QuestionThanks for your response! It turns out that the 13 M9.8 bolts for the timing belt covers on my '99 LHS are 4mm in diameter at the threads! Wow.
I'm thinking a torque setting of 4ft.lbs..?
Should we tell Chilton about this incorrect data in their repair manual?
AnswerHi Richie,
I believe those 13 bolts might rather be 6 mm diameter as measured on the threads, because there are no 4 mm diameter values listed in the front of the Chrysler manual or for the timing covers in the engine section of the manual. But if indeed they are 4, then you are probably correct in limiting the torque to 4 foot-pounds. If they are 6 mm then the max is around 8 foot-pounds for a class 7 bolt and you note that they are actually class 9.8 so 8 would certainly be safe. The manual says that the M6 bolt torque for the timing cover belt bolts is 105 inch-pounds (= 8.5 foot pounds).
The bottom line is that where the Chrysler manual gives the torque for M6, M8, M10 bolts those numbers refer to the mm diameter of the threads of the bolts, but the bolts themselves show numbers like M8.8 on them and those are strength numbers, not thread diameter numbers.
So I think the Chrysler manual is OK. I don't have the Chilton so can't comment about that.
Thanks for your rating/nomination should you wish to do that again.
Roland
