Change the spark plugs on my 2012 Toyota Prius v dutifully followed the YouTube video which which said use anti-seize and 20-ft lb of torque. Now it's all done and I find out it should be 13 ft lb and no anti-seize. I haven't started the car yet. Everything is all buttoned up and I'd rather not take it apart and install fresh plugs unless they absolutely have to. Any thoughts?
I think we watched the same video. I also used antisieze and torqued to 20 ft-lb. It's been fine though, if that helps.
Sounds like you both are very lucky and ought to buy lottery tickets. Ordinarily, the rule is if you add anti-seize, you tighten to a lower torque than the dry-torque value that's given in the manual. The anti-seize means you are putting more force on the threads at the same torque. If you did it, and the cylinder head still has threads in it and the plugs are staying put, then you got away with it. Once. Go and sin no more.
I think I asked @NutzAboutBolts about that (assume that's the video), didn't hear back. It's 15 ft/lb with clean threads, btw. Think I'd leave it be. The attached is a couple of Repair Manual sections. One shows most of the spark plug info. Then halfway across the page count of the book, there's another page, ostensibly about the valve cover, and torque value for the blessed spark plugs is shown, there...
It was in fact the Nutz about Bolts video, he seems to be respected here which is why I trusted him. It's funny though, I've always just tightened my plugs by feel, this time I remember cranking on my torque wrench what felt definitely too tight, now that I think about it I dialled it back to 19 ft-lb because it felt like too much.
Yeah dodge a "striped" the threads bullet. The risk is the next sparkplug change; will the plugs come out easily? You are probably not the only one who has over-torqued sparkplugs into an aluminum head. . For OCD types, I would remove and correct now, before too many heat cycles. If not OCD, again, you are probably not the first, so leave alone. Good luck with your decision.
Thank you everybody. I am going to remove each plug check for damage and reinstall at 13 pounds. I am not going to replace the crush washer because it seems like I can't and hope for the best. I went to one spark plug website and it discussed the horrors of over tightening. I also spoke with a mechanical engineer who races cars and thought it a good idea to uninstall and re-torque. He doesn't think replacing the crushed washers is necessary. Based on no actual experience than just a feeling even with the anti-seize on the threads (I'm not going to add additional anti-seize) I'll torque up to 13 pounds. Again thank you everybody. If the spark plug shoots out of the hole (that happened about 40 years ago) I will let you know. Otherwise you won't hear from me for about 10 years on this issue