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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Torquing brass monkeys

I'm in my garage. I want to fit my cylinder head. The thermometer reads -6 degrees. Should I:
a) carry on torquing down as usual
b) make an allowance for the cold temperature (if so what)
c) retire to the house, have a hot drink and wait for warmer weather?

Meanwhile, several brass monkeys have been round asking for a spot of brazing work.

Chris
Chris H (1970 Midget 1275)

Find a different hobby...?

I'd use the standard torque figures - when you let it cool down after you run it you can retorque before it hits freezing... :)
James Bilsland

Since you'll have to re-torque it after it's been running for a while, I wouldn't worry too much and just use the normal figures.

If you're really, really worried, just knock a couple lb-ft off the figures.
S Overy

Just my thoughts here, but the engine's operating temperature range spans several hundred degrees, and the lower winter temps can't be all that critical in comparison.

Again, that's opinion!

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Gryf,
That is the standard logic for using a gas grill all winter... I am cooking at 450F+, what is the difference if it starts from 20 or 30F lower than usual?
David "cooking with gas" Lieb
David Lieb

Get a heater for your garage?

Personally I'd wait because your hands will tend to stick to most metal parts and when you'll bash them because they are cold and numb. When they warm up they'll hurt because you bashed them harder than you realised.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

My garage heater has just shed its fan. It was held on by a plastic clip which has broken into at least three pieces...and I can only find two of them!

What are the chances of me being able to buy a new plastic thingy, versus paying £40 for a new heater?
Dave O'Neill 2

in the southern part of the states,,, our grills dont have bearings, complex moving parts, or close spec tolerances. least mine dont.

I Understand where chris is coming from... Is it a valid point? SShhhhiiissshhhh, I dont know! considering how much metal expands when it gets heated by an extra 125 degreees, id imagine the same opposite would be true for frozen metal. Im thinking metal could shrink when its colder by an extra few degrees. How much? ... Why ask me? Do I look like the man that shot liberty valance?

After all isnt that how new flywheel ring gears are applied to flywheels ... Deep frozen flywheels and HOT BBQ-ed ring gears... slap them togher, apply some mustard and pickle then stick it between some bread?


Prop
Prop

In part I posted this thread to see if it would tempt Prop to give an opinion - I wasn't disappointed!
Chris H (1970 Midget 1275)

A true BRASS MONKEY is triangular in shape and holds a bunch of Balls.
How about that PROP?
SANDY SANDERS

Oh no it isn't
(at least that's what snopes says)..
http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.asp

and wikipedia backs them up
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_monkey_(colloquial_expression)
graeme jackson

GRAEME Were it true then the balls would have rolled all over last night as it froze here in central Florida last night.
Sandy
SANDY SANDERS

I never heard that term before ... but im a fan of it now

it was certianly cold enough here to turn a male brass monkey into a unich brass monkey last night for sure
Prop

-6 ain't cold!
Art Pearse

Art.
-6 is definitly not cold.. I was stationed at RCAF Stn Bagotville for 5 years. Now that area can be cold. On a cold night at home 12 miles from the base we could hear the Voodoos start up and take off. Many times -39 degrees F was seen. Had a MK-9 Jag and it started all the time. Admitting that at home I had a block heater.
As you know SNOW squeels when stepped on when it's real cold.
Sandy
SANDY SANDERS

I spent the winter of 1976 in Prudoe Bay Alaska working as a laborer on the Alaska Pipeline.
The coldest day I remember was -56 without windchill and -123 with the chill factor.
-6 isn't bad relativly speaking, hell at -6 we wore tee shirts!
Phil "it warmed up to about 70 today in South Florida"
Phil Burke

This thread was discussed between 07/12/2010 and 11/12/2010

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