is a torque wrench a MUST for installing spark plugs?

WhiteShadow · December 29th, 2011, 02:11 PM

simple question, and would love a quick answer, i've been told you can hand tighten them with like a peice of rubber tubing on the spark plug and then use a ratchet to to a 1/16 to 1/8 of a turn and they should be good.

i just dont want to have to run to autozone and do a 100 dollar collateral for renting a torque wrench.

would love a quick answer so i can install these NOW! haha

6ER THEN I 8ER! · December 29th, 2011, 02:12 PM

no...just tighten them down till they fill snug and then give it another 1/4 turn.

btw you can buy torque wrenches at advance for $39

WhiteShadow · December 29th, 2011, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by 6ER THEN I 8ER!

no...just tighten them down till they fill snug and then give it another 1/4 turn.

btw you can buy torque wrenches at advance for $39

really? thats weird. idk why the guy said 100 dollars then. thats weird.

thanks for confirming though. gonna go start the install!. hahaha

Green_6er · December 29th, 2011, 02:31 PM

just tighten until they are snug. once you do enough of them you will know how tight to make them purely on feel.

mustangmike! · December 29th, 2011, 02:47 PM

dont break one off in there

WhiteShadow · December 29th, 2011, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by mustangmike!

dont break one off in there

hahaha ill try not to

idk how long its been since they have been changed. hopefully they are not too bad.

WhiteShadow · December 29th, 2011, 02:59 PM

btw. i bought some motor craft sp 486's and is the gap for them already done?

WhiteShadow · December 29th, 2011, 03:05 PM

nvm just looked at the box and i need to do it. standard stock gap is .054 right?

dgt_mustang · December 29th, 2011, 03:07 PM

yes.

WhiteShadow · December 29th, 2011, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by dgt_mustang

yes.

thanks.

goren813 · December 29th, 2011, 03:34 PM

Yes, but always check, you never know. Normally when I buy those plugs (pre-gapped) 1 or 2 are still a bit off. Just buy the $1.00 circle to gap them, and replace maybe every other change out so you know it's still on point.

+1 on not needing a torque wrench. Have NEVER used one for plugs.

SALEEN961 · December 29th, 2011, 03:38 PM

On our cars I wouldn't worry about using a torque wrench, but on cars that are known to strip out the threads or blow the plugs out a good torque wrench is mandatory. BTW don't rent torque wrenches that have been abused or cheap out on torque wrenches either. I have a Craftsman micrometer click-type that was meticulously cared for and after one year of tightening lug nuts on my cars it was torquing things 38% low. A cheap click-type is just as bad as no torque wrench, so either get a good one or don't bother getting one.

The flex beams have a more stable calibration and are more accurate then cheap click-types so I'd get one of those if you don't want to spend much money on one, personally I'm getting a Precision Instruments split-beam since it's the best design and these are the guys who invented it and supplied Snap-on with torque wrenches from 1938-2002 until the two split up and Precision Instruments starting selling directly to the public.

WhiteShadow · December 29th, 2011, 08:46 PM

installed them a while ago, worked great. not really any problems installing. works great. thanks for all the help guys.

03_StangGuy · December 29th, 2011, 09:02 PM

If you tighten then til they are snug with a 3/8" wrench they will be over tightened.

6ER THEN I 8ER! · December 29th, 2011, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by WhiteShadow

installed them a while ago, worked great. not really any problems installing. works great. thanks for all the help guys.

yeah it's a simple job...feels good to do things yourself right

December 29th, 2011, 02:11 PM	#1
WhiteShadow Enthusiast 2001 Mustang V6 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 617 iTrader: 0 reviews	is a torque wrench a MUST for installing spark plugs? simple question, and would love a quick answer, i've been told you can hand tighten them with like a peice of rubber tubing on the spark plug and then use a ratchet to to a 1/16 to 1/8 of a turn and they should be good. i just dont want to have to run to autozone and do a 100 dollar collateral for renting a torque wrench. would love a quick answer so i can install these NOW! haha __________________ Whiteshadow build Thread Updated 4/10/2012 Divorced Dual Borla Stinger Exhaust Catback Video

December 29th, 2011, 02:47 PM	#5
mustangmike! I Post Entirely Way Too Much 2004,1994,1967 14.37 @ 96 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 6,018 iTrader: 1 reviews	dont break one off in there __________________ 227whp N/A V6 Now w/ 8th Mile 8s ! How To Jmod Your Late Model 4R70W

December 29th, 2011, 02:59 PM	#7
WhiteShadow Enthusiast 2001 Mustang V6 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 617 iTrader: 0 reviews	btw. i bought some motor craft sp 486's and is the gap for them already done? __________________ Whiteshadow build Thread Updated 4/10/2012 Divorced Dual Borla Stinger Exhaust Catback Video

December 29th, 2011, 03:05 PM	#8
WhiteShadow Enthusiast 2001 Mustang V6 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 617 iTrader: 0 reviews	nvm just looked at the box and i need to do it. standard stock gap is .054 right? __________________ Whiteshadow build Thread Updated 4/10/2012 Divorced Dual Borla Stinger Exhaust Catback Video

December 29th, 2011, 03:34 PM	#11
goren813 MM's Official Lucifer '00 3.8L & '05 4.6L Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Odessa, FL Posts: 3,620 iTrader: 0 reviews	Yes, but always check, you never know. Normally when I buy those plugs (pre-gapped) 1 or 2 are still a bit off. Just buy the $1.00 circle to gap them, and replace maybe every other change out so you know it's still on point. +1 on not needing a torque wrench. Have NEVER used one for plugs. __________________ "Fast she goes...in the city of Overdose"

December 29th, 2011, 02:12 PM	#2
6ER THEN I 8ER! Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Portland, TN Posts: 17,515 iTrader: 3 reviews	no...just tighten them down till they fill snug and then give it another 1/4 turn. btw you can buy torque wrenches at advance for $39

December 29th, 2011, 03:38 PM	#12
SALEEN961 Regular 1999 V6 Mustang Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Wayne, PA 19087 Posts: 270 iTrader: 0 reviews	On our cars I wouldn't worry about using a torque wrench, but on cars that are known to strip out the threads or blow the plugs out a good torque wrench is mandatory. BTW don't rent torque wrenches that have been abused or cheap out on torque wrenches either. I have a Craftsman micrometer click-type that was meticulously cared for and after one year of tightening lug nuts on my cars it was torquing things 38% low. A cheap click-type is just as bad as no torque wrench, so either get a good one or don't bother getting one. The flex beams have a more stable calibration and are more accurate then cheap click-types so I'd get one of those if you don't want to spend much money on one, personally I'm getting a Precision Instruments split-beam since it's the best design and these are the guys who invented it and supplied Snap-on with torque wrenches from 1938-2002 until the two split up and Precision Instruments starting selling directly to the public.

December 29th, 2011, 08:46 PM	#13
WhiteShadow Enthusiast 2001 Mustang V6 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 617 iTrader: 0 reviews	installed them a while ago, worked great. not really any problems installing. works great. thanks for all the help guys. __________________ Whiteshadow build Thread Updated 4/10/2012 Divorced Dual Borla Stinger Exhaust Catback Video

December 29th, 2011, 09:02 PM	#14
03_StangGuy I Poop Entirely Way Too Much Blown 03 GT Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 6,918 iTrader: 0 reviews	If you tighten then til they are snug with a 3/8" wrench they will be over tightened. __________________

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