Originally Posted By: JOD
To all of those who use a torque wrench, I'm curious: how much do you reduce the torque, since the specs for oil plug bolts are generally expressed as "dry". Or do you drain the engine for a few days and clean the surfaces with mineral spirits first? I also wonder if you make sure to use an OEM crush-washer, both with the same material and thickness--and if not, do you alter the torque spec accordingly?
I tighten by feel. But for fun, I have checked my "feel" several times with a TechWrench by tightening by hand, put some marks on it, then loosen and torque back to the marks (crude). By feel, I am generally about 15% above the book torque.
My Caravan factory service manual does not indicate dry or lubed values for the oil pan bolt. I assume it takes into account that it will ALWAYS be lubricated. I don't worry much about it.