Did the dealership lie to me?

[NocturnalCreations]

Im helping out a friend with a 2000 Impala w/3.4 OHV. I had to change the lower intake gaskets and water pump gaskets. I called the dealer to get the torque for the rocker arms. They told me 15 Nm. I double checked with them cause it seems like a helll of a lot of torque but they said the same thing. As I was tightening the first bolt it felt like way too much torque so I stopped and lowered my setting to 10Nm. At the same time the torque wrench clicked I heard a crack...im like OMG WTF??? So now I tightened the next one but no crack. When I got to the 5th one I heard a crack again. I took the 5 rockers all the way off to see what broke and it was the spacer under the rocker. 2 out of 5 broke so now im scared to do the other 7. I called the dealer back and he said he doesnt know y they broke...wtf?

Did he give me the right info and these spacers just break like that or what?

Has anyone ever heard of this before?

oh yeah, I know im a retard for continuing to tighten the rockers after the first one broke

Thanks for ur help in advance

[maxwedge]

On line conversion shows that is about 10.5 lb/ft of torque no way that should happen, check the wrench or you work procedure, or pushrod lengths were switched, something.

[NocturnalCreations]

what was 15Nm on one side was around 110ft lbs on the other side of the wrench. that has to be too much

[NocturnalCreations]

Does anybody know the rocker arm torque on a 2000 Impala w/3.4 OHV?

[57chevyragtop]

14 ft. lbs. (19 Nm) plus 30 degrees....

[16th hippy]

you could buy the rocker arm tool so you wouldn't have to loosen them. ~$15 to save time.

[NocturnalCreations]

Originally Posted by 16th hippy

you could buy the rocker arm tool so you wouldn't have to loosen them. ~$15 to save time.

That sounds useful, I didnt know they made a tool like that.

Thanks for all the help guys...as always this forum kicks @ss. The service manager is gonna find me some spacers for free

[maxwedge]

It is basically a valve spring compressor that allows the rocker arm to be freed up enough to slip the pushrod out, Snap On and Mac tools both have them. It is a time saver, but for a one time job most people will take the longer route, a time based service dept's techs really can use it.

[GMMerlin]

Originally Posted by NocturnalCreations

what was 15Nm on one side was around 110ft lbs on the other side of the wrench. that has to be too much

The service manager is gonna find me some spacers for free

Why is it the service managers fault..it seems that your torque wrench was wrong (5 newton meter = 11.063 432 209 pound foot)

[NocturnalCreations]

im gonna have to buy that, i've only seen the one to compress the valve springs

I dont have a lot of time to work on cars these days because I started doing home remodeling again as a contractor but I still customize cars...its my passion

and im not blaming the service manager, it was my fault. These guys r just cool and let me have cheap parts if they have them in their tool box. I got a new torque wrench and read it wrong but atleast my gut feeling was right, I just didnt listen to it like I should have.

Oh well, we live and we learn

[j cAT]

get a torque guide so that you will know approx. how much to torque your hardware. all beginners need to use torque wrenches until they have learned when too much cranking will break the fasteners. 110 ft lbs is good for 9/16inch bolts.then you should get familiar with fastener hardness grades, etc..even the professionals break bolts. I bet you'll still saved alot of money doing this yourself. keep learning and over the years you will save $$$$$.........

[16th hippy]

matco has them too, they even have the shorter one for the venture vans...the long one won't fit for the front bank.

[NocturnalCreations]

thanks guys. Im not really new to this, thats how I new it was too much torque from feel. This new torque wrench just threw me off. I do more suspensions than anything so on motors I have to slow down and question torque specs. The one side of my wrench says: daN.m, I thought it was the same as N.m but obviously not.

[57chevyragtop]

The real caution is the Motors Manuals and Chiltons as well have errors and must be checked thoroughly before using the info ie: Motors has the torque listed as 14 inch lbs on one chart and 14 ft lbs plus 30 degrees on another and Chiltons has it 89 Nm 10 inch lbs. so it is good to double check the numbers....Wouldn't be nice if the dealers had a library of manuals for use by customers....just a thought....

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by 57chevyragtop

The real caution is the Motors Manuals and Chiltons as well have errors and must be checked thoroughly before using the info ie: Motors has the torque listed as 14 inch lbs on one chart and 14 ft lbs plus 30 degrees on another and Chiltons has it 89 Nm 10 inch lbs. so it is good to double check the numbers....Wouldn't be nice if the dealers had a library of manuals for use by customers....just a thought....

Actually it would be nice if some of these auto parts stores had an area within the store with a library of manuals for customers to look through. Back in the mid '80s there was an auto parts chain store in my area called National Auto. In each of their stores they had an area set aside with book shelves, tables and chairs, and a photocopier. Customers could peruse the books to get the info they needed, and if they wished, they could photocopy the book pages to take with them. They mainly had Factory Service Manuals too. That area was usually busy, and I thought it was a good tool to bring in customers. After they looked up the info , they could then buy the parts they needed to do the job.