Torque wrench help in Western Mass?

hskrdu

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Location
Maryland and New England
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 4D 5M, 2015 GSW SE 6M
Hi all! I need to replace glow plugs but don't have a torque wrench. If anyone is willing to help (I'm in the Berkshires right now) please let me know. The investment in a decent TW will eventually take place, but not right now. If you're not local, just let me know location and availability. TIA!
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
you don't need a torque wrench. just want them snug, i think 18-20 ft-lbs is what most people suggest, although i believe the bentley says 15 ft-lbs, iirc. just "snug" using a standard 3/8 ratchet.
 

hskrdu

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Location
Maryland and New England
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 4D 5M, 2015 GSW SE 6M
Hi all! Thanks much for the offers/replies/advice!
94x- do you have any times/days that work best for you?
Mayor- Lenox. In the process of moving up from Annapolis, so I'm back and forth right now. I don't think I'll be in Lenox until late Sunday, but in Mass from Su night for the following ten days.
burpod- I was more concerned with the torque needed to get them out. All original on (her) 2003 Jetta. My arm definitely does not have a too-much-torque-and-broke-off-in-head sensor!
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
if you're worried about getting them out (normally they come out pretty easy), spray some pb blaster around them, let it soak, drive the car once, spray a little more on, wait a lil bit, then take them out..
 

fase2000TDI

Vendor
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Location
Chesapeake, VA, USA 401-919-0466
TDI
2003 Jettawagon TDI; 2015 GSW 6MT
run them in with a 1/4 drive and go snug. Don't put a load on them. Start the car and spray some water w/ soap over them. If they don't leak, don't tighten them. If they do leak, tighten a bit more but don't go gorilla - keep in mind you're threading into aluminum.
 

hskrdu

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Location
Maryland and New England
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 4D 5M, 2015 GSW SE 6M
Hi all! Thanks again!
burp- I have the PB Blaster, but the one I tried didn't budge. I have no idea how much (or little) torque I put into it. Will continue to spray, but don't want to ruin one trying to get it out.
Mayor- original GP's with 81,000 miles on a 2003. Low miles, but the car spent several years in snow/salt/rust states, so maybe that's a factor?
fase- a leak indicated by air pushing past the GP's and causing bubbling?
 

MayorDJQ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Location
Williamstown, Mass
TDI
'10 Golf 2dr 6m, sold.
Hi all! Thanks again!
burp- I have the PB Blaster, but the one I tried didn't budge. I have no idea how much (or little) torque I put into it. Will continue to spray, but don't want to ruin one trying to get it out.
Mayor- original GP's with 81,000 miles on a 2003. Low miles, but the car spent several years in snow/salt/rust states, so maybe that's a factor?
fase- a leak indicated by air pushing past the GP's and causing bubbling?
Meh, not really. The head is aluminum, so there shouldn't be rust, but since the GPs have been in there so long they're likely to be snug. Use some PB Blaster as mentioned earlier.
 

btcost

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Location
Boston, MA
TDI
'12 JSW, '00 Jetta (totaled 12/23/10), 1987 M-B 300D
you never need a torque wrench to get things loose.

those are called "breaker bars"

torque wrenches are ONLY for re-assembly. when putting nice, clean parts back together.
 

MayorDJQ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Location
Williamstown, Mass
TDI
'10 Golf 2dr 6m, sold.
those are called "breaker bars".
Yes, since they have a tendency to break things.

I would suspect that you'll always need more torque to remove something, since you have to overcome the torque it took to install it.

If the GP is in there that tightly, maybe you should take to a mechanic/guru.
 

hskrdu

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Location
Maryland and New England
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 4D 5M, 2015 GSW SE 6M
Yeah, I just can't see using a breaker bar on a tight glow plug- especially when people have broken them using too much force with just a ratchet. I wouldn't use a torque wrench to loosen lug nuts/bolts, oil pan bolts, or much else I can think of, but I was thinking a stuck GP might be a good candidate for monitoring the torque value I was applying if it helps avoiding cracking it in half. I haven't tried it in a few days- still just using PB Blaster each day and cleaning the area. Thanks again for the input!
 

Digital4n6

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2009
Location
Richmond VA
TDI
2015 Audi A8L TDI
the main reason for not using a torque wrench instead of a breaker bar is that it could very likely throw off the torque wrench's calibration.
 

TDIJetta99

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
Also, the vast majority of torque wrenches only measure in one direction.. I have one that goes both ways (no pun intended) for a few reverse threaded applications but that's about all I use it for.. I also use it for checking breaking torque when loosening cylinder head bolts on problem engines..
 

migbro

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2010
Location
Lincoln, Mass.
TDI
2003 Golf GL
you never need a torque wrench to get things loose.

those are called "breaker bars"

torque wrenches are ONLY for re-assembly. when putting nice, clean parts back together.
Dude, in this case, you couldn't be more wrong. It's VERY important to use a torque wrench to remove the glow plugs. The maximum torque for removing 10mm glow plugs is 25 ft. lbs. Any more and the glow plug will break.
 

maxwellp

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2011
Location
VERONA, WI
TDI
1998 TDI Beetle
the main reason for not using a torque wrench instead of a breaker bar is that it could very likely throw off the torque wrench's calibration.
Then how would you torque left handed nut and bolts, all my torque wrench's will go both ways.

The reason for using a torque wrench for removing the glow plugs is not to break them off. Don't use more than 25 foot pounds for removing them.

BUT you could still break one!!
 

PeterV

TDIClub Enthusiast, HO5G Doyen & Zen Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2000
Location
So, NH.
TDI
2000 Jetta 5 sp.
WE need it too for the '65 Barracuda YEP LH threads on the drivers side..
 

TDIJetta99

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
Dude, in this case, you couldn't be more wrong. It's VERY important to use a torque wrench to remove the glow plugs. The maximum torque for removing 10mm glow plugs is 25 ft. lbs. Any more and the glow plug will break.
What brand of glowplug breaks at 25 ft-lbs? I will avoid purchasing them..

So far I've never used a torque wrench to remove a glow plug... I've probably changed the glowplugs on 3000 engines LOL... I can understand the need for someone who doesn't turn a wrench every day to use one when loosening them since they probably have no idea what 25 ft-lbs feels like until it breaks...

The best advice I can give is to use a 1/4" drive short ratchet and an 8-12" extension.. 25 ft-lbs is pretty hard to achieve with a 4" long ratchet...
 

btcost

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Location
Boston, MA
TDI
'12 JSW, '00 Jetta (totaled 12/23/10), 1987 M-B 300D
Dude, in this case, you couldn't be more wrong. It's VERY important to use a torque wrench to remove the glow plugs. The maximum torque for removing 10mm glow plugs is 25 ft. lbs. Any more and the glow plug will break.
Well seeing how my 1/2 torque wrench cost $350 and my 3/8 cost $250. I never never never use them to take things apart.

Don't want destroy expensive wrenches. Carefully use regular wrenches or a breaker when needed.

Never broken off a GP. In fact my worst broken bolt was thee turbo return on my alh. I was useing a 1/4 ratchet. And not even torquing it hard.
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
What brand of glowplug breaks at 25 ft-lbs? I will avoid purchasing them..
Beru used to have a document on their website that stated:

"Do not exceed the maximum release torque – 8mm GP-20Nm, 10mm GP-35Nm, 12mm GP-45Nm."

They no longer have the document (TI04_e.pdf) on their website... (If anyone has saved a copy, it would be nice to have access to it...

Yuri



PS:
25 ft-lbs is pretty hard to achieve with a 4" long ratchet...
Wimp... :)
 
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