Discussion
king up. Should I go for it?It's easy. Unscrew them carefully. Clean the threads on the plug befoore refitting and put a small amount of copper grease on the threads if you have some. When they go back into the engine you shoudn't need to use any force. They should go in a certain amount just using your fingers. If any of them go tight early then remove them and don't force anything. When they are in properly just nip them up hand tight and no more.
Boosted LS1 said:
It's easy. Unscrew them carefully. Clean the threads on the plug befoore refitting and put a small amount of copper grease on the threads if you have some. When they go back into the engine you shoudn't need to use any force. They should go in a certain amount just using your fingers. If any of them go tight early then remove them and don't force anything. When they are in properly just nip them up hand tight and no more.
I would normally screw the plug in hand tight until its at its seat, then get the plug spanner on it and turn a further 1/4 turn to "crush" the washer. To say only nip them up hand tight is a little misleading, i feel.
phumy said:
Boosted LS1 said:
It's easy. Unscrew them carefully. Clean the threads on the plug befoore refitting and put a small amount of copper grease on the threads if you have some. When they go back into the engine you shoudn't need to use any force. They should go in a certain amount just using your fingers. If any of them go tight early then remove them and don't force anything. When they are in properly just nip them up hand tight and no more.
I would normally screw the plug in hand tight until its at its seat, then get the plug spanner on it and turn a further 1/4 turn to "crush" the washer. To say only nip them up hand tight is a little misleading, i feel.The best way to get them started is to turn them *backwards* while holding them lightly in position. When you feel it drop off the end of the thread you turn it forwards and it should engage immediately.
It should screw in by hand all the way until the crush washer contacts the head, but it's very sensitive to side loads so it may need care to get it going all the way down. Plugs usually say how far you should turn them after they have been pinched up against the crush washer, 3/4 of a turn seems to be usual for new plugs, if you every reuse a plug then just give it a quarter of a turn. This last bit is the only part you should need a spanner for - and the same when you come to remove them. I do find it helps when turning them by hand to put the plug socket on to make it easier to grip.
It should screw in by hand all the way until the crush washer contacts the head, but it's very sensitive to side loads so it may need care to get it going all the way down. Plugs usually say how far you should turn them after they have been pinched up against the crush washer, 3/4 of a turn seems to be usual for new plugs, if you every reuse a plug then just give it a quarter of a turn. This last bit is the only part you should need a spanner for - and the same when you come to remove them. I do find it helps when turning them by hand to put the plug socket on to make it easier to grip.
jackal said:
a lot spark plug recesses seem to have a load of grit and sand and muck that seems to collect aroudn the perimeter of the base of the spark plug where its screwed in
when you pull them out, make sure none of that crud falls in
Best thing to do in this case is to clean, blow, brush the cr@p and dust out of the recess before you remove the plug, that way nothing will fall into the cylinder when the plug is removed.when you pull them out, make sure none of that crud falls in
Handy tip, do not wire brush plugs to clean and re use them,this will damage a lot of modern style plugs killing them quickly and the CAT if fitted, they are designed to last a long time and they may have metal coated tips.
They are cheap to buy so just replace them.
Good advice above on fitting the plugs, stories of cross threading and stripping of threads are mainly from heavy handedness.
They are cheap to buy so just replace them.
Good advice above on fitting the plugs, stories of cross threading and stripping of threads are mainly from heavy handedness.
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