Planning on changing the spark plugs on the 496 over the weekend. I have no torque wrench...

While installing with a standard wrench, How do I know when it's tight enough?

Never used a torque wrench on a spark plug in 23 years of changing them. Don't even know what #'s are torqued to. When they get tight, you will know it. Just use a standard 3/8 drive socket wrench, not a breaker bar.

i usually tighten till they seat then about a 1/4 to 1/2 turn as griff said I also have never used a torque wrench on spark plugs in 25 yrs of building/working on motors

Good question, here is the answer, had to look it up myself.

http://www.spark-plugs.co.uk/pages/technical/torque.htm

11-18 ft/lbs in your case. Much more important with aluminum heads, be sure to put a small touch of anti seize on the threads.

As stated above, one hand tight with a standard handle length 3/8 ratchet should be fine.

yes please be sure to alot of ati seize on the threads so in two years in a salt water envirment you wont be able to remove them !!!!!


anti seize has copper in it ( there are others that contain nichel ect ) but as marine 101 teaches us disimilar metals corrode at adavned rate, as Ive stated in the past never never never use anti sieze in a marine enverment

Thanks guys.

I'l go easy on the wrench

Good point GOODT, I was just answering in general re anti-seize, aluminum heads and spark plugs, I can see my punctuation is misleading.

Non-copper based anti-seize or even grease is preferable for marine applications.

no offence but all antisieze has some type of metal in it, best to use is merc 101 although 101 does not stand up well to heat I have heard about another product that will stand up to heat but it was extremly expensive. I dont remember what it is so I would say best to use it you want to put something on the treads would just be a high temp grease, personally I dont put any thing on them and have never had a problem execpt with some autolites coming apart at the hex in which case I just us a "turbo" socket to remove what it left

I used a little grease on the threads and torqued to 19 lbs in aluminum heads 3 years ago. Changed the plugs out a month or so ago and they came out easy. New plugs went in the same way. Little grease and 19 lbs tq.

Not saying it's gospel, but worked for me