Has anybody ever torqued their spark plugs to make sure they are even, and tight, without over tightening?

What would the torque be?

Also everybody is using never seiz right?

 

Hand tight then 1/16th of a turn. No U-joints.

 

sal says never use anti seize, someone told me the torque is 17lbs, i dont know if it would be ftlbs or inlbs?

 

The capt. is right again. Hand tight....

 

The point of using a torque wrench is to ensure consistent pressure on the plugs without too much or too little.

No Anti Seize? Why not Sal? Do you just use oil?

 

i thought torque for aluminum threads was 16 ft\lbs. it's pretty general. and yes, i would only rely on a torque wrench, they are not expensive, and you can be sure and always double check torque later down the road.

 

Hmm, why not some blue locktite on those threads? Im getting ready to do my plugs next weekend. Be at about 8000 miles by then.

 

Mo Fo I asked the same question over and over the 1st time I did my plugs and got mixed answeres from all. Some have used locktite ("I wanted to" but didn't) all will say don't. Most of us (me included) use anti seize, most will say don't. One would think with the plug spitting problem a mild locktite would be good ??? but everyone say's don't do it, so I didn't, yet I use anti seize. Now one would think that might actually help spit a plug. You would think seize is kind of what we wan't our plugs to do with the few threads that are there. Which brings me to my next question, what the hell am I using anti-seize for ???

I've installed plugs twice, NGK TR-6's, and now Denso IT-22's, each time I use (well you know) and each time I made them suckers as tight as I could with out going ape schitt on them.

 

IMO ... Locktite is useless in an engine block, because
it is thermally liquidatable. Anti-seize would seem to
aggravate our propensity for plug launches.

When I did mine, I just WD-40'ed the threads to
assist getting them back in ... finger tight and a 1/8 turn jog
to tighten.

AIR1KDF ... How's the beast coming?

 

I installed my NGKs 22,000 miles ago. I used anti-sieze and finger-tight plus 1/16th of a turn.

Dan

 

There is no way to get an accurate torque reading from the hard to reach plugs in the back due to all the u-joints and extensions. That is why most people just tighten to "feel". If you change you plugs often (i.e. "L" owners) anti-sieze is not needed. If you change your plugs every 50,000-100,000 miles (i.e. N/A 5.4/4.6 owners), anti-sieze can be a help in plug removal.

 

I torque to 160 in-lbs. Straight extensions do not effect torque. No anti-seize for me.

 

I used anti sieze in my plugs. The concept is to ensure that the plug goes in nice and smooth and that the plug is bottoming on the seal and not a piece of dirt on the plug. This way you don't have any false readings. You can actuall install a plug and think it's tight, when it's really not. It really doesn't have much to do with getting the plugs back out, although they will come out easier once loosened, and oxidation will be minimal.

I emailed you finally Cliff.

 

i haven't changed my plugs yet, but does anyone use a torque wrench to check torque rating? i think it would be a great idea (considering all the launched plugs) to make sure it's not too loose or too tight. seems like a nice security measure but i don't know how well my LONG torque wrench will fit in the engine bay. i got it for xmas and i plan to install some densos tomorrow and i hope to get that torque wrench in there and torque about 16-17 pounds, but i have "misplaced" my owners manual and i'm not sure the spec. any help?

 

Our plugs are on a 'slant'(towards the rear on the rt. side and towards the front on the left--if I remember correctly?) which makes using a torque wrench with no swivel joints(gives incorrect readings) almost, if not impossible. Then, when you add in the cowl over #4 and #8 and it get's even more difficult.

Just run them in finger-tight/snug and then 1/16 th of a turn more and you should be OK. Mine are still in doing it that way for over 20,000 miles.

Dan