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Spark Plug Change - Anti Seize?

UnhandledException

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I am going to change my plugs this weekend and I wanted to double check a few things. Car is a 2017 with 54,000 miles.

- I believe correct part number is SP548 from motorcraft. Correct?
- I have both nickel and aluminum anti seizes. I read a lot of conflicting info online about using these. First and foremost, do the motorcraft spark plugs have nickel coating on them and dont need this? Should I use them and which one?
- I am going to apply dielectric grease to the tips. But I am not sure what tips mean, is it the entire section post the nut or just the very tip?
- I bought several different kinds of sockets, with or without thin wall, magnetic ones or ones with rubber. I even bought a special ratchet which is angled to reach the passenger side rear most cylinder. I have gapping tools. Is there anything else I would need?
- Does the cross brace over the engine need to come off?


- Any other installation notes worth noting?

Also do these plugs have a tendency to break? I am going to go extremely easy but is there anything I should do specifically for this purpose?
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DCShelby

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The gaps should be preset when you buy them. But it’s ok to check. The key thing to spark plugs is to be sure to use a torque wrench to get the exact tightness. Too many people don’t and over tighten them, which can damage the threads in the head. Then you have to helicoil them.
 
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UnhandledException

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The gaps should be preset when you buy them. But it’s ok to check. The key thing to spark plugs is to be sure to use a torque wrench to get the exact tightness. Too many people don’t and over tighten them, which can damage the threads in the head. Then you have to helicoil them.
Thats fine but how does one get the torque wrench to fit to that inner most passenger side plug?
 

nastang87xx

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Yes, always anti seize. Steel into Aluminum = potential galling.

Don't worry about them breaking. Be nice but thankfully this isn't the 5.4L Triton pile of shit.


EDIT: I didn't read that correctly. When you're talking about nickel spark plugs, that's the core, not the material that the fastener side is made out of. For the most part, anti seize is anti seize.
 

firestarter2

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I am going to change my plugs this weekend and I wanted to double check a few things. Car is a 2017 with 54,000 miles.

- I believe correct part number is SP548 from motorcraft. Correct?
- I have both nickel and aluminum anti seizes. I read a lot of conflicting info online about using these. First and foremost, do the motorcraft spark plugs have nickel coating on them and dont need this? Should I use them and which one?
- I am going to apply dielectric grease to the tips. But I am not sure what tips mean, is it the entire section post the nut or just the very tip?
- I bought several different kinds of sockets, with or without thin wall, magnetic ones or ones with rubber. I even bought a special ratchet which is angled to reach the passenger side rear most cylinder. I have gapping tools. Is there anything else I would need?
- Does the cross brace over the engine need to come off?


- Any other installation notes worth noting?

Also do these plugs have a tendency to break? I am going to go extremely easy but is there anything I should do specifically for this purpose?
Use grease sparingly. On the plug at the end is the tip it should have a different color just that. *Apparantly this is wrong lol* the grease acts as a moisture barrier.

Ive never used anti seize on plugs if you torque correctly you shouldn't need it. I dont know if anti seize will effect the ground however.

Gapping is a bit of a science look up video on how to do it. Hopefully they are pregapped

Ive never broken a plug.

Yes, always anti seize. Steel into Aluminum = potential galling.

Don't worry about them breaking. Be nice but thankfully this isn't the 5.4L Triton pile of shit.


EDIT: I didn't read that correctly. When you're talking about nickel spark plugs, that's the core, not the material that the fastener side is made out of. For the most part, anti seize is anti seize.
If you do anti-seize remember it changes the TQ you need to do.
 
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ZX3ST

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NGK recommends not to use anti-seize. I've not used it in any of the cars I've owned. The plugs get changed often enough that seizing has never been an issue for me. On my sisters car? That one gets anti seize because it will be 150k miles before I see it again. If you choose to use it, just be sure to use it sparingly, and realize that your torque values will need to be slightly lower.

Dielectric grease goes on the ceramic section of the plug to keep the coil boot from sticking. Do not put it on the electrical contact on the tip. Dielectric = insulator.
 
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UnhandledException

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Thanks everyone for your responses.

- These plugs have a torque rating of only 7-14 ft/lb. This is a very small amount already. So the way I would do this is I would take the middle of the values which is 10.5-11 and reduce 20% and go with 9 ft/lb if I used anti seize?

- What gap value do you use? Anything to watch out for as far gapping them?

- The dielectric grease is to be applied on the entire surface area of the metal tip that is above the blue/white line area, correct?

The plugs are dirt cheap at $46. I honestly dont know why I didnt do this every 15-20,000 miles as was the case in my other cars. So I would never leave them on 100k miles.

As far as which anti seize, I suppose nickel is preferred over aluminum seize because you want to use something that is different than the two material being contacted?

Last question, do you need to remove that cross brace or any tips about fitting a torque wrench?

i have a high end torque wrench on 5-50 ft/lbs range thats 3/8” drive. Its not as big as the 50-250 ft/lb one but nevertheless not small.
 

nastang87xx

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If you choose to use it, just be sure to use it sparingly, and realize that your torque values will need to be slightly lower.
EXACTLY!


Do not go overboard. A very light coating. Gooping it on isn't the point. It's an anti reaction agent, not a paint job.
 

Tank

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I have no position with whether to use AS or not. However, learn how to apply it if your going to use it:
Google “how to apply anti seize to spark plugs”
 

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I would 100% use anti seize if I were planning to keep the car for any length of time. And I would NOT change the torque values.

From living in the rust belt, driving older vehicles and working on my own stuff I developed a philosophy of always using either anti seize or loctite on every fastener. Too many times I've had to use heat to get fasteners out.

I've never stripped any fastener using anti seize and using the normal torque values.
 

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I've gone through (5) sets of plugs in my engine. Always used nickel anti seize and torqued to 10lbs. No issues...but mine don't stay in for very long.
 

ZX3ST

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The dielectric grease is to be applied on the entire surface area of the metal tip that is above the blue/white line area, correct?
No

Only the ceramic portion, and maybe the top of the main nut. Basically, you want a thin layer of grease on everything the rubber boot touches.

Dielectric grease is non-conductive. Coating the electrical contact on top just means your coils will have a harder time driving the plug.

Capture.JPG
 

Hack

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No

Only the ceramic portion, and maybe the top of the main nut. Basically, you want a thin layer of grease on everything the rubber boot touches.

Dielectric grease is non-conductive. Coating the electrical contact on top just means your coils will have a harder time driving the plug.

Capture.JPG
I would definitely coat the electrical contact on top with dielectric grease. The grease keeps moisture and corrosion away from the electrical contacts. The contacts have built in interference and they scrub against each other to make a good connection when they are plugged together. This easily wipes through the grease, but the grease should still be there to protect from contamination.

I have a pickup with a Western plow and the directions say to coat all the contacts in dielectric grease prior to assembling them together. Those connections get more moisture, but really it's the same thing.
 

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I have always always used anti seize on plugs. I was always taught nickel or aluminum anti seize is a matter of temp exposure in the application. You’ll be juuusssttt fine with the aluminum. I agree with @Hack ’s comments on the dielectric also. No fear in getting the tip coated.
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