Cam cap bolt torque?

I think I read some where the figure in the Clymer manual is wrong, what should the torque figure be on the bolts that hold the cam caps down be? and do you put threadlock on them?
Its a Z1a but with Z1000 barrells and head taken out to 1075.

I know I'll get shit for this....but I'm gonna say it anyway.
I don't use a torque wrench set to a specific value .
they are small 6mmbolts going into aluminum...I have seen more stripped heads from using a torque wrench than you could shake a stick at.
If you have any feel at all ...just make 'em tight....not to the point where you're pulling threads out.And use a small 1/4 drive ratchet.
just my .02

if you have a feel for it that is what you end up doing but most people don't have that feel so i try to recomend they go about 80 inchlbs and dont use any loctite on them or you will end up pulling threads next time they come out.if any thing dip the bolts in a bit of engine oil or assembly lube to cut down on the friction going in. by the way i always tighten by feel not a tourque wrench as irish has said i've seen alot of cam cap threads stripped on heads that have been apart a few times because of over tourquing.

For the '77 KZ650 the recommended torque is 95-113 inch pounds with NO threadlock. KZ1000 may be different. I would not do it by "feel" as one man's tight may be another man's stripped, but if you decide to do it that way you may want to tighten up some bolts on a scrap piece then use a torque wrench to measure how tight you felt was tight enough by feel. Ed

the reason i said to go 80 inchlbs was most people have a tendency to keep pulling on the tourque wrench after you have reached the specified tourque setting and with 6mm thread pitch it doesn't take much to over tourque that fastener.

It's a 6mm bolt as mentioned. No reason to torque to more than other 6mm bolts which is round 5.5-6 ft/lb. I'll continue to use ft/lb measurement just to bug the masses. In/lb to 66-72 By the time you hit 80 in/lb the exhausts are just on the verge of stripping.

650ed wrote:

For the '77 KZ650 the recommended torque is 95-113 inch pounds with NO threadlock.

That is the correct spec for the Kawi manuals I have read. But, based on all the horror stories of stripped bolts, 80 I-P is a better limit value.

Use a good, low range torque wrench like for transmission work to get an accurate torque.

I cracked a bolt torquing it to 6.5ft/lbs, had to order a replacement and now I'm scared to torque it to spec.

I was lucky enough that the bolt remained together by the tread itself, as soon I pulled it out and flex it a little it cracked in half. I fear that if it happens again I will need to ez out it.

What was the range of the torque wrench you were using? The fact that you stated the spec in foot pounds leads me to believe you are using a torque wrench that is too heavy for the spec.

Here's the issue - obviously one can convert inch pounds to foot pounds by dividing the measure by 12, and you did that correctly. However, if you did that so you could use a torque wrench calibrated in foot pounds that could be the problem. Take a look at the maximum end of the range on your torque wrench. If you multiply that number by .2 (20%) that is the lowest torque measurement on the wrench that will be close to accurate. Even top quality Snap-On torque wrenches are not accurate at settings below 20% of their max range. So, as an example, if the top of your torque wrench's range was 75 foot pounds any setting below 15 foot pounds would not yield accurate torque.

It is best to use fairly small torque wrenches calibrated in inch pounds when torquing fasteners whose spec is expressed in inch pounds. Ed

murquiza wrote: I cracked a bolt torquing it to 6.5ft/lbs, had to order a replacement and now I'm scared to torque it to spec.

I was lucky enough that the bolt remained together by the tread itself, as soon I pulled it out and flex it a little it cracked in half. I fear that if it happens again I will need to ez out it.

It was a bad bolt.. don't worry about it so much.

Ed,

Effectively I've used a ft/lbs wrench (5-80ft/lbs) set at a lower torque spec by multiplying by 12 to match the service manual guideline. Now I have a in/lbs wrench that can be adjusted in the indicated range, it's a 1/4" one so I believe this one should be safer.

I've also bought a full set of bolts from eBay and I'm going to visually inspect bolt by bolt for any thinning/deformity and replace those that don;t look safe.

This engine is freaking me out! When removing the locking plate in the clutch one of the stacked screws heads stripped, despite I used an impact tool and a JIS bit, I had to drill it and remove it. Fortunately I was able to get the replacement screw in no time.

I'm glad to see you now have access to an inch pounds torque wrench. That should prove to be far more accurate than the other wrench at the specified torque.

Regarding stuck bolts, I have had outstanding success using Kroil to break the bond between the bolts whatever they are threaded into. When I find one that is stubborn I soak it for 2 or 3days with Kroil, re-applying once or twice a day, and then they unscrew with no difficulty. It has saved my butt at least 5 times so far. Here's the stuff I use. Let me know if you need help finding it. Ed