TIL a cheap torque wrench can cost you a whole Saturday

Honestly, I was trying to save a few bucks last month and grabbed a no-name torque wrench from a discount tool truck for like $40. Figured it would be fine for some head studs on a 6.7 Powerstroke. Ngl, I spent the entire day torquing everything down in sequence, felt good, started it up, and immediately heard a nasty tick. Had to pull the valve cover right back off and found two studs were way under spec. The wrench was reading 90 ft-lbs but was actually putting out maybe 60. Wasted a full 8-hour day and a fresh head gasket. Has anyone else been burned by a bad torque wrench, and what brand do you actually trust for engine work?

3 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

3 Comments

annas876mo ago

Been there, that sinking feeling when you hear the tick is the worst.

1

riley_taylor6mo ago

Read a study that said most people overestimate the cost of that noise by a lot.

6

gavin_hill276mo ago

Ever notice how this happens with so many cheap tools? You try to save a little money up front, but it ends up costing you way more time and stress later. It's a lesson that seems to apply to way more than just fixing trucks.

-1