Rick Kusturin

This past weekend I changed the oil pan gasket on my 2005 Honda Civic LX. Getting the exhaust out of the way wasn't a big issue...nor was putting the Permatex in the designated areas. What was tricky was putting the bolts and nuts back on...and, hence, my question.

I have done this job before...and have had, and DID have, a torque wrench at my disposal. The torque specs are 12nm per bolt. With wrench set to proper torque spec, I tightened each bolt. I have experienced the sinking feeling when you snap off an oil pan, or any other, bolt. So what I'd like to ask is when the work is so critical, when do you just chicken out and not go "all the way" as it were? I didn't go to 12nm, but I knew where the line was because the wrench would have told me that. And I snugged them up to something a little less than that; some posts here talk about just snugging them.

So...should I have trusted my TEKTON torque wrench or am I ok with a little less than specified torque?

mac25

I've done mine twice now (had to open it up to check out the pistons after a timing belt snapped).

Here's the method i used.

-remove all oil from both surfaces
-remove all gasket material (i used a credit card and scotch bright pads)
-use degreaser on both surfaces
- apply liquid gasket intended for oil application to the oil pan
-install the pan by snugging the bolts up to the pan just enough that there feels like some contact but not enough to feel like any torque.
-let the gasket dry for 24 hours or more
-chock up on a 3/8th drive ratchet so your hand is as close as it can get to the 10mm socket.
-tighten just enough that the bolt stops spinning freely, plus 45 degrees.

Basically your only applying whatever the torque of 45 degrees is from a 3/8th ratchet after only spinning a tinny bit once conntact is made between the bolt, the pan and the block.

ezone

That's only 106 in/lb so I'd be using an inch-pound torque wrench (1/4" drive). A larger torque wrench may not be accurate enough at such a low area on its scale.

I'd probably be more inclined to be tightening it by feel.