Over torque your plugs

[oxfordman03]

Just blew an NGK out of #4 . If you torque to the Ford recomended 11 ft. lbs. they will vibrate loose as did mine. Ford is seeing more and more of this problem after customers replace their plugs (no waranty) . Don't be afraid to go 35 to 45 lbs. If that makes you nervous, stay with 11 to 15 lbs. but check them often for tightness. I did the new thread replacement fix ($500) instead of pulling the motor (again) and having the head machined ($2,000) or installing a new head ($4,000).FYI

 

[jeffro]

I'd be careful doing this, I've been driving a truck for awhile but if those heads are aluminum don't over torque them. The 5.4/4.6 engines with aluminum heads have to be done COLD. Ford has had MULTIPLE complaints of this and isn't warrantying them. Its extremely easy to strip the threads. Hot aluminum and cold steel dont mix. It's a major pain to change plugs on my truck. Just my opinion and trying to learn as much as I can on this site.

 

[BradN01]

Anybody else have this problem? Let my engine cool down overnight and torqued them to 15 lbs. Also put Anti-sieze on the threads. I had a plug blow out on my 96 but I didn't torque them just hand tightened them. Subscribing and hoping we get some more opinions on this!

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

I was told NOT to use anti-seize by my tuner because it'll cause the plugs to loosen out of the thread. I didn't use anti-seize and haven't had any problems to date.

 

[Zinc03Cobra]

I was told NOT to use anti-seize by my tuner because it'll cause the plugs to loosen out of the thread. I didn't use anti-seize and haven't had any problems to date.

same here, I've always been gentle with the plugs, hot or cold. makes me curious though, i'll check mine later this week

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

same here, I've always been gentle with the plugs, hot or cold. makes me curious though, i'll check mine later this week

Do you hand tighten?

 

[yeasure]

Don't be afraid to go 35 to 45 lbs. If that makes you nervous, stay with 11 to 15 lbs. but check them often for tightness. I

I would honestly be afriad to torque them to 35-45ft.lbs....since my heads only have 4 threads, this doesn't sound very safe/wise.
But i'm being open minded about this.
I've always tq mine anywhere from 12-15ft.lbs with anti-seize and havn't had a problem yet(i won't use it anymore unless told otherwise).
Thanks for the info guys.

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

Don't be afraid to go 35 to 45 lbs.

 

[oxfordman03]

Anyone who has removed the original plugs can tell you that they were tightened way beyond the 11 lbs recomended in the service manual. As many have said, they had to use so much force they were afraid they were going to snap the plug. Me too. Like I said, if this makes you nervous, don't torque beyond 11, 15 or 20 lbs, what ever you are comfortable with. Just keep an eye on them and they will be fine but with only 4 threads in these early heads, they are going to fatigue and fail eventually anyway. Aluminum is good for beer cans and not much more. Cast iron heads would have made these motors near bullit proof. Whats another 40 lbs on the front of these nose heavy pigs anyway? I love these cars and i mean "pigs" in the most loving way and will keep mine to the very end, but I know that there is another set of heads in my future.

 

[yeasure]

oxfordman03, you're new to mod motors huh?

 

[oxfordman03]

over torque your plugs ?

Sorry, just relaying my experience of blowing a spark plug and what I have been told by SVT techs who are not new to mod motors. I am here to learn as most of us are so please tell us what you know that we don't. :shrug:

 

[badboy]

I always torque my plugs to spec (15 NM) and do use anti-seize on them. The anti-seize makes it easy to put them in without cross threading them. Also, its easier to remove them, of course. I check my plugs on a regular basis and have never found a loose one.