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Gearbox pan bolts

Makalaza

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Hi everyone - how tight do you do up the gearbox pan bolts without a torque wrench ? Went underneath to check leak out and found out half of my bolts were loose, I could do them up with my fingers.
thanks everyone
 

BlackVXGTS

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Nip them up until they are just tight.
 

Skylarking

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Too loose and the bolts will loosen and fall out. Too tight and you may deform the pan lip and compromise the gasket.

So get a torque wrench, they are not expensive. Then you can do them up to the recommended NM specified by Holden. That way you’ll avoid any issues.
 

vs-lover

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I've always only used a quarter drive socket and nipped them up firmly, not real tight as the cork gasket will split and then it'll be start from the beginning again with all new stuff.

But I totally agree with "skylarking" if you are going to do it by the book.
 

EYY

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I did them for years without a torque wrench. Over a period of 12+ months they'd start to weep a little. Purchased a $30 1.4" tension wrench and haven't had any leaking at all from them for a very long time. Transmission pans are incredibly sensitive to small changes in tension settings.

Too much and you'll crush the gasket and it'll lose elasticity and the bolts will become loose, too little and there's not enough pressure on the gasket and the bolts will come loose.

I purchased a car a couple of years ago really cheap because it was leaking really badly from the transmission to the point it wouldn't drive properly. That trans ended up in my daily and it's been perfect ever since lol
 

Wozza

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Thanks mate - i have ordered 1 off ebay
Hope you got the right one...the cheap (under 200$) one's they are only good for the middle of their range, so if its a 10 nm to 100nm it will only be good/accurate for around 30 to 60nm ...As I buy cheap :) I have 3 torque wrenches ... light range, middle and heavy duty..
 
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