Every BMW bolt has a name. If you look at a combination of two things you can always find out the torque specs for the bolt, unless the housing limits it, which I will highlight below.

Lets take a bolt that holds the main drive belt tensioner in place. Its BMW part number is 07119905533 and its name is M8X35-U1. The M8 tells you what class* (class meaning the size of the head M = Metric and 8 = 8 mm) of bolt it is. The X means "by". The 35 tells you its length in millimetres.

If you look at the photo below, you see an 8,8 which translated into American means "8.8" which gives you the torque specs: 17.7 Ft Pounds or 24 NM. 8mm is the outside diameter of the threads. If you measure the threads of an 8mm nut, it will read less than 8mmm, since your are measuring the inside diameter. "Pitch" is another spec that's useful to know. A typical 8 mm bolt has the pitch of 1.25mm. This means the bolt travels 1.25mm over one turn, or the distance between adjacent threads. The lower the pitch, the "finer" the threads are.

So how do you find the name of a bolt whose head is rusted beyond any readability?

  1. Go to RealOEM.com and find the part number
  2. Pop said part number in Google images
  3. Click on the ECS Tuning photos
  4. While you are there, go ahead and spend the $5 on new bolts
  5. Go to Amazon.com and purchase Rust Encapsulator, which you can coat the bolt in to prevent it from rusting in the future.

Use a 1/4" ratchet for small bolts, like the 6mm on the valve cover. The 3/8" ratchet that is used for most applications is too big for them, it's easy to over tighten.

Engine, Trans, Drivetrain

Oil Change

Oil Filter Housing
18.5 Ft Pounds
25 NM

Oil Filter Drain Plug
18.5 Ft Pounds
25 NM

Manual Transmission Oil Change

5 Speed Manual
Drain & Fill Plugs
37 Ft Pounds
50 NM

Drain & Fill Plugs with an Alan Head
26 Ft Pounds
35 NM

6 Speed Manual
Drain & Fill Plugs
38.5 Ft Pounds
52 NM

Drain & Fill Plugs with an Alan Head
26 Ft Pounds
35 NM

Automatic Transmission
14 Ft Pounds
19 NM

Rear Differential

For Plugs with a Metal Seal Ring
48 Ft. Pounds
65 NM

For Plugs with a Rubber O-Ring
44.5 Ft. Pounds
60 NM

Oil Filter Housing Bolts (For Accessing Oil Filter Housing Gasket)
15 Ft. Pounds
22 NM

Valve Cover (Bolts & Stand-Offs)
7 Ft. Pounds
10 NM

Vanos Oil Hose from Oil Filter Housing (Hose with Hollow Bolt)
23.5 Ft. Pounds
32 NM

Bolts Holding the Vanos onto the top of the Motor (Nuts & Stand-Offs + 1 Securing Bolt)
6 Ft. Pounds
8 NM

Reverse Thread Vanos Bolts Connecting Vanos to Cam Shafts
6 Ft. Pounds
8 NM

VANOS Piston Plug Caps (the biggest thing you have to screw down in VANOS job)
37 Ft. Pounds
50 NM

Spark Plugs
22 Ft. Pounds
30 NM

Throttle Body Bolts
7.3 Ft. Pounds
10 NM

Belt Tensioners & Pully (Both Mechanical & Hydraulic)

Main Belt
17.7 Ft Pounds
24 NM

A/C Belt
34.7 Ft Pounds
47 NM

Drive Line Belt Pully
34.7 Ft Pounds
47 NM

Thermostat
1 of 3 Identical Bolts (Part Number 11531740317)
7.3 Ft Pounds
9.9 NM

1 of 1 Bolts (Part Number 11531740316)
17.7 Ft Pounds
24 NM

Coolant Pump
Pump
7.4 Ft Pounds
10 NM

Pully (4x 07119904524)
7.4 Ft Pounds
10 NM

Oil Pan Bolts
If they have an "8,8" on the head
7.4 Ft Pounds
10 NM

If they have a 10,9 on the head
10.3 Ft Pounds
14 NM

Rear Diff Back Cover Bolts
34.6 Ft Pounds
47 NM

Alternator
Short of the Two (125 MM)
47 Ft Pounds
63.75 NM

Longer of the Two (150 mm)
47 Ft Pounds
63.75 NM

Starter Motor
47 Ft Pounds
63.75 NM

Intake Manifold
M7 Nuts
11 Ft Pounds
15 NM

M8 Nuts
16 Ft Pounds
22 NM

DISA Screws
7 Ft Pounds
10 NM

Suspension, Brakes

Caliber Guide Bolts
22 Ft Pounds
30 NM

Wheel/Rim Lug Nut
87 Ft Pounds
118 NM

Control Arm Bushing
44 Ft. Pounds
59 NM

Control Arms

Inner Ball Joint to Subframe
66 Ft Pounds
89.5 NM

Out Ball Joint to Steering Arm
48 Ft Pounds
65 NM

Outer Tie-Rod
Connecting to Steering Arm
48 Ft. Pounds
65 NM

Outer tie rod end lock nut 33 ft lb (what's in the center of the entire tie rod)
33 Ft Pounds
44.75 NM

Inner Tie Rod to Steering Rack
74 + 7 Ft Pounds
100 + 8 NM

Aluminium Brace Subframe Underplate
43.5 Ft Pounds
59 NM

Brake Caliber Mounting Bolts
81 Ft Pounds
110 NM

Rear Trailing Arm
Bracket to Body
57 Ft. Pounds
77.25 NM

Bushing Through Bolt
81 Ft Pounds
110 NM

Rear lower control arm to trailing arm bolt
57 Ft. Pounds
77.25 NM

Front Rear Subframe Bolts
66.3 Ft Pounds
90 NM

Rear Rear Subframe Bolts
57.8 Ft Pounds
77 NM

1 Front Rear Diff Mount Bolt
128 Ft. Pounds
174 NM

2 Rear Rear Diff Mount Bolts
70 Ft Pounds
95 NM

Guibo to Transmission/Driveshaft
74 Ft Pounds
100 NM

Driveshaft to Rear Differential Flange
63 Ft Pounds
85 NM

Front Wheel Bearing Axel Bolt Release
157.8 Ft Pounds
214 NM

Rear Wheel Bearing Axel Bolt Release
157.8 Ft Pounds
214 NM

Rear Axel Bolts to Rear Diff
73.75 Ft Pounds
100 NM

Rear Lower Strut Mount Bolt
84.8 Ft Pounds
115 NM

2 Lower Front Strut Mount Bolts
84.8 Ft Pounds
115 NM

Driveshaft

Driveshaft to Rear Diff
48.7 Ft Pounds
66 NM

Driveshaft to Trans
84.8 Ft Pounds
115 NM