Geno's boost bolt

[DonS]

I don't know if I got a bad one or, [insert deity here] forbid, my torque wrench is bad, but I snapped it off inside the head. Torque wrench set to 12 ft-lbs, everything nice and clean/lubed.



It broke about 1/4" below the nut's shoulder, leaving about 3/4" in the head. It came out very easily with a #2 extractor, with no additional drilling.



I was trying to use the bolt that's in-line with the rear of the fuel filter (yes, I was using the one closest to the valve cover). I don't believe I bottomed out, because a piece of wire inserted through the hole in the bolt went down about 1 inch below the bolt's end.



I ended up using the plugged location behind the fuel filter. I already had the reducing bushings, and didn't feel like tapping the air horn.



Has anybody else had a similar problem? Or should I toss the torque wrench?

 

[JKinney]

Don I installed mine a few years back, so I dont remember the specs, but I thought the directions stated a max torque with a warning that overtorquing will result in snaping the bolt

 

[DonS]

Don I installed mine a few years back, so I dont remember the specs, but I thought the directions stated a max torque with a warning that overtorquing will result in snaping the bolt

Naturally, I can't find the instructions now, but I'm 99. 999% sure it said 12 ft-lbs. I obviously over-torqued it. I just don't know if it was because a) my torque wrench is bad, b) 12 ft-lbs was too much (and either the instructions were wrong or I followed them incorrectly), or c) I got a bad bolt.



I probably should've just gone hand-tight with the little 1/4" drive wrench.

 

[Parks]

The torque specs are 18 ft pounds, if your torque wrench is off, it would definately snap. I do not use torque wrenches on the boost bolts or the banjo bolts because they are very easy to break.

 

[lmills]

your torque wrench might be like the one I used to have. On the lower settings like 10-35 ft lbs, the click was so low, that you couldn't hear it. It was very easy to over torque things with it.

 

[GECCO]

FWIW, I usually don't trust a click wrench below about 30 ft lbs, for the reason lmills states, plus the fact that most click wrenches that go above 50 ft lbs aren't very accurate in the lower ranges. I have a couple "old style" wrenches with the indicator bar, one that goes up to about 25 ft lbs and the other is in inch lbs for the really light duty stuff.

 

[JFielding]

Boost Bolt

I use an Inch Lb torque wrench on small stuff. Installed mine at 144 in/lb (12 ft/lb). My ft/lb wrench is not too accurate below 25. Can't hear or feel the click that low. I use the in/lb wrench on the differentials too. 18 ft/lb there.



J

 

[DonS]

Thanks for all the replies. I suspect the torque wrench. It's a 1/4" drive with a maximum setting of 200 inch-pounds. IIRC, I didn't spend much on it.



Maybe I'll test it with a gauge.