Re: [alfa] working with aluminum

[Gilbert Gagne <gil5941@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My philosophy is 15 ft-lbs MAXIMUM for any bolts, including spark plugs, 
going into aluminum. To get a good idea of 15 ft-lbs, grasp your 3/8" 
drive ratchet, not by the handle, but by putting its head where the 
socket plugs in, in your fist and turn by hand. Unless you are a 300 lb 
weight-lifter you will not put more than 15 ft-lbs on the bolt.
Gil
Port Orange, FL
1985 Spider

Timothy Spruill wrote:


> Alfisti,
>
> I have been doing almost all my own work on Giuliana,
> my Milano, for about a year now.  I have found lots of
> bolt/ screw holes stripped in the block and other
> places on the car.  It seems like no matter what I am
> working on, someone else has gotten there first and
> screwed it up.  At first I blamed the previous owners
> from the past 17 years.  Then I started to think that
> maybe I had a bad torque wrench and that was the
> problem.  Now I am beginning to think that I am the
> cause of all my woes.  Is it possible that there are
> so many bad 'Merican mechanics out there that they
> could do this to an entire car, or am I a little to
> eager and ham fisted.  What is the secret to working
> in this soft beautiful metal?
>
> Learning about helicoils,
> Tim Spruill
> Baton Rouge, LA
> '71 Spider
> '87 Milano
> '03 Mazda P5
>
>
>
> 		
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