Overtightened spark-plugs...what would you do?

How many miles are on your car now? How does the car drive? 7.5 ft/lbs more isn't all that much. I personally would leave it if the car is driving fine.

 

Can you and are you willing to absorb the cost of replacing them?

Because I'd say, if you want to? Do it.

May or may not be necessary, but if you don't do it, you'll be worrying about it continually. For that reason alone I might say fix it now, and then enjoy it not being an issue. Even if it really isn't an issue now.

 

Leave it and drive it, 20 lb/ft is a lot when all you needs is hand snug and 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn to tighten, Undoing may damage the threads, it fine id just drive it and eventually sell it off when the time for new plugs are needed because fixing a stripped spark plug thread may require from re-tapping the threads to replacing the entire cylinder head.

 

Many mechanics use air tools to put in spark plugs, 20ft lb is nothing. Just drive the car

 

Was that the Nutzaboutbolts video? I followed that, pulled them at around 40000 km, just to see how it was done, and to have a look. I THINK I used his torque recommendation. Can't remember exactly, but do remember thinking it was a little high, but oh well.

Think you're fine. Hope I'm fine too, lol. Replacing them would be a lot of expense, and getting to them is crazy amount of labour too.

 

i would replace them. peace of mind is everything.

 

fix it ASAP. 20 lbs/ft with antisieze equals 30 lbs/ft dry. twice the normal. the problem is not damage to spark plugs but to the aluminum threads in the head!

 

You may never have to change them again. Leave them

 

Leave them.

 

Why would there be future damage ?

 

He's apparently an ex Toyota mechanic. What I take away is that a few extra pounds is not that critical. Next time I'll stick to spec tho.

 

Yeah. Luckily for everybody, for most ordinary bolted-together assemblies, there's wide latitude between so loose the thing falls apart or doesn't function, and so tight you break something. It seems only logical that specified torques should be somewhere safely mid-way between those extremes to allow for errors, variations in friction, etc. Obviously there are exceptions where hitting close to a specified torque (or bolt tension, to be more precise) truly is critical.

 

Will you have the car that long? If not, don't worry about it. Every time you remove and replace plugs, you risk damaging the threads.

 

Actually the service manual show the torque at 15 ft/lbs for the spark plugs (pg. 2936 ) and kudos for using anti-seize. "Technically" they are over torqued...but you should be OK on this one. Your call.