Water Pump Bolt Torque???
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Pro
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Water Pump Bolt Torque???
Finally ready to install my new (correct) water pump on my 1966 L79 327/350hp. No torque listing in the 66' Chassis Manual and what I find on Google search is torque for almost everything BUT C2. Most indicate the bolts should be tightened to 30 lbs. AM I "OK" using 30 lbs and I assume to make "PASSES " to get to 30 lbs?? THANK YOU for your consideration and advice. Just trying to be careful and do it correctly.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Chattanooga Tennessee
30/35 lb is fine. Someone recently said that you can gauge the intended torque by the size of the bolt the engineer specified. 3/8 shank- ~35 lb. made sense to me.
I admit I have done many without a torque wrench, by feel, and never had a leak or loose bolt, but a tq reading is never bad.
Benton
I admit I have done many without a torque wrench, by feel, and never had a leak or loose bolt, but a tq reading is never bad.
Benton
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From: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Finally ready to install my new (correct) water pump on my 1966 L79 327/350hp. No torque listing in the 66' Chassis Manual and what I find on Google search is torque for almost everything BUT C2. Most indicate the bolts should be tightened to 30 lbs. AM I "OK" using 30 lbs and I assume to make "PASSES " to get to 30 lbs?? THANK YOU for your consideration and advice. Just trying to be careful and do it correctly.
My 1967 Chevrolet Service Manual shows 30 ft-lbs torque for the water pump. Shown in the SPECIFICATIONS Section Page 11 at the end of the manual.
Bolts are shown as 3/8-"16 tpi.
Most everything is in the Service Manual if you look closely enough. But if not, there are many torque tables vs bolt size given on the internet. Most of our car bolts are Grade 5..............although we can see Grade 8 for various suspension parts, and Grade 2 for some body fasteners.
I don't remember if you need any sealer on the WP bolts or not. Check to see if they go into open holes or blind holes.
I would torque at hand tight, 10 ft-lbs, 20 ft-lbs, 30 ft-lbs, and finally do 30 ft-lbs again to make sure all is good.
Larry
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From: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Many of us have assembled a lot of cars (especially when younger) without ever using a torque wrench. 
And if I ever did, it was the old "beam" type. 
But now I try to use it where I can, and I own 3 or 4 torque wrenches.............although I still am hesitant to use them on aluminum, except for spark plugs in aluminum heads where there are plenty of threads.
FWIW.
Larry
Last edited by Powershift; Aug 17, 2017 at 09:49 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: OP Kansas
C2 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Can you trust torque tables when it doesn't take into account if it's iron or aluminum it's going into? I would think it makes a pretty big difference.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2012
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From: Waltham Ma.
On today motors where everything is aluminum and plastic using a torque wrench in critical. The older motors that were mostly all cast iron, not so much. The only thing we used a torque wrench for was assembling the short block. I've never torqued a water pump and I've done thousands. After a while your hands and arms know the approximate torque from muscle memory.
Last edited by biggd; Aug 18, 2017 at 07:25 AM.
Race Director
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From: Bowling Green, Kentucky
The problem comes in if you use the wrong table.
I have found some (early) Service Manuals did not always take these different materials into account..........that is why I always use caution around aluminum. Fortunately, our older cars are (originally) primarily iron/steel.Heli-Coils were made if you forget and use the wrong value.
Larry
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Thanks to all
Finally ready to install my new (correct) water pump on my 1966 L79 327/350hp. No torque listing in the 66' Chassis Manual and what I find on Google search is torque for almost everything BUT C2. Most indicate the bolts should be tightened to 30 lbs. AM I "OK" using 30 lbs and I assume to make "PASSES " to get to 30 lbs?? THANK YOU for your consideration and advice. Just trying to be careful and do it correctly.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Larry
