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Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A Tapet cover torque tr3a

ekamm

Jedi Warrior
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Is there a torque value for the tappet cover on a Tr3a?
 
Not sure if one is published but no serious torque. If you have leakage your gasket needs replacing or your rocker cover may not be flat in the gasket area.
I use a 1/4 in rachet and the 2 finger thumb tech...don't over torque or you'll cause leaks/seepage.
 
Hi Eric what I usually do is glue the gasket to the valve cover with that red permatex stuff and use heavy wheel bearing grease on the side where it meets the head then tighten the bolts just a fuss past snug. The grease will create a nice vacuum seal and yet will let you remove the gasket with out too much trouble allowing you to get a couple of uses out of it.
Steve
 
:iagree: I've been using that technique, gluing onto the valve cover, and then smearing grease on the underside for the last 40 years. I use the original type cork gaskets, and can take the valve cover off numerable times without a problem.
 
The length of the shanks on all open-end or close-end wrenches is designed and made that way to get the correct torque without the need to measure it with a torque wrench. This is why a 7/16" wrench is so much shorter in length than the open end wrench for 3/4" nuts.

If I can't find what torque I need, I measure the size of the threads. I seem to remember that the two studs for the rocker cover are 5/16" UNF threads. Then I go to see what the torque is listed for another bolt on the TR where the thread size is the same.

To keep oil from leaking out all around the nuts which secure the rocker cover in place, I use a fiber washer and a flat washer under each nyloc nut. In both cases, I selected washers for 1/4" bolts and hand filed the center holes with a round file so they would be an exact fit when I drop them onto the studs, and then I tighten down the nut. Since the holes in the washers (especially the fiber washers) are so exactly to size, I rarely see any oil around these studs on top of my rocker cover.
 
Don Elliott said:
The length of the shanks on all open-end or close-end wrenches is designed and made that way to get the correct torque without the need to measure it with a torque wrench. This is why a 7/16" wrench is so much shorter in length than the open end wrench for 3/4" nuts.
Well, maybe not "all" ... I have a 3/4" box end wrench that is shorter than my 7/16" combination, and a 1/2" open end that is longer than either of them.

However, the rocker cover is a special case IMO, the thin stamped steel will not take anywhere close to the standard torque for the 5/16" studs. The TR4 workshop manual says 2 ftlbs.
 
I've never seen a torque wrench used on a valve cover nut.

Just do up the nuts until you see the gasket start to compress, and re-tighten after say 500 miles, to take up any gasket shrinkage with heat.

It's overtightened when the cover starts to bulge at the sides.

Viv.
 
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