Mistake...hopefully not too bad

[01PonyGT]

While trying to drain the block of coolant on my '01 GT I loosened the wrong bolt thinking it was the drain plug. I found the drain plug on the driver's side just below one of the freeze plugs, but........What is the bolt that I loosened. There are four of them evenly spaced on each side of the engine (I assume both sides, I only saw the driver's side) just above the oil pan. I loosened one and when I found that it was a long thin bolt I relaized it was NOT the drain plug. I tightened it back up, but what is it? I didn' see any sealant or lock-tite on it. I hope it wasn't bolted into something inside the engine that's now "floating" around. The head of the bolt is 9/16". Any ideas??? I'm completely clueless when it comes to engines.

Thanks
WES

 

[KaPPaBaLL]

:whoknows:

 

[billyfe390]

You loosened a main bearing cross bolt if you only did 1 torque it back down to 90 inch pounds and forget it.

 

[01PonyGT]

You loosened a main bearing cross bolt if you only did 1 torque it back down to 90 inch pounds and forget it.

thanks for the reply. So I don't worry, right? I guess I'm being neurotic, but what would happen if that bolt worked its way loose??
How do you convert 90 inch pounds to foot pounds? do you just divide by 12?
Thanks again,

WES

 

[nyuk98gt]

01PonyGT:

Don't worry, the bolt is not going to back out if you re-torque it properly. And, yes, you divide "lb-in" to obtain the torque in "lb-ft".

FWIW, the '98 shop manual sets the torque of the main bearing cap side bolts (the one you loosened) at 14 to 17 lb-ft. The crankshaft main bearing cap adjusting screws are torqued to 80 to 97 lb-in. (No flame intended to "billyfe390").

 

[billyfe390]

01PonyGT:

Don't worry, the bolt is not going to back out if you re-torque it properly. And, yes, you divide "lb-in" to obtain the torque in "lb-ft".

FWIW, the '98 shop manual sets the torque of the main bearing cap side bolts (the one you loosened) at 14 to 17 lb-ft. The crankshaft main bearing cap adjusting screws are torqued to 80 to 97 lb-in. (No flame intended to "billyfe390").

I was just walking out my apt when I thought of that thanks for correcting me.

 

[Sam98]

You loosened a main bearing cross bolt if you only did 1 torque it back down to 90 inch pounds and forget it.

That's what it is and it wont hurt to remove it as long as you put it back...BTW you have a Windsor block...

 

[01PonyGT]

That's what it is and it wont hurt to remove it as long as you put it back...BTW you have a Windsor block...

Thanks again for all the replies. BTW, how do you know it's a Windsor? Do the Romeo blocks not have these bolts??

WES

 

[Sam98]

Thanks again for all the replies. BTW, how do you know it's a Windsor? Do the Romeo blocks not have these bolts??

WES

Windsor has bolts...Romeo has pins...