How To: Spark Plug Change (1 GR-FE)

This may be a dumb question but should you do this on a cold motor or one that has been brought up to normal operating engine temp? Reason I ask is 5.4L triton fords are KNOWN for seized plugs in the heads. I'm hoping thats not the case with us.. Comments, concerns, questions?

 

Cool engine is fine. Just make sure you have anti-seizing compound on the threads when you install your new plugs and torque them properly. No spot torque (torque until you see spots).

 

I always use never sieze... torque until you see spots????

 

A Spot Torque is when you torque something so hard you start to see spots. So if someone tells you to spot torque it, they mean to put everything you got into it. We have bolts like that at my old place of employment on the submarine. Huge bolts torqued to 750 Lbft. You need a 6' cheater bar and a torque multiplier to hit it, and normally two guys to hang on the cheater bar. You definitely want a water tight seal!

 

gotcha.. after my debate in plug types im sticking with copper plugs.. good ol NGK's never steered me wrong. and Ill stick with the snug and 1/4 turn torque method

 

Anti-Seize is great. Ever tried to remove an axle from a motorcycle that was installed with no anti-sieze or the aluminum wheels on a Tacoma rear end after they stick to the reard drums. I've seen huge men pound on them and they don't even budge.

 

Boy! Does that ring a bell. I went to change the brakes on my Tacoma and found I couldn't get the Rear wheels off! Had to take it to a Garage and let a 240 lb kid 40 years younger than me beat on it with a 15 lb sledge before they broke loose. Where the heck do you put the NeverSieze to keep that from happening? I keep thinking that if I get a flat on the road somewhere, I'm done for if I can't get the wheel off!!!

 

rotate your tires more frequently, that will help in general but just put a thin layer on the back side of the wheel where it makes contact to the rotor/drum

 

Don't let that same kid put the wheels on!

 

We use to do that all the time with the sledge hammer when I worked at discount tire. And you'd be suprise how many times I hear on the police scanner that they can't get the wheel off when they're on the side of the road with a flat so they call in a tow truck, or find a cop on the radio with a sledge hammer to come down and help.

 

Another rookie here, what's a good torque wrench at an economical price you recommend dude.

Thanks
Rookie wrench

 

The Craftsman click type are usually a good buy...but GET THE CASE, the less they get banged, the happier they are.

Howard

 

I've got a harbor freight 1/2" cause I'm cheap!

Props to Chris 4x4 for a great write up......drivers side furthest to front of the truck was a PITA to get my big hands in but worked none the less!

 

LOL

 

wondering how to adjust the spark plug gap.....bend what how and how do you know when you have the "right gap" on your spark plug?? Junior home monkeywrench here