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#8 plug wasn't sealing

Old 06-17-2014, 12:23 PM
  #11  
Simon1
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You can also use some compressed air to blow out the minor debris.

And I know people here say not to use anti-seize, but it seems like every other race car driver I talk to does. I used to check my plugs every other month or so. But I have become lazy and busy with family. They need replacing anyways. Maybe I'll put them on my to-do list this summer. Car runs just fine. 15-16 psi for two years doesn't seem to bother them at all.
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Old 06-17-2014, 01:26 PM
  #12  
BlindGUYnAR
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Originally Posted by Simon1
You can also use some compressed air to blow out the minor debris.

And I know people here say not to use anti-seize, but it seems like every other race car driver I talk to does. I used to check my plugs every other month or so. But I have become lazy and busy with family. They need replacing anyways. Maybe I'll put them on my to-do list this summer. Car runs just fine. 15-16 psi for two years doesn't seem to bother them at all.
I've heard to not use it as well.

The theory as explained to me was exactly as said above. It can act like a mild abrasive and can weaken the threads due to engine vibration and heat cycles that expand/contract the two metals at different rates acting like a sawing motion. The anti-seize being the sand paper in the mix.

That weakening could cause a plug blowout as was common on the earlier design 2v heads.

I've never heard of it actually occurring on a 3v though with anti-seize being the cause so at this point it might be called an urban legend.

Last edited by BlindGUYnAR; 06-17-2014 at 01:31 PM.
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Old 06-17-2014, 03:04 PM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by BlindGUYnAR
I've heard to not use it as well.

The theory as explained to me was exactly as said above. It can act like a mild abrasive and can weaken the threads due to engine vibration and heat cycles that expand/contract the two metals at different rates acting like a sawing motion. The anti-seize being the sand paper in the mix.

That weakening could cause a plug blowout as was common on the earlier design 2v heads.

I've never heard of it actually occurring on a 3v though with anti-seize being the cause so at this point it might be called an urban legend.
I'm pretty sure the 2v's had fewer threads than our heads.
We have at least 8 threads on the plugs. they may have had half as many!

I've used anti seize on my plugs since the first change at 12k miles. I didn't have any left this last change, but I'm sure it's still in the threads.
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Old 06-17-2014, 03:37 PM
  #14  
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The reason Ford recommends not to use the anti sieze is that if the plug gets stuck and you have to use a penetrant to loosen the carbon build up, the anti sieze can keep it from getting past the threads to the carbon.
If you do use something, you should reduce the torque some because it acts as a lubricant and you can get too much torque on the threads.
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Old 06-20-2014, 08:55 PM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by Goldenpony
The reason Ford recommends not to use the anti sieze is that if the plug gets stuck and you have to use a penetrant to loosen the carbon build up, the anti sieze can keep it from getting past the threads to the carbon.
If you do use something, you should reduce the torque some because it acts as a lubricant and you can get too much torque on the threads.
All true.

But I guess I have never had the problem of carbon build up since I pull the plugs regularly, run premium fuel, have always had custom tuning and use the anti-seize. They always come out like any other plug. No problems, no mess.

I would expect my cylinders to still have the hand done hash marks and the valves look brand new from the top. I've got almost 30k on the valve train.
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Old 06-27-2014, 08:40 PM
  #16  
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If you use any type of lubricant on plugs, you should reduce the torque because since there is less friction while tightening, you could over stress the threads. Make sense?
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Old 06-28-2014, 04:28 PM
  #17  
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it looks like simon might have been right about water. I was going to change all the plugs today and started with #8. The spark plug well had water in it. It looked like coolant. I think I either have a blown head gasket allowing water into the cylinder and pushed up past the threads(possible? seems unlikely) or there's a crack in the head that leads to the spark plug well and water jacket. There was no burnt spot on the plug like before. no liquid in any other cylinders.

The thing starts and idles fine, doesn't smoke! I'm planning to buy another car and pull the head off. if the head is cracked, i can't see just buying new heads, might as well do a new short block or long block.
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Old 06-28-2014, 09:11 PM
  #18  
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So there was no indication of any water coming from above? I'm not sure where it would come from, just a thought.
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Old 06-29-2014, 02:00 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Simon1
So there was no indication of any water coming from above? I'm not sure where it would come from, just a thought.
No. It is either coming from right around the plug seat or from underneath. Nothing in the oil either and I couldn't see any bubbles in the coolant tank.
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Old 06-29-2014, 03:11 PM
  #20  
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Weird...Probably coming from a head gasket or something. I would let it go until problems get worse. It could be just fine for a long time.
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