Over torqued spark plugs by accident

Ladies and gents,

Made a noob mistake that I need advice on. I recently changed my sparked plugs. Well I’m an idiot and torqued the plugs to 18ft/lbs verse the spec of 13ft/lbs. also used a little anti-seize. Only realized it after that I read the torque wrench wrong working on another project, thus me being a noob. I’ve probably put 500 miles on the truck and it’s been driving great if not a little better with the plugs. Is there anything I should be concerned with or should I take the plugs out and re-do?

 

5 ft-lb isnt that much. I wouldn't worry. But if you do, could take them out and redo it

 

But it's 5 FT/LBs wet torque so it might be a little more but should be fine. Just wouldn't do it again.

 

You think they will be difficult to take out in another 60k miles?

 

You’re fine

send it

well, you already did

 

That’s all I can do. Honestly if I change spark plugs I’m not using a torque wrench just going to feel it out. From what I’ve been reading, a lot of people don’t use torque wrenches on plugs. Should have read that before I did it lol

 

leave em, it'll be fine.

 

Nah they should be fine. Just take it easy taking them out and don't do it again.

 

Many of us have worked without torque wrenches for decades. Just keep in mind what you're working on. Oil filters and oil drain plugs = mild snug, spark plugs = medium snug, wheel lugs = heavy snug. I didn't get a torque wrench until many years of wrenching. The torque wrench confirms my old school way. PS you'll be fine with what you did. Just leave them and don't fret.

 

I didn’t

Snug is usually good enough! At least in this case.

 

Thank you sir. Been learning this stuff on my own since I don’t really have anyone I could ask for advice in person. First time ever replacing spark plugs and using a torque hence me not reading it correctly. My yota dealer wanted $850 for this but I couldn’t stomach paying that much so YouTube it was lol.

 

Lessons learned!

 

$850???

 

Leave them in. It's fine.
No need to take them out and retorque.
If you were going to have issues, you would have by now.
And the most likely issue would have been a cracked porcelain flollowed by a misfire.
You'd know it on startup.

As for being harder to take out later. No, they won't be.
Not unless you wait until l150k miles like some people do.

BTW, I seen cases where anti-seize "gummed up " the threads.
Not a big deal, but it creates resistance when installing new plugs.
Point is, change your plugs on time. If you change them on time, you wont need anti-seize.

 

FWIW, I never used a torque wrench on spark plugs.
And I am certain I got them "too tight".

Until I joined Tacomaworld, I rarely ever used a torque wrench.
I only used it on rod bolts, crank bolts, heads......stuff like that.

Lug nuts....never
Spark plugs.......never
Ball joints......never

There was a time when factory Service data was "hard to get".
And to be honest, no one ever torqued much. If they torqued everything, they would never get things fixed.

I do torque most things now. I mean, spent over $400 on torque wrenches.
I might as well use them.

TW can make a man paranoid about torque.

 

What others previous said here and I'd add if/when you do decide to remove them: do it when the engine is cold after it has been sitting overnight.

 

I've been doing "one ugga-dugga" on plugs for 50 years. Worked so far.

OP: chill my man, yo engine be just fine

 

$850 for spark plugs? Yikes.

In years gone by, I would install Bosch Platinum, and later Autolite Iridium, with MSD or another brand stainless conductor wires. The plugs would go in with a tiny bit of smeared MOS2 anti-sieze. Then I would quit worrying for the next 60K miles.

 

I always use the German method: goot-n-tite. Snug by hand then socket wrench maybe a quarter turn more. Yer good! It prob works out to about 15-20 ft-lbs, never had a problem. I wouldn't worry OP.