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To properly secure the bolts in the valve cover of a Chevy Cruze, it's essential to torque each one to 79 inch pounds. Using a calibrated torque wrench is crucial to ensure accurate tightening. Over-tightening can cause stripping, while under-tightening can result in leaks. When tightening the valve cover, first hand-tighten all bolts, then follow a star pattern starting with the center bolt. Proceed to the bottom right, top left, and so on until every bolt is torqued to 79 inch pounds.
The claim of 79 ft lbs is ridiculous! I just broke a bolt. I want to track down the person who made that statement and give them a piece of my mind.
If any of you genuinely believed that tightening your valve cover bolts to 79 foot-pounds was a wise decision, you should refrain from handling such tasks and seek professional help in the future.
The response before is wrong. The correct torque specification for the valve cover should be measured in Inch Pounds, not Foot Pounds.
79 inch-pounds is a precise measurement, while using 79 foot-pounds could easily crack a plastic valve cover halfway through tightening and possibly damage the bolt holes in an aluminum head. To provide perspective, 79 inch-pounds is approximately equivalent to 6.6 foot-pounds of torque.
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I believe 79 foot-pounds is wrong as I just sheared a bolt completely. It should be in inch-pounds instead.
It's in inch pounds, not foot pounds, and it's equivalent to 71 inch pounds, not feet pounds.
The Chevrolet Cruze valve cover should be tightened to a torque of 79 foot-pounds according to specifications.
79 foot-pounds is not the right amount of torque as it may cause a bolt to break. The correct measurement is 71 inch-pounds.
71 inches pounds, not pounds per foot.
Many of you are complaining ignorantly and are unable to distinguish between a foot and an inch! I had a good laugh reading the replies, it was hilarious!
According to general logic, it is highly unlikely for a valve cover to require 79 foot-pounds of torque; it would most likely require inch-pounds instead.
This must be removed right away before there's a serious accident! The bolt broke at 71 foot-pounds and it's the top search result on the internet. I'm stranded at the roadside, and if I try to drive, there could be a dangerous fire due to oil on the spark plugs. Forum administrator, please delete this immediately!
Remember, the torque requirement is 79 inch-pounds for a 1.8 engine and 71 inch-pounds for a 1.4 engine.
Upon seeing a torque of 79 foot pounds, I immediately recognized that it was inaccurate. The plastic material and bolts would not be able to withstand such high pressure.
That's the reason we use the metric system in Europe. It's distinct from any other fictional measurements.
I can't believe how many people overlook the word "INCH." Are you all just seeing the number 79 and then calling it quits? It's confusing to me how some are confusing "INCH" with "FOOT" when they're clearly different words.
I worked as a mechanic for many years before taking a break. The correct torque specification is 79 inch-pounds. Typically, you would manually tighten all the bolts. When tightening the bolts in increments, start at 21 inch-pounds on the first pass, then progress to 44 inch-pounds, and finally reach 79 inch-pounds. While many torque wrenches are in foot-pounds, I purchased an inch-pound torque wrench specifically for this situation. It can be challenging to feel the click at 7 pounds with a foot-pound torque wrench when you reach the set torque limit. I hope this information is helpful.
I am not a mechanic.
As a mechanic, it's important to pay attention to details. The original post clearly stated 71 or 79 inch-pounds, not foot-pounds. So, avoid confusion by reading carefully and accurately.
A $32 torque wrench from O’Reilly’s gets the job done, although it's a bit basic in design. It might be challenging to reach every bolt head without an extension for 1/4” to 8mm bolts, but with some extra patience, it's manageable without needing to go back to the store. Remember, foot pounds are more important than inch pounds for safety precautions. Stay safe!
How about this: "A measurement of 25 millimeters.
In the GM repair guide, it's written as 71 foot-pounds, but as many people have pointed out, following that will likely cause the bolt to break or get stripped. I've come across several inaccuracies in the manuals related to this 1.4L engine and the Cruze. For instance, the owner's manual suggests using 4.25 quarts of oil with the oil filter, but doing so will actually exceed the dipstick level, based on my experience.
Check as per General Motors specifications for a torque of 8 to 10 foot-pounds.
Haha! I did the exact same thing, shearing off the bolt! The solution was using a left-handed drill bit to extract the remaining piece. Thank goodness it worked out!
I just did the exact same thing a moment ago.
No, that's not right. It's actually 71 inch-pounds, not foot-pounds.
The measurement is stated as 71 inch-pounds, not in feet.