So, this morning before work I finally decided to pull a spark plug and figure out if anyone had ever swapped one in it's 74K miles/19 years of life.

Looking at one I suspect it was never changed or when changed replaced with champion brand originals. Either way...they looked healthy just really worn:nice and tan, and a huge gap that I would need a yard stick to measure, as things have worn down. During the check the one I was extracting broke just below the terminal, on the porcelain. If it had to break, it was a good spot to break. It was in there really good I'm sure I leaned on my ratchet a little much and caused it.

So the spark plug check turned into a spark plug replacement...fortunately I have another car and parts store is close.

New plug gapped to .045 - I was just going to put in champions, because, hey they lasted nearly 75K. However they didn't have them in stock and I recall a few people having nice results with the 5224 autolite, which were in stock...so that is whats going in.

put in my replacement plug...and took out the haynes manual (which is an "OK" purchase btw...I've used them for other cars and liked them more...hard to write a manual that includes 1500/2500/3500 v6/v8/v10/I6 Diesel and get good diagrams for any one truck)

Looked up the torque spec for the plugs. I'm that guy that likes to do everything they can to spec. My day job works in the IT industry, and in IT if you don't do something the way it was recommended you usually pay someone else (you pay me) to come in behind you and reconfigure it to the recommendations and fix some annoying problem you are having...

So the haynes manual says 30ft lbs for the spark plug....hmmm that sounds like a lot. Now, I've admitted several times that I'm a hobbiest under the hood at best, I can do most things with good instructions....so, the instructions say 30lbs...lets see what that feels like.

First - I put a piece of rubber tubing over the insulator/terminal and used that to start it...great tip from the haynes manual for hand starting spark plugs that are hard to get your hands on because of location...the rubber tubing starts it, but with any resistance the rubber tubing slips and wont' tighten anymore...so started with that. Then put the socket on it with an extender like a screw driver and hand tightened down. Then put on the torque ratchet and tightened to 30lbs...till it clicked.

Well, it went in at 30lbs and it felt like a lot. So before I work on the other 9...I did a little searching on here, and I can't quite find a consensus on spark plug torque on the V10. Well, not in real measurable terms.

So in measurable terms (if you site a magical feeling about how tight it should be, that is hard for me to replicate) - how tight do you tighten them on the v10.

What I already know: from other posts I've read...if I spray it down with PB blaster and let it sit for 3-4 hours I'll be happier, thanks for whoever posted that before....and if I put some anti seize on the threads before I put the new ones in, I'll be happier at the next interval...thanks to whoever posted that before. Didn't put anything on the one I just put in (and am hesitant to touch it now that it's in there.) but will do for the following 9...especially drivers side rear. If there is a spark plug god, I pray that the PB blaster works a miracle there.

Other than torque, any tips to avoid problems when removing 20 year old rusted plugs are much appreciated.

-Ray

 

For spark plugs, I have never used a torque wrench. If they are taper-seat, I run them till they seat, and then about Five minutes more on the ratchet. For washer-seat plugs, run 'em till they seat, then 15 minutes more. Never had a problem.

 

These Autolite plugs have washers.

When you speak in minutes that translates into fractions of a turn correct? like an analog clock? 15min = 1/4 turn? Apologies for what is likely a stupid question. Everything I've ever done has always expressed in fractions of turn rather than minutes. I can't imagine what else minutes could mean.

Given that you and I are on the same engine, that's enough for me...I'm quite certain that 30lbs was more than that, and wonder how much fun it will be to get that plug back out in 30K.

Full hand tightness with hand on extender like a screwdriver (no leverage), then 1/4 turn.

 

Exactly correct. I think 30 pounds is way over the top....... I don't want to struggle with removing them next time around.

 

Yeah, I'm going to pull the one I put on, and put some anti sieze on it, and put it back in as per this.

the less I struggle next time the less likely I break something off that causes me headache.

I'm a bit concerned of causing myself a headache this go round...but it needs to get done.

Hopefully PB buster helps.

I'm hopeful about getting to #10. I was reaching around and think I can get there by leaning over it and just moving air filter. The rest look easy enough.

 

Don't bother with the anti-seize, most plug manufacturers do NOT recommend it. If you change your plugs at reasonable intervals, they shouldn't be an issue.

 

New plugs and wires are in.

For anyone who cares...1/4 turn is about 14ft-lbs torque.

I was out on autolite's site after you mentioned they don't recommend anti seize...and found something interesting. On cast iron heads, with 14mm thread they recommend 16-29lbs torque (now there's a range) or if not using torque, half turn past hand tight.

http://www.autolite.com/Productfinde...ue%20Specs.pdf
I stuck with your recommendation. I did end up just setting my torque wrench to 15lbs once I dialed in what 1/4 turn was. There were some tight spots where it would have been tough measuring my small swings for 1/4 turn total...this way if it took me 6 swings I just kept turning till it clicked.


I didn't use anti seize btw.

I sprayed down the plugs with PB Buster and let it sit for an hour or two. It helped I think. In general the plugs were difficult to get out, most required a breaker bar - but none broke on me, so I'll call that success. As a thanksgiving miracle #7 and #9 (drivers side rear plugs) were somehow the least torqued down and came out the easiest.

Getting the plugs out, which I expected to be the most difficult part of the job, was difficult, and required patience, and in a couple of cases some respraying with penetrating oil.

However, I was surprised the most difficult part of the job was actually (don't laugh) getting the boot off the plug. Seriously. I have some pliers that have an angled tip that helped some, but not much. I was replacing the wires, and was tempted to basically destroy them to get them off. However a long time ago I learned the hard way not to destroy something until you are certain you don't need it anymore. Until I could measure the old wires next to the new, I wasn't going to risk them. They all came off eventually...just jeeze some were a struggle. It was harder getting the boot off #7 and #9 then getting the plug out or in.

Here's a pick of the 9 plugs that I replaced this morning (not the one that broke yesterday when I was checking their condition) - along with one of the new and correctly gapped autolite's that replaced them. Mostly they just look used/worn to me. The wetness on the threads is just the oil I sprayed on them, I believe. Not all have it, but I think some of the plugs I couldn't see I didn't do a good job of coating with oil.

 

Yeah, those guys have been in there for a while.

For the boots, if you twist them first, to get them to break loose, they come off easier. (yeah, now that you are done......)

 

Yeah, I started to figure that out by #8.

I did have one funny...all that leaning over it seems my belly opened the radiator cap...about 15 min away from the house "what's that water sound" didn't lose much coolant.

dang, being chunky sucks.

 

LOLOL.

It's a tall reach to the motor on my truck. I don't think I could get to the plugs without standing on something. And I'm 6'2"......