Changing a tire can be a nightmare if you do not know how to use a jack or do not know which way to turn the lug nuts. I have changed many hundreds of spark plugs in the last 50 + years. Many of them in aluminum heads. You only need to take care that you do not use "brute force" in removing or installing them. Clean the plug "wells" with either compressed air or a vacuum before starting. Use a spark plug socket (the kind with the rubber insert) instead of a plain socket and the plug will be easy to get out of the well after the threads are loose. If the plug is really hard to loosen, try going back and forth between tighten and loosen until you work it loose. I have 6 or 7 torque wrenches for various uses from rebuilding transmissions and engines to general maintenance and I have NEVER used a torque wrench on a spark plug. I might add that I have 4.6 and 6.8 triton engines of my own that I maintain. IF YOU ARE NOT EXPERIENCED at putting plugs into aluminum heads, I recommend that you pick one of the torque specs listed above or posted in the manual and use the torque wrench. Putting spark plugs into a 5.4 engine is not my favorite thing, but it is not that bad if you allow yourself plenty of time and, if you run into a problem, ask BEFORE you make a mistake. Give it a go, you will be proud of the good job you did.

 

Right around 15-20ft-lbs is the crossover. Each ft-lb is 12in-lbs. so you're looking at 180-240in-lbs for that range, and that is near the top of most in-lb torque wrenches and the bottom of most lb-ft torque wrenches. Obviously at the lower torques (in-lb) you would easily over-torque it since you apply more than that to turn off your sink faucet, so the minute graduations make it easier to apply correct torque under those circumstances.

Just make sure that you use the correct value for in-lb or ft-lb and you'll be okay. I personally like to use the in-lb if I'm in the range to be more accurate, but that's just me. The Navy also has taught me not to use torque wrench within 10% (of the range) of either low or high max setting (lower accuracy).

Just my .02

 

Actually, using an inch-pound torque wrench is what you want to do.

Oh, and I didn't mean to be flippant before...

 

Hey thank you everybody for the input. It was greatly appreciated. Did the plugs on saturday, took about two hours and some achy knees, but nothing too bad. I will recommend a few things to anybody who has to do this job, first, a spark plug socket with the rubber in it - all my plugs came right out with the socket, and second, about 28 dollars will get you a 6inch snap-on extension with a locking end to prevent losing your socket. Perfect for retrieval of the socket and plug out of the wells. Complete lifesaver. Thanks again all, happy motoring.

 

Oh yeah, and no torque setting or anti-sieze as recommended from my dealer.

 

Can you rephrase that?

 

I will agree with the locking snap-on extension. I had to fetch my socket a couple of times with needlenose pliers. Not fun to do in the back cylinders!

Hmmm, might have to ask another dealer about that "no torque and no anti-sieze". I torqed mine at 13.5 ft pounds as recommended by everyone else here and used the anti-sieze also. We'll have to see how this one plays out.

 

You can make the same thing with an extension, plug socket and some duck tape and save yourself about $28. Not as nice and pretty but sure a lot cheaper and highly customizable!

 

You can also get a locking extension from Craftsman as well (about $12)...or buy a $2 telescoping magnet picker-upper-thingy (or whatever tool/parts grabber/finder is on sale at your local auto parts store) and fish it out every time too.

 

your dealer is a putz that is looking to make money off of you after the plugs blow out of the heads. ford recomended torque of the spark plugs is over 11 ft lbs and under 17 ft lbs.
under 11 and you take a very good chance of the plugs loosening up and blowing out.
over 17 and you take a very good chance of stripping the threads out of the heads.

 

Well, I decided to take the dealer and DavidB's advice on the no torque, only because this instance is the first time I've ever heard of torquing spark plugs. And I don't mean any disrespect to anybody. The dealer said they do plugs in those trucks all day long and don't get out any torque wrenches for the job. Said not to worry about it as long as you don't go crazy cranking them in, not to worry about the anti-sieze, and they've never had a problem. With that advice I just exercised great care in putting in the new plugs and don't expect to have any comebacks from the job. I know I got them good and tight, and didn't strip any threads. Wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

 

Statements like that make us engineers crazy. Pardon me for getting up on a soapbox... Not to demean you in any way as you, and this dealer, just didn't know any better. Well, I do demean the dealer as he seriously ought to know better.
Please, please read the following and consider this a learning experience.

TO ANYBODY EVER WORKING ON A VEHICLE:

ALL spark plugs have a recommended torque spec!
As do all lug nuts... and ALL other bolts/fasteners on a vehicle that need to stay intact and tight. Chassis and engine fasteners are the most important as failure can lead to DEATH. I've seen soooo many lug nuts/studs that were overtorqued, stretched, and started breaking. I saw one wheel with only two studs left in it. WHEN those two failed, the wheel would come off. Dramatic. It would really suck to know your lack of knowledge or care results in people dying.

If you don't use and achieve those toque specs, YOU, and YOU alone are responsible for any failures that occur! Do NOT blame the manufacturer, and do NOT blame the engineer. If you don't tighten to the minimum spec, there is great likelihood the fastener will come loose and cause damage or injury. Your fault, and only your fault.
If you tighten too much, there is great likelihood the threads will be damaged or the fastener overstressed and weakened - and will fail and cause damage or injury. Your fault, and only your fault.

Please get a torque wrench and learn to use it properly before doing any more jobs.

I hope you got lucky this time. But that is all it would be, luck. Go ahead and hate me for being the messenger. As long as you learn from it, I am OK with it.

 

mwsF250 I agree with you on knowing and using torque specs. Anytime I work on something I make sure I find out the torque specs on any major bolt, nut, etc I will be working on. I can't always find this info so sometimes you have to use a little bit of sence and realize the materials you are working with and what they will handle.

 

Yes, I do the same. I cheat on quite a few "less risky" bolts, but I cheat using experience, good engineering judgement, and I ACCEPT responsibility for any problems my cheating may cause.
Lug nuts? Never. Any chassis component? Never. Drivetrain bolts? Never. crush washer syle spark plug in an aluminum head? Almost never. Taper seat spark plug in aluminum head without a super-over-abundance of extra threads? Absolutely never!

 

An experienced mechanic rarely needs a torque wrench. I had a couple and used them very little.