Hi guys,

Is anyone torquing up their spark plugs to the recommended 15Nm (11ft-lb)

I tried that setting on my Oil Sump plug as a test and it seems kinda hefty. The oil sump plug recommends a rather ridiculous 30Nm (22ft-lb)

Cheers

 

I have a torque wrench Sean and I don't use it for the plugs or the oil drain plug. I've always done it by feel and never had any problems. With both I wait till they hit the surface and go another half to 3/4 turn and leave it at that. Thats just me though

 

Have to agree with that, I'm pretty sure back in the old days, before we could afford torque wrenches the rule was "half a turn less than before it snaps".

 

To carry on from TK's method you can always keep going til you feel it thread start to go soft then back it off slightly and cross your fingers.

Personally I have never touqued spark plugs I just use a 3/8" drive mini rachet and just tighten to wrist tight but then I have been mechanicing for 40+ years so I guess I have developed a bit of a feel for how tight things should be.
Having said that a lot of things like diesel engine head bolts are now torqued to say 24ftlb and then a further 90deg followed by another 90deg. It doesnt sound much but I can assure you that it is almost to the stage of needing to use a 900mm wrench bar to achieve it.

 

Ditto JK, you literally can't strip the thread using that method. Though I bet some muscle man now proves me wrong.

I'll rephrase. With my candy a$$ed Entomologists wrists I can't strip the sparkplug hole thread using that method.

Cheers, SB



Cheers, SB

 

newer plugs will compress the seal rings a bit more - with me on that score it's hand tight
and between a 1/4 and a 1/2 turn until it feels just right

 

"Snug" for the plugs and "pretty tight" for the oil drain.

Btw... don't even think about torquing the valve cover bolts to spec. Not that I've ever tried, but I guarantee that you'll snap every one of them if you do. lol....

 

+1!

 

Thanks again guys. I'm going to bin the torque wrench. Could feel the washers on the NEW spark plugs compress and went another 1/2 turn by feel

I'll check them OK after a few hundred miles

 

The thing about torque wrenches is.....how accurate is yours?

Some wrenches cost £25/$50 while others cost £/$100's

I learn the hard way that my cheap wrench was cr^p and not to be relied on