cracked valve cover

[Brian R.]

To me, 17 ft-lbs is moderate wrist torque with my hand at the socket end of the wrench

[It is a car!]

Strange but true - you try your best to do a quality job by following the good manual but now you wished you had not.
You actually begin to wish you had just relied on your good-ol-hand-feel-bolt-torquing instinct like we do on many other repairs.
Not only did the manual not help you do a better job in this particular case it actually hurt you.
my my - who can we trust?

[Brian R.]

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

I know on the 94 it's 27 foot lbs per the Toyota technical service manual. I did mine a few years ago to that spec to stop a minor leak in to the spark plug well and it took that torque just fine. It hasn't leaked since.

I would try a recycling yard for a replacement cam cover. It would be a lot cheaper than the dealer.

Mike

Mike, the value you quoted (probably actually 29 ft-lbs) is the torque used to tighten the spark plug tubes into the head, not the head cover torque. As you said, it is the torque needed to seal the tubes against oil leakage into the tubes.

Placed into the FAQ thread:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...6&postcount=74

[Brian R.]

My local Toyota dealer confirmed that 17 ft-lbs is correct for all 5S-FE engine tube nuts.

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by Brian R.

Mike, the value you quoted (probably actually 29 ft-lbs) is the torque used to tighten the spark plug tubes into the head, not the head cover torque. As you said, it is the torque needed to seal the tubes against oil leakage into the tubes.

Placed into the FAQ thread:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...6&postcount=74

Brian,

Thanks. You are correct. I realized this some years ago. This thread and my original answer to this thread was from 2005. I have since been recommending 17 ft lbs.

Mike

[Brian R.]

Yes, I've seen you in another website....

[feniks]

oh my ...

some time ago I had a small oil leak from top down cylinder 2 plug tube. to stop it i re-torqued the valve cover per haynes .as nut sitting over that tube was completely loose .. using 33ft-lbs on all nuts (from inside to outside). i wish i had seen this thread earlier!
it didn't crack though for 4 months ... but now 4 months later i found 2 major leaks from the valve cover gasket, one is at the back and the other one is on the TB side. i guess 33ft-lbs kills the gasket (old one) faster too ...

will stick to 17ft-lbs for future.

[Brian R.]

Probably, you warped the head cover. If you replace the gasket, check the gasket flange on the head cover for straightness. Get it straight in all directions before you use it.

[feniks]

Originally Posted by Brian R.

Probably, you warped the head cover. If you replace the gasket, check the gasket flange on the head cover for straightness. Get it straight in all directions before you use it.

will check that when replacing the gasket and tube nut seals in valve cover in a few weeks. would have them for this weekend, only problem is that some mf'er had stolen my UPS package with OEM parts right from my door when i was at work still, grrrrrr ... hate such people ...