Three questions for experienced Pelicans

[75Carrera]

1. I've always heard it would be far worse to "overfill" your car with oil than to run it several quarts low.

Q. WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS TO THE MOTOR IF IT'S OVERFILLED AND DRIVEN?

2. Spark plugs come pre-set and are installed to a tight fit.

Q. IS IT NECESSARY TO TORQUE A SPARK PLUG INTO PLACE?

Q. IF SO, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OF THE SPARK PLUG IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY?

My motor's on the floor. Your experience would help clear up some diagnostic issues I'm trying to figure out with this motor. Thanks...

[Joe Bob]

Over filling allows oil to be sucked into the intake.......you then have no mosquitos for 6 city blocks.

I always gap a plug.....

I tighten plugs but not overly so.....

[cgarr]

"Stop. Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see"

[Canada Kev]

What is the maximum velocity of an unladen swallow?

[SCOTITUDE]

European or african?

[SCOTITUDE]

But seriously,
Overfilled , the car will smoke like James Bond's. Thick white smoke, a lot!
The plugs should be snug.

[moneymanager]

We are not taking this man's intelligent questions seriously.
Let he who would ride backwards on the wing of a sparrow experience the joys of overfilling.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by 75Carrera

1. I've always heard it would be far worse to "overfill" your car with oil than to run it several quarts low.

Q. WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS TO THE MOTOR IF IT'S OVERFILLED AND DRIVEN?

2. Spark plugs come pre-set and are installed to a tight fit.

Q. IS IT NECESSARY TO TORQUE A SPARK PLUG INTO PLACE?

Q. IF SO, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OF THE SPARK PLUG IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY?

My motor's on the floor. Your experience would help clear up some diagnostic issues I'm trying to figure out with this motor. Thanks...

On a serious note:

1-Your car will smoke profusely and the vchciks will not longer dig you.

2-You do not need to torque them, just get them snug.

3-If they are loose, they fall out and you lose power and hear this funny sound.

[SteveinTO]

Not to be contrarian, but:

1) I'd rather deal with the mess and a lot of smoke than a dry bearing.

2) Gap your plugs, it's easy & you sleep better.

3) Use a torque wrench, they're cheap (beam type) & the process is easy. The "just snug" scenario leaves one open to the "just a little more snug" must be just a little bit more better. Until you go "over-snug."

I feel better. Thank you!

[Canada Kev]

Originally Posted by 75Carrera

1. I've always heard it would be far worse to "overfill" your car with oil than to run it several quarts low.

Q. WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS TO THE MOTOR IF IT'S OVERFILLED AND DRIVEN?

Overfilling will generally push the excess oil in through the breather or the PCV to the intake where it will be very obviously burned in the engine. Lots of white smoke and pissed off other drivers and neighbors. As well, too much oil pressure can sometimes damage engine seals and such.

I can't see a couple quarts low as being an issue. Note that the engine is cooled by oil and that having less may cause an issue with temperatures as there will be less to dissipate the heat.

Originally Posted by 75Carrera

2. Spark plugs come pre-set and are installed to a tight fit.

I am assuming by "pre-set" you mean the gap. It is a good idea to double check, and correct if needs be, the gap of any new plugs.

Originally Posted by 75Carrera

Q. IS IT NECESSARY TO TORQUE A SPARK PLUG INTO PLACE?

Sorry, I don't know. Normally I don't use a torque wrench when changing plugs, but I honestly don't know if you should.

Originally Posted by 75Carrera

Q. IF SO, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OF THE SPARK PLUG IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY?

Perhaps you could clarify what you mean by "not installed properly". If you cross thread the plug, not good things may happen. Other than buggering up your threads in the head, the plugs may not thread all the way in, not seat properly and leak under pressure, or just loosen when at an inconvenient time. There may be other issues, too.

Hope this helps. I hope you don't take offense to the Monty Python references and general goofing off. I couldn't help myself. Must be the Halloween air or maybe just too much candy...

-kevin

[HarryD]

I should add that since I use the factory tool (from the car's tool kit) to remove/install the plugs, it is difficult to use a torque wrench in this location. YMMV.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by syzygy

What is the maximum velocity of an unladen swallow?

despite the movie and its argument, this is known to be at least 14 m/s. Park, Rosén, and Hedenström. 2001. Flight kinematics of the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) over a wide range of speeds in a wind tunnel. J. Exp. Biol. 204: 2741-2750.


in contrast, a "surging" glacier moves about 0.000007 m/s

which is much faster tha growing fingernail

[the latter being close to the slip seed of the N. Am. tectonic plate]

-- no charge for edifying you

[Canada Kev]

Originally Posted by RWebb

in contrast, a "surging" glacier moves about 0.000007 m/s

which is much faster tha growing fingernail

Christ, I hope so. That would be like having fingernails 7 cm long in a week. That's almost three inches. Man those glaciers really rocket down the slopes.

[JohnJL]

Torque is around 20 ft/lbs.

If you undertighten they will work loose and eventually make a "BANG" and rocket one across the floor (if its a bottom plug.) I can attest to this.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by 75Carrera

75 911 Carrera Sunroof Coupe #215 Guards (arrest me) Red all black trim, 7&8 Fuchs, lowered, fresh 3.2, Forged 10.5x1 pistons, Ollie's heads/valves, John Doughtery 964 cams, test pipe (no cat) two out modified exhaust, customized Steve Wong chip, alloy Carrera brakes, new Koni's and poly bushings, TOYO T1R's, Bose sound w/ 4-6x9 and 4-5" Bose, 915 with Porsche factory short shift
(owned for 27 years)
Prescott, Arizona


A few of my "Also Rans"...
76 911S
68 912
85 930

Originally Posted by 75Carrera

Three questions for experienced Pelicans

Donny, you are an experianced Pelican,

[don gilbert]

not only should they be gapped, i like to index my plugs toward the intake valves, not hard to do, make a line with a sharpy all the way up the socket and extension.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by don gilbert

not only should they be gapped, i like to index my plugs toward the intake valves, not hard to do, make a line with a sharpy all the way up the socket and extension.

I've always indexed my plugs so that they face Germany.

[SCOTITUDE]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

I've always indexed my plugs so that they face Germany.

That is classic. A huge belly laugh on that one. Made my mornin.

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by 75Carrera

...

Q. WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS TO THE MOTOR IF IT'S OVERFILLED AND DRIVEN?
------- oil in the tank is at a higher level and it's easier for it to vent into your intake air chamber.

2. Spark plugs come pre-set and are installed to a tight fit.

------ many guys reset gap. If you're using stock ignition confirm stock suggested gap.

Q. IS IT NECESSARY TO TORQUE A SPARK PLUG INTO PLACE?

-------- it depends.
The un-experienced may want to try a torque wrench to learn a "feel" for how tight it should be. Spark plugs like ours use a gasket and the idea is to just compress the new gasket for proper torque. A common routine is to twist the new plug and gasket 1/4 turn after it initially bottoms.

Q. IF SO, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OF THE SPARK PLUG IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY?

------- over tighten and you have steel plug threads twisting aluminum threads. On steel heads over tighten may disturb plug gap.


plug threads never seize is another issue which seems to bring out a few personal preferences




meanwhile it's better to ask more basic questions to bring out some humor around here

[rouxroux]

It all depends......"What is your favorite color"?