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Oil Pan Torque Sequence????

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Old Apr 28, 2007 | 12:46 PM
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Default Oil Pan Torque Sequence????

I am looking for the oil pan torque sequence....anybody got info or a link?

Thanks
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Old Apr 28, 2007 | 01:13 PM
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From: barrie ontario
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The service manual doesn't require a torque sequence for the oil pan.

says to tighten the oil pan to block and oil pan to front cover bolts to 18 ftlb and the oil pan to rear bolts to 106 lbin<<<INCH pounds.
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Old Apr 28, 2007 | 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by molson
The service manual doesn't require a torque sequence for the oil pan.

says to tighten the oil pan to block and oil pan to front cover bolts to 18 ftlb and the oil pan to rear bolts to 106 lbin<<<INCH pounds.
thats interesting because the bottom of the oil pan is imprinted with language that states that the oil pan must be tq'd to the proper sequence.

I guess I will just follow the ole inside to outside pattern with 18 ft lbs and 106 in lbs on the back...what does 106 inch lbs translate to in ft/lbs?
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Old Apr 28, 2007 | 01:48 PM
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I think you must do the front and rear covers first, but the rest can go in any order. I think that is to align everything correctly before you torque them down. If you do the main pan bolts first, then tight the front/rear, you could crack the pan if it is offset.

This is a quote from the manual:

1. Tighten the oil pan-to-block and oil pan-to-oil pan front cover bolts to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).
2. Tighten the oil pan-to-rear cover bolts to 12 N·m (106 lb in).
3. Tighten the flywheel housing bolts to 50 N·m (37 lb ft).
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Old Apr 28, 2007 | 09:43 PM
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Originally Posted by davidfarmer
I think you must do the front and rear covers first, but the rest can go in any order. I think that is to align everything correctly before you torque them down. If you do the main pan bolts first, then tight the front/rear, you could crack the pan if it is offset.

This is a quote from the manual:

1. Tighten the oil pan-to-block and oil pan-to-oil pan front cover bolts to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).
2. Tighten the oil pan-to-rear cover bolts to 12 N·m (106 lb in).
3. Tighten the flywheel housing bolts to 50 N·m (37 lb ft).
Thanks dude!
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Old Jun 13, 2019 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by davidfarmer
I think you must do the front and rear covers first, but the rest can go in any order. I think that is to align everything correctly before you torque them down. If you do the main pan bolts first, then tight the front/rear, you could crack the pan if it is offset.

This is a quote from the manual:

1. Tighten the oil pan-to-block and oil pan-to-oil pan front cover bolts to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).
2. Tighten the oil pan-to-rear cover bolts to 12 N·m (106 lb in).
3. Tighten the flywheel housing bolts to 50 N·m (37 lb ft).
Well, just my 2 cents on going 18 ft. lbs on pan-to-pan - the bolts kept turning and I was gettin more and more nervous. So I stopped, picked one bolt and went for 18 ft. lbs, bolt snapped clean off in the upper pan long before it got close to 18. I am royally screwed, are you certain that it is the spec ?
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Old Jun 13, 2019 | 08:50 PM
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This thread is from 2007.

18 lb-ft is a low torque number. You can exert 18 lb-ft fairly easily with a small wrench, even a quarter inch ratchet. It's basically "This is about as tight as I feel it'll go" with a quarter inch ratchet. Those bolts absolutely should not be snapping at 18 lb-ft. Really, pretty much no bolts on a car are gonna snap at 18 lb-ft ... What were you tightening it with?
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Old Jun 13, 2019 | 09:14 PM
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Sorry for the thread necromancy, I used a 3/8 torque wrench that I used without any issues on upper pan. Its a sensitive higher end one. The lower pan bolts are smaller and finer thread than upper and now I gotta find an extractor small enough to get in there, gonna suck.
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Old Jun 14, 2019 | 03:40 AM
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When I use a 3/8" torque wrench, 18 pounds feels like "eh it finally stopped spinning freely, let me kinda push it a little" sort of effort. Did you feel like you were putting in a lot of effort?

I'd probably reach for a 1/4" ratchet, snug all the bolts nice and good, then use a torque wrench to verify, expecting not very much more before it clicks. Of course a gasket compresses a little so I'd go over them for a second pass with the smaller ratchet to make sure they were all actually snug. If you felt like you were putting in effort ... and were worried about breaking a bolt (and in fact broke a bolt), I'm not sure that's 18 lb-ft. But I mean, I wasn't there, so who knows?
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Old Jun 16, 2019 | 12:07 PM
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If there is oil on the threads, you may never reach 18 ft*lb...
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Old May 7, 2025 | 01:14 PM
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Default Inch pounds to ft lbs

9 ft lbs of torque = 106 inch pounds. Just divide by 12

Last edited by Rob1976; May 7, 2025 at 01:15 PM. Reason: Needed more info
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Old May 16, 2025 | 07:22 PM
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Originally Posted by gimp
When I use a 3/8" torque wrench, 18 pounds feels like "eh it finally stopped spinning freely, let me kinda push it a little" sort of effort. Did you feel like you were putting in a lot of effort?

I'd probably reach for a 1/4" ratchet, snug all the bolts nice and good, then use a torque wrench to verify, expecting not very much more before it clicks. Of course a gasket compresses a little so I'd go over them for a second pass with the smaller ratchet to make sure they were all actually snug. If you felt like you were putting in effort ... and were worried about breaking a bolt (and in fact broke a bolt), I'm not sure that's 18 lb-ft. But I mean, I wasn't there, so who knows?
If it's a click-type torque wrench you can go right past the click it's so soft at that low torque.
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Old May 16, 2025 | 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Rob1976
9 ft lbs of torque = 106 inch pounds. Just divide by 12
"Multiply," of course.
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Old Oct 30, 2025 | 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by ElberGuudo
Well, just my 2 cents on going 18 ft. lbs on pan-to-pan - the bolts kept turning and I was gettin more and more nervous. So I stopped, picked one bolt and went for 18 ft. lbs, bolt snapped clean off in the upper pan long before it got close to 18. I am royally screwed, are you certain that it is the spec ?
no it's not 18 ft lbs. it's 10/12 ft lbs..you will distort gasket at 18 or sheer a bolt. on a billet rail oil pan with arp bolts.
18 would be a little much still. a tin pan max 12 ft lbs.
​​​ive done 500 engines in my lifetime . can't believe car manufacturers don't oring pans. caterpillar has done it for decades. the speed wrench
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