I overtorqued my spark plugs. Now what?

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Tom Witkop, Jun 14, 2025 at 11:26 PM.

  1. Tom Witkop

    Tom Witkop Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2024
    1
    0
    0
    Location:
    Rockville MD
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    V
    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?
     
    #1 Tom Witkop, Jun 14, 2025 at 11:26 PM
  2. schmegma_swiller

    schmegma_swiller Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2024
    16
    10
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    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.
     
    #2 schmegma_swiller, Jun 15, 2025 at 8:25 PM
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    26,225
    17,180
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    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.
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Jun 15, 2025 at 8:42 PM
    Air_Boss likes this.
  4. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    4,133
    1,151
    0
    Location:
    New Yawk
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Dodged that bullet, probably.
     
    #4 Air_Boss, Jun 15, 2025 at 9:09 PM
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    58,749
    40,457
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    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...
     

    Attached Files:

    #5 Mendel Leisk, Jun 16, 2025 at 12:29 AM
  6. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    8,093
    6,903
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    +1

    Spark plugs change periodicity is something like 10y/120k miles, IIRC.
     
    #6 ETC(SS), Jun 16, 2025 at 6:35 AM
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)