• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A Re torquing the cylinder head bolt that is beside the heater valve for the 1000 mi re torque?

Share this page

karls59tr said:
It looks like a regular socket would not fit there? Does a thin wall socket fit in there OK and who sells them?
Click to expand...

2 things worked for me:
1. Turn the heater valve slightly so a flat vs a point is facing the cylinder head nut
2. Use a claw foot socket.. but that may not withstand the 100lb of torque and is off center.

But…Why not remove the heater valve for this? Seems a minor activity

Obviously option 1 worked better

Rich
 
RichB4493 said:
2 things worked for me:
1. Turn the heater valve slightly so a flat vs a point is facing the cylinder head nut
2. Use a claw foot socket.. but that may not withstand the 100lb of torque and is off center.

But…Why not remove the heater valve for this? Seems a minor activity
Click to expand...
 
Moving to a flat side and the socket still doesn't fit? Never heard of a claw foot socket? Was hoping to avoid draining the rad to remove the valve and thought it might be handy to have a thin walled socket in the tool kit anyway.
 
The claw foot socket would be known as a crows foot. Using one would render your torque reading inaccurate as the wrench attachment point would be away from the center of the stud. Remove the valve. It's easier and cheaper. And as I have written to you before, loosen the nuts just a scosch, like half a flat or so. And I recall that Hap Waldrop, who runs Acme Speed Shop, a competent lbc shop and who used to be a frequent poster, said that he didn't retorque Iron heads on Iron blocks. (I do.)
Bob
 
Last edited:
bobhustead said:
The claw foot socket would be known as a crows foot. Using one would render your torque reading inaccurate as the wrench attachment point would be away from the center of the stud. Remove the valve. It's easier and cheaper. And as I have written to you before, loosen the nuts just a scosch, like half a flat or so. And I recall that Hap Waldrop, who runs Acme Speed Shop, a competent lbc shop and who used to be a frequent poster, said that he didn't retorque Iron heads on Iron blocks. (I do.)
Bob
Click to expand...
I'm curious about Hap Waldrop's theory that retorquing isn't necessary. There seems to be a lot of differing opinions on whether to re torque or not or even when to do it. What did mechanics do in the 50's and 60's in regard to the question? Is it a different thing when ARP studs are used....not that I used them?
 
A copper gasket will slowly "creep" and get thinner over time and heat cycles. It should be checked occasionally. If you can find a true composite gasket, then once and done.

Guys, I am not making this up about the crows feet. I am rebuilding the Stearman and working from the FAA Maintenance manuals to the letter. There is a whole section in the manual on how to use crows feet. They must be turned 90 degrees to the handle of the wrench, and then there is no correction to the torque reading required. Not close or "maybe"...the torque will be right on spec. Many fasteners on aircraft cannot be accessed with a straight socket, so this is important knowledge to every A&P mechanic.
 
Back
Top