what torque to use for thermostat bolts on 2003 Town Car?
Asked by GuruL5JM Apr 14, 2017 at 08:29 PM about the 2003 Lincoln Town Car Executive
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
Thanks, and I replaced the thermostat. By the way, the $3 replacement gasket
was completely round and held the T-stat cover up more than seemed safe for
smart tightening, but the original was partly flat by design and in good shape,
so I re-used it. Fits. But what torque for the bolts? That is not high-grade
steel, the dome cover! Don't want a snap! disaster.
4 Answers
25 pounds probably way too tight. 19 lb. was one figure by a pro mechanic, and 18 by the AskTrannyMan here. I went to 18 and maybe just a little over, but not 19, and those bolts were plenty tight and maybe right on the edge of too much. Cast iron cover...so better to test run it and check later. Can always tweak it a bit. But I'd be afraid of more than 19 for sure. Kerrr....ACKKKK!
Thank you for the additional. No leaks, praise the Lord. With luck the T-stat won't have any either, at 18.5 ft. lbs. Tho in a previous "life" long ago, I changed spark plugs and oil, a starter, an alternator, batteries...and gosh...even a thermostat, many, many years ago. After so long away surely was best to use torque wrench, settings. Torque settings seem to match "feel" pretty close, it had been yearssss since I tightened a T-stat's housing, so asking for torque settings made sense. Hoped for a response from this site, but no guarantees, so I searched and found on youtube the 19 ft. lbs. info. Then you came with more helpful info. Thanks. Gents like you enrichen things. I hope you are available when I try something trickier.
PS: Gasket that came from Riebe's along with their brand T-stat was round, no flat surface at all, and height seemed a problem. Fortunately the orig. was flat and in great shape, so was reused. 5-min. warmup showed no leak, but tomorrow's longer runs will tell the tale. Moral: The expert gent at Riebe's dont kno evrything. The gasket goes back.
