't find any). What do the mechanics in dealerships use to make their job faster?

ezone

That's kinda nonexistent.
Air tools pretty much operate at the max if the trigger is pulled all the way.
The best you can hope for is a trigger you can "throttle" or "feather" so you have some control over how much of the air is applied to the tool.

Most impact guns have some sort of adjustment dial that really just restricts the airflow through an orifice.
On that note, most of the Ingersoll guns only limit in the forward direction, while giving full blast in reverse.

Air tools are made for SPEED.
If you want precision, you do it by hand.
It IS possible to have both speed and control, but you gave up precision with using the air tools.
The best of all parts can be combined in the methods, but not in a single tool.


You can get "torque sticks" that limit the max torque that can be applied, but the only ones I have seen are calibrated for those torques that common wheel lugnuts use.

Work smarter, not harder.


Some of the tricks I use, most people REALLY don't want or need to know.

lowlife9

there you go invent a air gun with adjustable torque become rich then pay somebody to do your headgasket. id buy one.

ezone

Matco MT1769A
780 ft-lb forward, 1100 ft-lb in reverse.

Still, some crank pulley bolts just laugh at it, say it hits like a b!tch.

04 Honda Civic

iTrader: (2)

Yea, its a 2135, I am hoping with some heat and some serious pressure behind it I could take my crank shaft bolt off when the time comes again.

I know some bolts you need a 3/4 gun though.

ezone

3/4" or even a 1" impact gun would be nice, but I can't justify that expense when I have a lift and have the right tools for holding the crank pulleys available 20 feet away and they really don't take any extra time to use. Just more effort.

If I was in a truck shop, a 3/4 or 1" gun would get plenty of use and be a justifiable expense.

A little heat goes a long way, and can work freekin' miracles.