3800 Torque specs

[FlyinGTP]

The first most complete 3800 torque spec guide on the net.

Camshaft Bolt: 74 ft/lbs + 90 degrees angle torque

Camshaft thrust plate: 132 in/lbs (T30 torx)

Front cover bolts: 15 ft/lbs + 40 degrees angle torque

Oil pan bolts: 125 in/lbs

Crank sensor nuts: 18 ft/lbs

Camshaft sensor bolts 48 in/lbs

Lifter hold-downs: 22 ft/lbs

Rocker bolts: 11 ft/lbs(132in/lbs) + 90 degrees angle torque

Lower intake bolts: 132 in/lbs

Supercharger bolts: 17ft/lbs

Crank Bolt: 111 ft/lbs + 76 degrees angle torque up to 10/98

111 ft/lbs +114 degrees angle torque 10/98 and up

Cylinder head bolts: 37 ft/lbs + 130 degrees + 30 degrees up to 10/98

37 ft/lbs + 120 degrees

Flywheel/flexplate bolts: 132 in/lbs + 50 degrees

Exhaust manifolds: stud/nuts 132 in/lbs

Nuts 156 in/lbs

Oil filter adapter to timing cover: 22 ft/lbs 97 earlier
132 in/lbs + 50 degrees 97 and later
Oil pump

Cover to timing cover: 98 in/lbs

Pick up tube and screen: 132 in/lbs

Valve cover bolts: 89 in/lbs

Tstat bolts: 21 ft/lbs

Water Pump: 132 in/lbs + 80 degrees

Water pump pulley: 115 in/lbs

Throttle body: 84-89 in/lbs

Fuel rail nuts: 75-84 in/lbs





Here are a bunch of torque specs for the 3800. Please feel free to add any that aren't listed.

[FullThrottleV6]

[BlazinRedGTP]

Engine Tightening Specifications

Accelerator Control Cable Bracket Bolt 16 Nm (12 ft. lbs.)

Balance Shaft Driven Gear Bolt 22 + 70?Nm (16 + 70?ft. lbs.)

Balance Shaft Retainer Bolt 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Camshaft Position Sensor Bolt 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

Camshaft Sprocket Bolt 100 + 90?Nm (74 + 90?ft. lbs.)

Camshaft Thrust Plate Bolt 15 Nm (11 ft. lbs.)

Canister Purge Solenoid Valve Bracket Bolt (VIN K) 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)

Canister Purge Vacuum Switch Bolt (VIN K) 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)

Connecting Rod Cap Bolt 27 + 50?Nm (20 + 50?ft. lbs.)

Crankshaft Balancer Bolt 150 + 76?Nm (111 + 76?ft. lbs.)

Crankshaft Main Bearing Cap Bolt 40 + 110?Nm (30 + 110?ft. lbs.)

Crankshaft Main Bearing Cap Bolt (Side) 15 + 45?Nm (11 + 45?ft. lbs.)

Crankshaft Position Sensor Stud 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Crankshaft Rear Oil Seal Housing Bolt 15 + 50?Nm + (11 + 50?ft. lbs.)

Cylinder Head Bolt 50 + 120?Nm (37 + 120?ft. lbs.)

Drive Belt Tensioner Bracket Bolt/Nut 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)

Drive Belt Tensioner Bracket Stud 6 Nm (53 inch lbs.)

EGR Valve Adapter Bolt 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)

EGR Valve Inlet Pipe Bolt 29 Nm (21 ft. lbs.)

EGR Valve Nut 29 Nm (21 ft. lbs.)

EGR Valve Outlet Pipe Bolt/Nut 29 Nm (21 ft. lbs.)

Engine Block Coolant Drain Plug (VIN 1) 18 Nm (13 ft. lbs.)

Engine Block Coolant Drain Plug (VIN K) 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Engine Block Oil Gallery Plug 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor 25 Nm (18 ft. lbs.)

Engine Flywheel Bolt 15 + 50?Nm (11 + 50?ft. lbs.)

Engine Front Cover Bolt/Stud 20 + 40?Nm (15 + 40?ft. lbs.)

Engine Lift Bracket Bolt/Nut/Stud 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Engine Mount Nut, Lower 78 Nm (58 ft. lbs.)

Engine Mount Nut, Upper 78 Nm (58 ft. lbs.)

Engine Oil Pressure Indicator Switch 16 Nm (12 ft. lbs.)

Exhaust Crossover Heat Shield Nut 20 Nm (15 ft. lbs.)

Exhaust Crossover Pipe Bolt/Stud 20 Nm (15 ft. lbs.)

Exhaust Manifold Bolt/Nut 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Exhaust Manifold Heat Shield Nut 20 Nm (15 ft. lbs.)

Exhaust Manifold Stud (Inner) 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Exhaust Manifold Stud (Outer) 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

Fuel Injector Rail Nut 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

Fuel Injector Rail Stud 25 Nm (18 ft. lbs.)

Fuel Injector Sight Shield Bracket Nut 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Generator Brace Bracket Bolt 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)

Heated Oxygen Sensor 42 Nm (31 ft. lbs.)

ICM Bolt (VIN 1) 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

ICM Nut 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)

ICM Stud (VIN K) 6 Nm (53 inch lbs.)

ICM Wiring Harness Bolt 2 Nm (18 inch lbs.)

Idler Pulley Bolt 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)

Idler Pulley Bracket Bolt 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Lower Intake Manifold Bolt 15 Nm (11 ft. lbs.)

MAP Sensor Bolt (VIN 1) 3 Nm (27 inch lbs.)

MAP Sensor Bracket Bolt (VIN 1) 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Oil Cooler Adapter Connector 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)

Oil Filter 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Oil Filter Adapter Bolt 15 + 50?Nm (11 + 50?ft. lbs.)

Oil Level Indicator Switch 20 Nm (15 ft. lbs.)

Oil Level Indicator Tube Nut 19 Nm (14 ft. lbs.)

Oil Pan Bolt 14 Nm (125 inch lbs.)

Oil Pan Drain Plug 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Oil Pump Cover Screw 11 Nm (98 inch lbs.)

Oil Pump Screen Bolt 15 Nm (11 ft. lbs.)

Power Brake Booster Heat Shield Nut 20 Nm (15 ft. lbs.)

Spark Plug 27 Nm (20 ft. lbs.)

Starter Motor Heat Shield Bolt 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Supercharger Bolt/Stud (VIN 1) 23 Nm (17 ft. lbs.)

Supercharger Bypass Valve and Fuel Pressure Regulator Valve Harness Bolt (VIN 1) 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

Supercharger Bypass Valve Nut (VIN 1) 8 Nm (71 inch lbs.)

Throttle Body Nut 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

Throttle Body Support Bolt (VIN K) 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

Timing Chain Dampener Bolt 22 Nm (16 ft. lbs.)

Upper Intake Manifold Bolt (VIN K) 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

Valve Lifter Guide Retainer Bolt 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)

Valve Rocker Arm Bolt 15 + 90?Nm (11 + 90?ft. lbs.)

Valve Rocker Arm Cover Bolt 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

Water Outlet Bolt 27 Nm (20 ft. lbs.)

Water Pump Bolt 15 + 80?Nm (11 + 80?ft. lbs.)

Water Pump Pulley Bolt 13 Nm (116 inch lbs.)

Wiring Harness Shield Bolt/Nut 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)

[L67]

Im gonna ask a question that I think is on a lot of peoples minds, does it matter? My wrench-it-till-its-not-gonna-go-anywhere method has alwayse worked for me.

[dougsgtp]

head bolts are wrong, its 35, 55, 75 then 75 again. The rocker bolts from experience, wont hold at 11ft lbs, tighten them til they are real tight by hand.

[dougsgtp]

Im gonna ask a question that I think is on a lot of peoples minds, does it matter? My wrench-it-till-its-not-gonna-go-anywhere method has alwayse worked for me.

for some things yes, but some things no. I also use the go til tight on the s/c and intake manifold

[FlyinGTP]

I've only used torque specs on the cam sprocket bolt, rockers, head bolts, anything on the rotating assembly (rod bolts, main bolts...etc). sometimes the lower intake depending on the car, older vortec v8's not gen 3 are very particular to this. The specs i listed are directly from a gm manual however its on cd and you have to search around it a bit to find some of them. Some of these very a bit depending on production date and what car it is fitted into as well.On another side note i have torqued the rockers to gm spec and never had a problem with them losening up or anything. Most important thing seems to be to make sure there is no oil in any of the holes.

[BlownL67]

The rocker bolts from experience, wont hold at 11ft lbs, tighten them til they are real tight by hand.

X2!

[FlyinGTP]

did you guys just torque the rockers to 11ft/lbs? Or did you do the 90 degrees additonal too?

I've torqued over 10 cars to 11ft/lbs plus 90 degrees and have never had a single problem with them losening up.

[BlownL67]

did you guys just torque the rockers to 11ft/lbs? Or did you do the 90 degrees additonal too?

I've torqued over 10 cars to 11ft/lbs plus 90 degrees and have never had a single problem with them losening up.

i had one snap the head right off right at 11ft/lbs. since then, i only torque them to ~10.

[MIKES3]

Do you guys have anything on the trans pan? I just dropped mine to change it an retightened it with a closed fist, palmed the end of the socket just to make sure I didnt torque it to tight by using the full handle. 15 ft lbs maybe???

[FlyinGTP]

I don't have it anymore, its something like 18 inch pounds though, its very miniscule. I ussually just use a 1/4 inch drive and snug them up. Anything more and you will snap them off. I'll peruse my shop manual later on and see if i can dig up the exact spec.

[JasonGS]

Wow, 18 in-lbs? (only 1.5 ft-lbs?) lol, I think it's a little more than that. It's somewhere around the 12 ft-lbs area, not sure on the specifics.

Growing up with my Dad as an ex-mechanic, I do most tightening by feel, unless it comes to engine internals (heads, rod caps, etc.).

[nitrous]

It is 18 in/lbs.

[1970judge]

Im gonna ask a question that I think is on a lot of peoples minds, does it matter? My wrench-it-till-its-not-gonna-go-anywhere method has alwayse worked for me.

It does matter. Your wrench it til it wont go nowhere is why your headgasket will look like shit your pan gasket,your tranny pan,and a few other items. I build engines it DOES matter.

[TurboV6Camaro]

FYI lower intake 11ft lb + boost = bad found that out the hard way twice

the lifter retainer plates? what those? i made them tight i couldn't fine it anywhere