Jeff;

The torque spec. is: Just right, not too tight! Judgement is once again called for! Only critical and important fasteners are spec'd.

The force spreading plates George refers to are very helpful.



IPD had (has?) them, but some 1/8" plate and a bandsaw should do it too...

Cheers

This is not an item you "torque" to a spec. You just tighten them up tight
enough so that they will not come loose, but not so tight that you deform
the valve cover (and make it leak). And if the valve cover HAS been deformed
by overtightening it, you need to do a little work on it with a couple hammers
so that the metal does NOT protrude down around the bolt holes. It needs to
be either completely flat or protrude slighty upward so you flatten it when
you tighten the bolts. I'm using hex head bolts on mine which I do with a
T-handle wrench. I also have the funny accessory washers that IPD sells to
spread the load over a larger area. I think maybe they are a common item at
auto parts stores. They help a lot in keeping the cover straight.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!