The part that gets me is how many guys check their torque wrench against a buddy's and call it good, not realizing the real problem is friction on the threads, not the wrench. Even two calibrated wrenches will read different if one guy oils and the other runs dry, so the tool was never the issue. That's why some manuals actually list a wet spec and a dry spec separately, and if you use the dry number on oiled threads you can stretch the bolt or pull the threads right out of the hole. I switched to a light coat of clean motor oil on the threads and under the head, and I back it off about 15 percent from the dry spec unless the book gives me a wet number. Once you start doing it that way you can feel the difference in how smooth the bolt turns too, and that alone tells you the clamp load is way more even across all six.

Waited to say this but rust orange is technically orange, not red, which is why it probably worked better than just swapping one dark moody color for another. Sounds like the drunk guy was onto something without even knowing why it clicked.