Rocker shaft torque specs? 17 ft-lbs?

[1965belvedere2]

65 273, im reinstalling the rockers and shafts. Im finding the torque spec says 17 foot pounds, seems kinda light. is this correct?

 

[pnora]

FSM says 15.

 

[Cranky]

• • Grade 2 (Low strength): 8 ft-lbs (approx. 96 in-lbs)
  • Grade 5 (Medium strength): 13 to 17 ft-lbs
  • Grade 8 (High strength): 18 to 19 ft-lbs
  If you don't trust the specs, use a dap of Loc-tite on clean threads. If you go too tight, you'll squash the hollow shafts. Also make sure you have the shafts positioned right for oiling the rockers.
  

 

[R413]

They are 5/16" bolts and they sit in a half round saddle. I have seen the saddles cracked from being over tightened.

They know what to torque them to, they produced millions of smallblocks.

 

[1965belvedere2]

Thanks for confirming!!

 

[Jerry Hall]

Just installed those on a 67 440 this morning. 15ft lbs.

 

[toolmanmike]

Any more torque and you may distort the tubes. You may not get full oil up to the rockers. How many millions were just cranked down with a 3/8 ratchet and no issues. Just sayin'

 

[R413]

I doubt you could distort the rocker shafts enought to inhibit oil flow before the bolts would break. They just don't need to be very tight.

Just installed those on a 67 440 this morning. 15ft lbs.View attachment 2075355

Jerry, that's a BB engine, they go to 25ft lbs because they use 3/8" bolts. So go retorque them!

 

[Jerry Hall]

I doubt you could distort the rocker shafts enought to inhibit oil flow before the bolts would break. They just don't need to be very tight.

Jerry, that's a BB engine, they go to 25ft lbs because they use 3/8" bolts. So go retorque them!

Not what the 67 FSM said for a 440. I'll check it again, because they need to come back off. The last idiot that couldn't build an engine mixed up the rockers, some intake and exhaust rockers are reversed. I put them on exactly like they were taken off and discovered this upon inspecting and double checking things.

 

[R413]

Try the big block engine section

 

[pnora]

Try the big block engine section

67 FSM