<VV>Factory Manuals

[Padgett]

>  The Shop Manuals say not to. But aircraft and old time mechanics say to do
>so. I put my vote in with the second group.

I always consider the factory manuals to be essential but less than gospel. 
A good case in point is the Quad-4 engine in my son's car - there were no 
less than four different TSBs - technical service bulletins - superceding 
the factory manual on how to install the head. All say not to clean the 
head bolt threads in the block.

When I pulled son's apart for an oil leak I found so much engine sealer and 
grit in the bolt holes that the bolts would not go in far enough much less 
torque correctly. Could not even turn bolts in by hand.

After thorough cleaning and thread chasing, all bolts would spin in with 
fingers and after checking the block, taking .005" off the head to make 
absolutely level and installing everything properly (have to use a "one 
torque" head gasket since it takes major disassembly to get back to the 
head bolts), it does not use oil & has over 150k on the clock.

Keep in mind that often the factory service manual is written before the 
cars even reach the showroom and errors often creep in. Further, few even 
see the TSBs - usually about a three inch binder for each year.

So think of the FSM like the pirate's code and "more like guidelines".

ps I always buy the factory service manual for my cars but that is just the 
start - are often separate body, transmission, radio, brake, and 
carburation manuals as well. Then there are the P&As for all of the above, 
and the TSBs. Think I have 20 or 25 feet of just service manuals and such 
plus a gaggle of aftermarket books. I always find valuable nuggets in even 
the most trivial.

Padgett