Just logged my 100th torque check on a single engine mount job

I was doing a full engine change on a Citation CJ2 last week, and I kept a tally on my clipboard. After the final sign-off, I counted 100 separate torque applications just for the mount bolts, pylon fittings, and related hardware. It's wild how many fasteners you touch even on a 'simple' swap. That number really hit me about the sheer repetition and focus this job needs. Anyone else ever stop and count the actual steps on a big task like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

lunag301mo ago

A hundred torque checks sounds like a good way to forget what a normal wrist feels like. I'd probably zone out and start counting in my sleep. That's the kind of repetition that makes you triple-check your own signature.

susan6491mo ago

Honestly, keeping a tally like that would make me second-guess every single click. Tbh I just trust the calibrated wrench and the manual, no extra counting needed. @the_faith has a point about fresh checklists, but all that extra tracking feels like a distraction from the actual hardware. Ngl, my brain would fry trying to remember if I was on number 87 or 88.

the_faith1mo ago

That "sheer repetition and focus" is why I always use a fresh checklist for each mount... it's too easy to lose count in the middle. The tally on the clipboard is a solid move. Keeps your head in the game when the numbers get that high.

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the_linda1mo ago

Do you ever find the checklist itself becomes part of the routine, like you're just ticking boxes without really seeing the work? I mean, I worry about going on autopilot even with a good system. Maybe it's just me but that's when I make dumb mistakes.