Quick question

[iconman]

Haynes repair manual listed torque specifications of spark plugs for 2002-05 Camry I4 is 168 in-lbs. Doesn't seem right. Also do you guy dab some anti seize on the spark plug?

[gdanaher]

That is inch pounds, not foot pounds. Anti seize won't hurt but generally isn't needed. Just put them in and snug them up. Easier said than done if you don't have a feel for the snugness, so find a torque wrench and do the calculations.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

By the way, that is only 14 ft-lbs of torque. You should use a 1/4 or 3/8 drive inch-pound torque wrench for this, not your 1/2 drive one....

I happen to use anti-seize but it is not required.

[iconman]

Well today I tried to replace my spark plugs with the craftsman 3/8in 10-75ft-lbs but I didn't felt or heard a "click" so then I over torque it and the damn rubber slip out of the spark plug socket and snugged itself deep into the spark plug hole. I had a hard time trying to pull it out with a pliers but finally I pulled it out and went to Sears to get a replacement but only to find out that they were out of stock. I hurried home and decided to risk it and push the rubber back into the socket and use it to finish up with the other three spark plugs. By the way I know that Iridium plugs were good for 100,00 miles but mine were just 68,000 miles and they still look good.

[CharmCityES]

i use a 3/8ths drive, and 168in lbs is correct tq spec...thats about 14ft lbs of torque...
i always dab a bit of anti seize grease on the threads of the spark plugs of the vehicles i service at my dealership...you never know when youll need to change them again, so i always say look out for yourself and grease the threads of your bolts/spark plugs etc, because theyll always come out easier when you need to remove them

[GeorgiaHybrid]

iconman,

Read the spec in the manual on your torque wrench. Most of them are not very accurate at the low end of their scale. Most rate their accuracy at 20% to 100% of scale. 14 ft-lbs is too close to your low end. On most clicker wrenches, your rated accuracy range would start at roughly 23 ft-lbs if your wrench range was 10 to 75 ft-lbs.

I just use a 1/4 drive strain gauge style of torque wrench. I don't like problems and if some idiot working on a car after me strips the threads in the head, no one can point fingers my way. A good dial indicator or electronic torque wrench can be had for not a lot of money (cheaper than pulling a head and fixing it) and will come in handy if you are working on trannies and smaller engine components.

[Mike Gerber]

I also recommend a dab of antiseize compound.

Mike

[iconman]

After I went home from church this morning I decided to change the spark plugs on my father 92 Corolla and I knew the first spark plug gasket was leaking oil so then this is a good time to change the spark plug gaskets also. I uncrewed the cyclinder head bolts and pried it open and to my surprised all of the spark plug gaskets must of never change before (car have 240,000 miles on it) because when I lifted up the cyclinder head, all of them cracked and little pieces of the gasket landed everywhere. Since they have never been replace before so now they are basically fused with the metal cyclinder head and I can't even scrape them out. What are my options now?

This is just an illustration.

They are not flexible and soft plastic but more like harden and brittle plastic.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

icon,

That is why they are called mechanics instead of part replacers... Find a friend that will be willing to help you get started that knows how to work on engines and has the tools. By the way, that is a cam cover, not the head...

Do you have the replacement gaskets?

[iconman]

Yes I have the replacement gaskets. Also do I need some type of sealant for the spark plug gaskets as well as the cam cover gasket? By the way I have tried to pried the harden gaskets lose but they won't budge.