My first 911 spark plug replacement - not what I expected

[SCWDP911]

Well, I am half way through my first 911 spark plug replacement. So far, it has gone really smooth, I think anyway. My Bosch copper cores screw in hand tight and then come to a dead stop (again while hand-tightening). I put the hanlde in the spark plug tool and I have just been giving a small nudge. I am so paranoid about overtorquiing it is stupid. I am such a nerd that I even got the borescope out to look at each plug after installation to make sure they looked seated properly. I am wondering if I have torqued them enough though. I am going to look up the torque vlaue and put a torque wrench on them just to make sure.

I was really expecting my plugs to be a LOT dirtier, as my cars smells like it is running rich. I have a few pictures (again only the left side and in order 1-2-3, but my macro is not acting right on the camera so pics are not great.

So far all I can say is like I have read in a number of posts abotu this job, the main thing is to take your sweet time about it. Back to work.

[dentist90]

Holy Cr@p!! Your shop is cleaner than my kitchen! I am sooo jealous.

[rusnak]

Can you get a pic of the insulator and electrodes? That is the critical part. And you are right, they look fine. My first thought is to leave it alone and just enjoy the car. If you are into fine tuning, then do you have a Bentley manual and the Bosch Fuel Injection manual by Charles Probst?

[billybek]

Some pretty serious electrical in that shop! Look at the panel and perhaps a transformer in the far left of the picture..
The car even matches the floor!

[SCWDP911]

don't get too excited... this is my shop at work. I assure you, especially if it makes you feel better... my shop at home is not this clean...

Does anyone have the plug torque specs handy. I do not have my Bentley or 101 books out here.

Thanks

[rusnak]

22 ft lbs on clead dry threads.

I'm thinking about buying the Hazet magnetic spark plug tool, what with all of the spark plug cross threading going on out there.

[dentist90]

FWIW, I don't like to put the plugs in dry. I don't like needing a breaker bar to remove them later, especially with the aluminum head. It has been suggested that antiseize will interfere with a proper ground, but I have not run into this issue, nor having the plugs work themselves loose.

[SCWDP911]

thanks rusnak

[old man neri]

I think the borescope was a bit of an overkill...but that's just me.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

It's SOP to put anti-seize on aircraft-engine plugs, without exception. Doesn't seem to interfere with "a proper ground" in a regime where it's a lot more important that the plug work than on a 911. The anti-seize I use on Lycoming plugs is the brush-on Champion liquid. Granted, if you put on so much that it runs down onto the electrodes it'll ground out the plug--which is what you may well be referrimg to in terms of "proper ground"--but that's pretty hard to do.

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by old man neri

I think the borescope was a bit of an overkill...but that's just me.

\

ya think!

[Zeke]

I let the seat be the ground. I put the anti seize on the forward threads and it works its way back as I thread the plug in.