Debate: Is it better to torque oil pan bolts by feel or use a spec?

I see guys at my shop in Phoenix cranking down on these new plastic oil pans with a torque wrench set to 18 lb-ft, but then I had one crack on a 2019 Escape after doing it exactly by the book. My old mentor swore by snugging them by hand and driving the car around the block to let everything settle before giving each bolt a quarter turn. What's your take - follow the factory spec or trust your gut on these modern pans?

2 comments

2 Comments

sethr1110d ago

Yeah that 2019 Escape pan is notorious for cracking, I've done three of those this year alone. The issue is those plastic pans expand way more when hot than the old stamped steel ones, so 18 lb-ft cold is like 25+ when the engine is at operating temp. I started using a 1/4 inch drive with the rachet set to just barely click, then i put a thin layer of grease on the rubber gasket so it seats evenly. Also found that if you torque them on a lift vs on the ground the angle changes the reading enough to crack em. Best luck I've had is finger tight plus a quarter turn with a stubby 1/4, drive it for like 5 mins to heat cycle, then check them after it cools.

ryanf6610d ago

...and that's exactly why I don't blindly trust torque wrenches on plastic pans anymore. Had the same thing happen on a Civic, cracked right at the corner and leaked like crazy. Now I always start them all finger tight, then go in a crisscross pattern with a 1/4 inch ratchet just snug enough that the gasket squishes out a little. For those new Ford pans especially, I back off a quarter turn after it feels tight and let it sit for ten minutes before the final snug. Way less chance of cracking compared to chasing 18 lb-ft like the manual says.