: Start at the two center bolts and work outward in a "criss-cross" or "spiral" fashion to ensure even pressure on the gasket.
: 3, 4, 5, 6... he followed the numbers on the screen like a dance. Each click of the wrench was a beat of progress.
: 8 N·m / 71 lb-in (Note: Inch-pounds , not foot-pounds!)
He knew the Ecotec engines were finicky. One wrong move, one over-tightened bolt, and the plastic cover would crack, or worse, the head would strip. He reached for his phone, typing the search that every backyard mechanic eventually performs: "2011-chevy-cruze-valve-cover-torque-sequence."
He found the diagram. It looked like a spiral, a digital blueprint for order in a world of mechanical chaos. "Start in the middle," he whispered, mimicking the screen.
: He moved to the bolt directly opposite the first. Click.