daihap133

2000 GS400

I know you are not supposed to use thread lock when you crank pulley back on the crank, at least the Lexus service manual didn't say you have to. But this is what happened, I am changing my timing belt and water pump, the crank pulley is taken off, when I put it back on, my brand new Harbor Freight Tools 3/4" drive torque wrench is not working properly, set at 181lb-ft, I tried to torque the bolt on, I turn the wrench handle and when I get to some point , I think it clicks once, I back up the wrench, and pull it again just to make sure the click is real, pull the wrench again, and then it never clicks... I pull it another 15-20 degree more from the point where "I think it clicks", still no clicks. I think I might have over torque the bolt a little bit, at that moment, I think something is wrong, so I stop, take the bolt out and see if the thread has any visual damage, the thread looks fine visually, but I see some grey color rubber like beads on the thread, it is soft, so it is not metal. I think the last guy who did the timing belt on this car used thread lock... Ok, I clean out the beads and try to put the bolt on again... I use another 1/2" drive torque wrench from Neiko from Sears(I am glad I brought this extra torque wrench in addition to the one from Harbor Freight), set at 181lb-ft again, and turn, "Clicks" fine, back up the wrench again, just to make sure the first one is not a false clicks, pull again, and "clicks" fine.

So my questions are:
a/. Anyone used thread lock for the crank pulley bolt when you do the timing
belt?

b/. Do you think I might have damage the thread even though I don't see any damage(Visually) on the bolt thread?
P.S. I am not sure if that "only happened once click" is the ratchet click or it is the click when it reach the torque limit, so I am not even sure if I have over torque the bolt, but in case that "click" is real, I have only over turn it by about 20 degrees.

Mr Jokster

iTrader: (8)

One thing I know about torque wrenches is that you shouldn't have to put lots of pressure to get the 'true' click. I wouldn't quote my words, but I think you need to keep going. 181ftlbs is a lot of weight, you probably have to keep going. This is something I experience as well when I install my lug nuts. I say to self, "dang, I'm still turning, this is a lot of pressure" i keep going and then finally I get to a point to where I can get the 'click' with just a little pressure.

As for thread loc, don't think that's a good Idea cause as the engine turns, the more it tightens. If there's thread loc, it will probably break the loc as it turns anyways.

daihap133

I am sure that torque wrench is bad. Last night when I feel something is wrong, I stopped and take the wrench and clamp the drive head to a vise, lock the vise so it wouldn't turn, drop the torque setting of the wrench from 181 ft-lb to 50 ft-lb, just to test if the wrench is bad, I pull the wrench with hell of a force, the vise almost tried to move and the wrench still wouldn't click at all! 50 ft-lb is not a lot of force required so the wrench should click pretty easy with very little force. Now then I know for sure this cheapy torque wrench sold by Harbor Freight is no good, called them today for a replacement.

I just afraid the opposite, if I damage/deformed the thread by over-tightened it, the factory 181 ft-lb torque setting may not be good anymore, so now if I tighened it to 181 ft-lb it may be "under-tightened".