Torque Wrench for spark plugs... Which one?
Discussion
Hi Everyone,
I know some might say you can just do it by feel and don't need a torque wrench. I know a lot of you would never use one but I rather use one as I don't want to over tighten them. I would have already saved a good amount than getting a dealer or 3rd party to do it. So I'm happy to spend a bit of cash on a decent torque wrench for the job. I've narrowed it down to two options and would like some help picking or advice on any better options, as I could be completely wrong with my choices.
I would be changing spark plugs on my 4 to 6 year old VW, Audi and BMW/Mini cars.
My first option would be:
Norbar NorTorque model 60, 3/8" Adjustable Ratchet (Dual Scale) Torque Wrench 12 - 60Nm
Or the Halfords version
My 2nd option is:
Wera Click Torque B 1 Adjustable Torque Wrench, 3/8" Square Drive, 10 - 50 Nm
Please can you let me know which one you rather use and if you know any pros or cons. Alternatively, any better options in that price range.
Also any help with recommendations on extension bars and sets that have 14mm to 16mm plug socket sets. As I currently need all the bits to do the job. I'm also looking at a T bar to remove the old plugs.
Thank you all for your help!
Luke
Edit: I can’t reply to anyone as I’m new to the form! Have to wait 14 days. Please still reply with recommendations. Thank you for everyone who has so far.
Replies:
Thanks, thebraketester I’m definitely going to get some of those. Do you think the one you linked to is best or would one like this be just as good? Neilsen 16mm-magnetic-spark-plug-socket-drive-with-universal-joint. (Can't link yet)
I like how it's longer, just in case. As I know some of the wells are deep in the BMW/MINIS.
.....
I've already got the spark plugs and the NM are mostly between, 23 and 25.
....
Thanks for the recommendations on the Wera. I was leaning towards that one but I did like how the other was a British brand.
I know some might say you can just do it by feel and don't need a torque wrench. I know a lot of you would never use one but I rather use one as I don't want to over tighten them. I would have already saved a good amount than getting a dealer or 3rd party to do it. So I'm happy to spend a bit of cash on a decent torque wrench for the job. I've narrowed it down to two options and would like some help picking or advice on any better options, as I could be completely wrong with my choices.
I would be changing spark plugs on my 4 to 6 year old VW, Audi and BMW/Mini cars.
My first option would be:
Norbar NorTorque model 60, 3/8" Adjustable Ratchet (Dual Scale) Torque Wrench 12 - 60Nm
Or the Halfords version
My 2nd option is:
Wera Click Torque B 1 Adjustable Torque Wrench, 3/8" Square Drive, 10 - 50 Nm
Please can you let me know which one you rather use and if you know any pros or cons. Alternatively, any better options in that price range.
Also any help with recommendations on extension bars and sets that have 14mm to 16mm plug socket sets. As I currently need all the bits to do the job. I'm also looking at a T bar to remove the old plugs.
Thank you all for your help!
Luke
Edit: I can’t reply to anyone as I’m new to the form! Have to wait 14 days. Please still reply with recommendations. Thank you for everyone who has so far.
Replies:
Thanks, thebraketester I’m definitely going to get some of those. Do you think the one you linked to is best or would one like this be just as good? Neilsen 16mm-magnetic-spark-plug-socket-drive-with-universal-joint. (Can't link yet)
I like how it's longer, just in case. As I know some of the wells are deep in the BMW/MINIS.
.....
I've already got the spark plugs and the NM are mostly between, 23 and 25.
....
Thanks for the recommendations on the Wera. I was leaning towards that one but I did like how the other was a British brand.
Edited by Robust on Wednesday 17th January 14:51
Edited by Robust on Wednesday 17th January 16:56
Edited by Robust on Wednesday 17th January 16:59
First thing is to buy a proper magnetic spark plug tool like this one. https://bofiracing.co.uk/workshop-merchandise/work...
Another vote for Wera. I own a fair amount of their kit and it's all brilliant.
Also anyone who says "do it by feel" isn't necessarily wrong, I did plenty of home spannering without them BUT a torque wrench is definitely the way to go. I've had plugs with crush washers of very different squashability. On at least one car, if I hadn't been using a torque wrench I could have under tightened as the washer hadn't crushed at the point it felt right. A short pull later I felt the washer "give" and then there was a bit more rotation before the click.
ETA on a thread here someone mentioned that Wera torque wrenches are actually made by Norbar, so if that's true you'd be fine with either.
Also anyone who says "do it by feel" isn't necessarily wrong, I did plenty of home spannering without them BUT a torque wrench is definitely the way to go. I've had plugs with crush washers of very different squashability. On at least one car, if I hadn't been using a torque wrench I could have under tightened as the washer hadn't crushed at the point it felt right. A short pull later I felt the washer "give" and then there was a bit more rotation before the click.
ETA on a thread here someone mentioned that Wera torque wrenches are actually made by Norbar, so if that's true you'd be fine with either.
thebraketester said:
First thing is to buy a proper magnetic spark plug tool like this one. https://bofiracing.co.uk/workshop-merchandise/work...
I did not know these existed. I will be buying a set to save me having to do the "insert using rubber boot in socket, then remove socket to extract rubber boot from socket to avoid it getting left in the tube, then go back in to torque it" method. Thank you!Hustle_ said:
Buy the plugs first. What is the recommended tightening procedure?
Some of them are angle tightened.
It'd be annoying if you bought a torque wrench and the torque spec for the plugs was out-of-range or angle tighten.
What engines have you worked on where it's an angle and/or 50Nm wouldn't be sufficient?Some of them are angle tightened.
It'd be annoying if you bought a torque wrench and the torque spec for the plugs was out-of-range or angle tighten.
I'm only an enthusiastic amateur but I think every engine I've changed plugs on had a torque specified and it was somewhere in the 20-30Nm range. I've seen something like "quarter turn past finger tight" on spark plug boxes but engine manufacturer spec always takes precedence over that as the spark plug manufacturer doesn't know the specifics of the engine.
(Not disagreeing, just more interested in what engines are out of the ordinary to my own experiences).
Didn’t really have a figure in my head for torque on a spark plug when I wrote that but wouldn’t have been surprised if it was in the teens somewhere i.e. towards the bottom or below the range of some 3/8” torque wrenches. Or as I say, angle tightened. What I was getting at is that the torque should be known before considering which torque wrench to buy.
OP has put now tightening torque in OP.
Watch out if there’s any oil about because even using a torque wrench you could overtighten plugs if the threads aren’t dry.
OP has put now tightening torque in OP.
Watch out if there’s any oil about because even using a torque wrench you could overtighten plugs if the threads aren’t dry.
Any of the torque wrenches listed by the OP will be fine.
However, the wera costs about £150, and the norbar about £100 ( from a quick Google search). You really don't need to spend that much.
The halfords one i found (advanced 60) is on sale at £85 with another 10% off at the moment, that one will be fine.
However, the wera costs about £150, and the norbar about £100 ( from a quick Google search). You really don't need to spend that much.
The halfords one i found (advanced 60) is on sale at £85 with another 10% off at the moment, that one will be fine.
I bought this 'SOS Tools' 2-24Nm one and have found it really good. It came with a calibration certificate but for all I know it was just a photocopy of one they'd done years ago on a completely different tool! Neatly fills the gap that has always exited below by 25-250Nm torque wrench, although granted still doesn't necessarily cover me well for bang-on 25Nm fixings from a purist's perspective with it sitting at the top end of one and bottom end of the other.
Having done the timing belt on my wife's Ecoboost there were so many bolts hanging things off the aluminium head, some being plastic with runner seals etc, and I really didn't want to overtighten them so this was just the ticket. Great for the spark plugs too which are specified at only 13Nm and so almost certainly less tight than I likely would've done on intuition and feel alone!
One tip I'd have with this tool - and perhaps any other low-torque torque wrench - is to get a good feel for it giving way at its range of levels. With so little torque being applied at the lower end it is rather more subtle than when doing something up to, say, 100Nm and it would not surprise me if someone were to inadvertently overdo things if they just dived straight in without being mindful of this. Like all tools though once you've practiced with it a bit it feels perfectly fine.
Having done the timing belt on my wife's Ecoboost there were so many bolts hanging things off the aluminium head, some being plastic with runner seals etc, and I really didn't want to overtighten them so this was just the ticket. Great for the spark plugs too which are specified at only 13Nm and so almost certainly less tight than I likely would've done on intuition and feel alone!
One tip I'd have with this tool - and perhaps any other low-torque torque wrench - is to get a good feel for it giving way at its range of levels. With so little torque being applied at the lower end it is rather more subtle than when doing something up to, say, 100Nm and it would not surprise me if someone were to inadvertently overdo things if they just dived straight in without being mindful of this. Like all tools though once you've practiced with it a bit it feels perfectly fine.
Edited by tux850 on Thursday 18th January 00:23
donkmeister said:
You finished it then! 
Ha ha, yeah... Eventually! Looking back it doesn't feel like quite the adventure it did at the time!donkmeister said:
What's next? 
Nothing for a good few years, hopefully! I bet I'd fly through it next time though.Actually, it did remind me how much fun and satisfaction there is to be had playing with cars. Really ought to consider taking on a project of some sort.
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