Anybody ever seen a mis-sized spark plug gapper?

[HoosierDaddy]

At times when I haven't had a torque wrench readily available, I always went 1/16-1/8 of a turn after finger tight. And like TorqueMan said, you'll usually know if anything is gumming up the threads, etc.

But its hard to accurately gauge 1/16, 1/8 or 1/4 of a turn on a plug that's hard to see. That's why, if I don't have a torque wrench, I put the car up on dollies and have my wife hold the wrench still while I rotate the car that amount.

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[Juben]

But its hard to accurately gauge 1/16, 1/8 or 1/4 of a turn on a plug that's hard to see. That's why, if I don't have a torque wrench, I put the car up on dollies and have my wife hold the wrench still while I rotate the car that amount.

You do you, bro. Haha

 

[trippleyelo]

Worry not, people a lot smarter than you and me figured out a long time ago that there is more than one way to skin a cat. Here's a tech discussion about achieving acceptable torque on hydraulic fittings on a blog maintained by Parker-Hannifin, a company that manufactures products widely used in the aerospace industry):

http://blog.parker.com/turn-vs-torq...-your-hydraulic-fitting-connections-leak-free

I've also attached a PDF from Aeroquip, another company well known in the aerospace industry. It describes three different acceptable methods for achieving satisfactory torque with their products.

FAA directives list minimum torque specifications for a variety of different components, but also include the caveat that manufacturer specifications take precedence over FAA guidance. That means the TFFT (turns from finger tight) method is perfectly acceptable for achieving proper torque (on those components where the manufacturer allows it).

Here's directions from a spark plug manufacturer:

https://e3sparkplugs.com/torque-chart/

They specify 1/16 TFFT for their plugs unless the engine manufacturer says otherwise.

TFFT has been around a long, long time. You just have to be careful that the threads haven't been boogered up, contaminated with something or that they aren't binding for some reason that prevents you from getting the component (fitting, bolt, spark plug, etc.) all the way to finger tight. It should be readily apparent as soon as you start turning the wrench whether or not you started from finger tight.

BTW, I am not an aviation mechanic, but I did build an airplane and hold an FAA-issued repairman certificate (equivalent of an A&P license) for that aircraft.

Sorry ...

I was only making light of this not trying be little you but tfft was what
World war 11 aircraft mechanic hand book.. E7 aircraft electrician..

 

[TorqueMan]

Sorry ...

I was only making light of this not trying be little you

No worries. If I got a wrapped around the axle every time somebody said something online I'd spend a lot of time wrapped around an axle.

E7 aircraft electrician..

Thought I recognized that smell. E8 retired KC-135 Boom Operator. :cheers:

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