Valve cover stud washers

[zdr]

What kind of washers are supposed to be used with the acorn nuts on the valve covers, etc, on a 330 GT 2+2?

My washers are flat and metalic in color, but now I hear that they might have originally been wavy and blue.

Acorn nuts are supposed to be clear cadmium, right?

Thanks

[Chris Coios]

Yes. clear cadmium for acorn nuts on 330. Wave washers, black oxide. Ferrari typically used wave washers for fasteners against aluminum castings and split lock washers for steel applications. As usual, rules meant to be broken in some instances.

[zdr]

Thanks. Any idea where to get those washers? If not, what's a close replacement?

[kare]

My advice is to use stronger/thicker washers than the originals and/or being very careful not to tighten the acorn nuts too much.

On my car the outer edge on cam chain covers have collapsed, bending the studs outwards as much as the clearance allows. The threads have also "bitten" into the covers and removing them alone took 2 days. I think somebody did over-tighten the covers when fighting against oil leaks (really coming from the ring seals for cam chain covers). As I have to mill some material off the covers, I might as well sink steel washers into them preventing the same problem occuring again...

[330GT]

The acorn nuts are supposed to only be tightened to 6 ft-lbs (72 in-lbs). That's not much and it is easy to overtighten, particularly if you are using a 3/8" ratchet. Lowell Brown uses a 1/4" ratchet handle on the 6mm nuts and bolts as a way to prevent overtighting.

Of course, having a torque wrench measuring in in-lbs is the best way.

[330GT]

Thanks. Any idea where to get those washers? If not, what's a close replacement?

These are pretty common. Check with Home Depot or Lowe's in their specialty (metric) cabinet. I get mine from Small Parts (www.smallparts.com). Every couple of years I order a bunch of steel and stainless steel metric washers, nuts and bolts in the various sizes and store them in a one of the cabinets with a bunch of plastic drawers to keep them separated and handy.

I'm sure that Vancouver Bolt & Supply would have them too.

Then use gun blueing (as suggested in other threads) to add a coating similar to the black oxide.

[zdr]

I've been adjusting my valves, and wondered what touque setting you should use when tightening the "jam nuts." Can't find it in any of my books.

Thanks,
David

[John Vardanian]

I don't think the manuals that exist specify any torque. This is a thin nut and the threads that actually do the work are few-- should not be over tightened. The factory item was a T handled wrench that relied on the twisting force coming from one's wrist. I use a 1/4 inch ratchet and turn the wrench while holding the ratchet's head in the palm of my hand.

john

[zdr]

OK, thanks.