How to torque engine parts under 10 lbs?

Lzybmbjj30

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Equipment
G1900
Aug 17, 2016
96
1
0
louisville
I'm putting certain parts on my engine back together but some of them such as the valve cover require torques as low as 4 lbs. How do I measure that as there aren't any torque wrenches I can find that go that low?
 

mendonsy

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B7500HST/LA302
May 28, 2012
357
34
28
Mendon, NY
My cheap Harbor Freight 1/4" drive torque wrench adjusts all the way to zero, but realistically the lower limit is about 12 in/lb or 1 ft/lb.
 

Creature Meadow

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2012 L4600, Disk, Brush Hog, GB60 Garden Bedder, GSS72 Grading Scraper
Sep 19, 2016
1,065
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54
Central North Carolina
As said above use a inch pound torque wrench, if yo uwere closer I could loan you one.

I have a boat load of them as I do calibration for a living.

Typical use range for peak performance is 10% to 90% of scale, much outside those parameters and you begin to sacrifice accuracy.
 

D2Cat

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L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
Mar 27, 2014
14,344
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40 miles south of Kansas City
If you're doing a valve cover and you have no torque wrench, tighten the nut to where it just has slight friction, then turn your ratchet about 45deg. That torque is not critical, it just keeps oil from passing the gasket.
 

Daren Todd

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Massey Ferguson 1825E, Kubota Z121S, Box blade, Rotary Cutter
May 18, 2014
10,726
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Vilonia, Arkansas
On valve cover bolts, I use a 1/4" ratchet and use my thumb to steady the ratchet and pinky to turn it. When pinky starts to hurt, your pretty good :rolleyes: I use the same technique with water pump bolts on aluminum crank case covers since anything over 10 ft/pounds causes them to strip out :)
 

Thorny

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Equipment
L2501 HST, 4x4, FEL, front snow blade, rotary cutter, box blade
Sep 24, 2016
90
0
6
Mountains of CO
Sears sells a 3/8" torque wrench that goes down around 5 ft/lb. I use it for motorcycle work and lots of the bolts are 6-10 n/m.