Got the dumbass award today. While installing my efini y pipe I decided to go get my service manual for torque recommendations. I notice that the torque recommendations are 70 lbs. (to myself I say damn - wheels lugs are like 80-90 but figure that boost leakage might be a prob/etc.). So I go back and take my most likely properly adjusted bolts and bust out my torque wrench....

About 1 crank into it I spin the bolt off... I call Chris at RP and he's like that is actually 70 inch/lbs....

What a PITA. I searched the forum and found that others have done this on and around the engine block with surprising frequency. Must be those mil spec studs that Mazda uses.

 

You wouldn't have problems if you used Newton Meters instead.

 

Yeah - I agree - US measurment standards are wacked from volume to distance to mass.

However, newtons were on the service manual and I was actually oblivious as my torque wrench had newtons as well. Guess I was so convinced that the lbs was right that I didn't believe that the 79 newtons was correct on my wrench (where as the manual stated 7.8 newtons) or figured that my wrench didn't have a decimal point so the entire number could be displayed in the torque "window" on the wrench...

Chalk this up to a learning experience..

So the next question is.. when I get the new stud, what is the best way to insert it without messing up the threads (already i removed the broken one)????

 

The problem isn't Mazda fasteners, it is people with torque wrenches. Man 70ft-lbs on a small bolt like that, no wonder it broke.

Nothing on the motor really needs to be torqued more than snug. I'm forgetting the exact torques but I think the exhaust manifold is something like 25ft lbs.