Cam cover torque? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

tjax · 04-12-2006, 08:09 PM

Hey everybody, new member here. I just need to know what the tightening torque is for the 4 big nuts that hold the valve cover on. Car is a '97 camry 4cyl. The manual says 35ft lbs or something rediculous like that. I figure that's gotta be a typo. Checked Autozone website, they don't have that model in the repair info section yet. I'm thinkin' more like 9ft. lbs. sounds correct. Anybody?

noodlerooney · 04-12-2006, 08:55 PM

My Factory Service Manual for the 2000 5S-FE (4 Cyl) engine says 33 ft-lbs. My Factory Service Manual for the 1994 5S-FE says 19 ft-lbs but I have read on several forums that you should torque to 33 ft-lbs or it will leak. 33 ft-lbs is what I torqued my 1994 5S-FE to.

tjax · 04-12-2006, 11:18 PM

Hmmm. OK cool. It's my Bro's girlfriends car. He torqued 'em to 33 if that's what the manual said and the cover cracked badly. About a 10in. crack going all the way down the length of the cover on the side. I had a hell of a time welding it back up, but I think I got it. Anyway, I'm gonna install it tomorrow. Think I'll work up to 20ft lb. and if it don't leak, leave it. If it leaks I'll go up gradually to 33 if necc.

Thanks.

JetspeedCamry · 04-12-2006, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjax

Hmmm. OK cool. It's my Bro's girlfriends car. He torqued 'em to 33 if that's what the manual said and the cover cracked badly. About a 10in. crack going all the way down the length of the cover on the side. I had a hell of a time welding it back up, but I think I got it. Anyway, I'm gonna install it tomorrow. Think I'll work up to 20ft lb. and if it don't leak, leave it. If it leaks I'll go up gradually to 33 if necc.

Thanks.

Id say it cracked because it was torqued unevenly. Thats why they specify to lock each nut down bit by bit in sequency, to stop cracking and warping.

tjax · 04-13-2006, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetspeedCamry

Id say it cracked because it was torqued unevenly. Thats why they specify to lock each nut down bit by bit in sequency, to stop cracking and warping.

Nope, he's no car repair newb. You can bet it was installed properly. No idea why it cracked so back, or at all. Maybe the torque wrench was way off?

tjax · 04-13-2006, 11:46 PM

Well for anyone who cares, the valve cover is installed and works great. 30ft lbs. was the magic number. At 30 I heard a creak in the #2 spark plug hole, so I evened them up at 30 and let it go at that. No leaks and she runs sweet. Thanks again for the help.

camryfour · 04-14-2006, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjax

Nope, he's no car repair newb. You can bet it was installed properly. No idea why it cracked so back, or at all. Maybe the torque wrench was way off?

Torque wrenches mostly 100% of the time (unless you tinker with it) lose torque over time not gain it.

tjax · 04-14-2006, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camryfour

mostly 100% of the time

I get your point, but your wording struck me as funny.

camryfour · 04-14-2006, 01:58 PM

Haha yeah I thought about it as I typed it. I figured you would understand me though.

97&02camryleI4 · 04-14-2006, 02:57 PM

For future reference, just torque down the valve cover bolts first to 11 lb. ft., then 22 lb. ft., and finally 33 lb. ft. If I remember correctly, you should start from the inner bolts and then do the outer ones. To be safe, just follow what Tjax did and leave it at 30 lb. ft. and tighten more later if necessary but don't ever go past 33 lb. ft.