what is the best thing to use

[fordperv]

Right guys after a brown pants moment earlier when changing the spark plugs on the saph which have been in for 10k no1 was stuck fast, I managed to free it with penetrating fluid and short sharp turns but that got me thinking on what to use anti seize wise, I've been reluctant to use copper grease as I imagine that it would promote corrosion to the threads on the alloy head so in time would seize the plug in place, so as said what's the best thing to use???

[Junkman]

A hammer.

[Station]

Copper grease.

[Junkman]

Actually, if you use nothing at all, and just torque them with the torque specified in the workshop manual,

you will be surprised how easy they'll come out next time.

[Bren]

Actually, if you use nothing at all, and just torque them with the torque specified in the workshop manual,

you will be surprised how easy they'll come out next time.

I concur - next time undo them after a run when the engine has been allowed to cool but not go cold.

[fordperv]

Junkman and Bren this is what I always do and I've never had a problem before, that's what's got me thinking about anti seize compounds as I don't fancy it doing an impression of a ka and snapping the plug lol

[derskine]

Coppaslip.

[Noel Tidybeard]

dab of oil of the dipstick

[PiperCub]

Copper grease (Coppaslip call it wahat you like) plus torque them in but I always knock off about 10% (1 or 2 lbft) of the setting to offset the fact I'm using a grease.

I was told many years ago that torque settings are usually (stress usually) quoted on a cold engine & 'dry' - ie: no oil/grease etc on the threads so that's why I do it. Never had a stuck plug or one come loose that I've fitted like this.

[Parky]

Plus one on coppaslip. Anything that I remove that involves screws or bolts always gets a dab of something to prevent the surfaces rusting. Plugs get coppaslip, other things will get engine oil, Vaseline, LH, or gear oil, whatevers handy. Basically anything slippery. Dad used to operate and repair moulding machinery and his apprenticeship in the sixties was dead hot on making sure things were lubricated and I have picked up that mantra.

 

Future owners will thank me. Maybe

[PiperCub]

That's what I do to pretty much every fixing, if you need to undo it again you'll thank yourself, if not, the next owner will!

[Asimo]

Really, really important to use a torque wrench on those plugs with tapered seats.

 

And copper grease.

[PiperCub]

God yeah, the favourite being on Ford Valencia (glorified Kent) motors, Fiestas and Ka's do suffer seized plugs a lot.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I also use copper grease on plugs.

 

Fordperv, why do you think it would cause corrosion to develop ?

[fordperv]

At the time of writing I was overthinking dissimilar metals corroding, sitting down I now realise that in the worst case scenario if there was a corrosive reaction with the copper it would be between steel and copper or aluminium and copper not all 3 together, so that's a lengthy way of saying I was thinking shit haha

[Squire_Dawson]

Also use copper grease on alloy wheels where the face mates with the hub.

[catsinthewelder]

Be careful about lubricating all threads chaps.  I lubed the balljoint threads on the blue BX estate last year as they are known to be a twat for seizing on.  Two thousand miles later it fell off at 20mph (the day after I drove down most of the M5 at 80ish).

[Inspector Morose]

Now you tell me!

 

Coppaslip is good but Rocol anti seize is better. Much thicker and a "creamier" consistency; I've had nothing seize yet using that stuff.

[New POD]

Copper grease (Coppaslip call it wahat you like) plus torque them in but I always knock off about 10% (1 or 2 lbft) of the setting to offset the fact I'm using a grease.

I was told many years ago that torque settings are usually (stress usually) quoted on a cold engine & 'dry' - ie: no oil/grease etc on the threads so that's why I do it. Never had a stuck plug or one come loose that I've fitted like this.

 

 

When I worked at Lucas Industries, my supervisor, had spent 5 years of his career, working on what force was obtained when clean, vs when Oiled.  He reckoned that in some cases, you could achieve Torque settings on a clean bolt, and have almost zero force between the 2 test peices.  And if using oil, you could get forces that distorted test pieces and bolt, before achieving the torque.  I obviously trivialise his research and his Phd, but hey.

[PiperCub]

When I worked at Lucas Industries, my supervisor, had spent 5 years of his career, working on what force was obtained when clean, vs when Oiled.  He reckoned that in some cases, you could achieve Torque settings on a clean bolt, and have almost zero force between the 2 test peices.  And if using oil, you could get forces that distorted test pieces and bolt, before achieving the torque.  I obviously trivialise his research and his Phd, but hey.

I can well believe that and the larger the torque setting the worse it'll be I guess. With s/plugs especially I tighten anything with feel and experience, if I think somethings not right (as in 'That feels like I'm going to strip a thread if I go much further') then I'll strip and clean it and try again. As such haven't stripped a thread for many years.

 

What does zero force between two test pieces mean? Surely for something to be tight, there needs to exist forces between them? I'm missing something here.

[mat_the_cat]

At the time of writing I was overthinking dissimilar metals corroding

 

You might have a point though - I've noticed that copper grease on zinc plated bolts etc makes them go rusty faster than if I left them bare. Although they're less likely to actually seize, even if rust is present as the soft copper lubricates the thread surfaces.

 

Be careful about lubricating all threads chaps.  I lubed the balljoint threads on the blue BX estate last year as they are known to be a twat for seizing on.  Two thousand miles later it fell off at 20mph (the day after I drove down most of the M5 at 80ish).

 

You might not be aware of this, but the lip on the BJ should be peened over into a slot on the hub carrier. I've come across ones which weren't though, so had I not known I would have simply tightened it up also.

[Inspector Morose]

Mat, you're worrying me.

[mat_the_cat]

If it hasn't fallen off by now, it will have rusted into place and be a real twat to remove...

[catsinthewelder]

It was the nearside BJ if you want to look,  chap from the RAC screwed it back on but I don't think he peened it over either.

[beko1987]

Just a small smear isnt it?...