ok i'm new and not good at the search function. What's the tourqe spec for a 02 5.4 in a F-150 if it matters. my Hains manual says nothing and cant find here with the search. ALSo i got Motorcaft Platinum Iridium plugs, are they ok, good, bad, overkill, just right or what???

 

28' lbs. Yes, those are great plugs, not overkill.

 

You can also torque them 1/2 - 3/4 turn after seat.

 

ok thanks. While waiting for an answer, i did some searching and see all sorts of "specs" i see 11ft lbs, 12, 11 to 16, no tourque needed just finger tight plus 1/8 turn etc etc. who am i to believe. from what i've read 28lbs is very high, especially for alum heads. Not saying your wrong, just way above what i've read here and other internet places. now i'm very confused and even more unsure

 

4 thread aluminum heads have been tested to withstand 100' lbs of torque. Look at how many posts I have. I would have been burned at the stake by now if I gave out bad info lol. But, I know what your saying, others will post.

 

28lbs is not very much at all. I put mine in finger tight and a quick 1/4 turn afterwards like I do to any plug. Then grabbed the torque wrench and set it to 25ft/lbs (because I had some oil in a few threads) and was surprised that almost half of them were over torqued from that little bit I previously gave it. Didnt seem like much at all.

And where did you see 11-16ft/lbs? I think the manual calls for 18ft/lbs with antiseize.
But due to the spitting plug issues to use 28ft/lbs dry.

oops, fixed

 

Ford has not changed their original recommendation. The 28 ft/lb comes from the guys at blownoutsparkplug.com. They also recommend NO antiseize, use nickel-plated Motorcraft plugs.

 

Listen to the people that tell you 28 lbs Dave. That isn't very much and besides, you're a WHOLE lot less likely to blow a plug out of those 4 threads with that torque!

 

ok 28lbs it is, and no anti seize. 11-12 seemed awfully low, glad i waited to do it. Thanks everybody. Oh and FWIW, i got the 11lbs off Google and F-150.com, last time i go there. I hope new plugs solves the issues I'm having. Thanks again

 

Glad you did wait. What GLC told you is right on. Those guys do it for a business and know what they're talking about. 28 lbs is definitely not to high, but enough torque to maybe keep from blowing a plug. 14 lbs is almost nothing. The problem is the Ford recommended 14 is so low that it gives the plug a chance to start to loosen and then the intake and compression damages the threads as it gets looser and looser. The aluminum head expands away (out) from the plug because aluminum expands a lot more than steel and the stupid 14 lbs just isn't enough to assure retention.