Checking Corvette Torque 3×

I watched Walmart do the same thing with my lug nuts during a tire change. The problem I have with it is that unless the bolt is loosened each time, all you are doing is making sure the bolt is torqued at least as much as the second torque tool is set to. No value added. Calibrate one torque tool and use it properly.

Some of that high tech junk steel they make bolts out of now has so much stretch in it you have to re torque them several times before they set properly.

I have talked to number of professional auto mechanics over the years say that when they rebuild a modern engine they will always toss the factory torque yield bolts, that come in the master rebuild kits, out in the scrap bin and us regular high grade bolts like what was used decades ago when rebuilding engines. They just don't trust the new stuff. Too many have seen them break and give out far too often and too easily.

I had it shown to me in person some years ago when some expensive torque yield bolts and a low grade (#2 type) where put in a head to head testing using a machinist hardness tester and a stretch tester. Both tested to within a few percent of each others numbers but the modern torque yield bolts where about 10 time more costly!

Since then I also use only high grade bolts when rebuilding any engine as well and have had no gasket or other related failures that seem to be common to having had a bolt or fastener stretch and loss its hold after having been put in place.

Some will stand a scream about how the new stuff is so much better but then are completely speechless when the tests are done and their expensive products test the same as low grade cheap parts do.

It wasn't a requirement concerning bolt stretch. It was to seat gaskets that tend to creep once or twice before they stop compressing. You are right about the engines too. They also don't reduce oil pressure on the main bearing due to "pumping" during high rpm operation.

"It was to seat gaskets that tend to creep once or twice before they stop compressing." OK; I can understand why threaded fasteners on gasketed joints might need to be re-checked - but the article says "every fastener", and this would include main-bearing & connecting-rod bolts, for example. I've never encountered a gasketed joint in such places, and don't expect to. If I were designing such a structure and needed to handle fluids, I'd be using, say, O-rings, and keeping the metal-to-metal rigidity.