spark plug tube seal

[exprunner11]

I notice one of spark plug seals appears to be leaking on my 4.0 sohc and was wondering how to change them do you just remove the plug and just pull the seal and put a new one in? i'm going the change the plug since i'm there anyway. I also added a picture of the leak around the spark plug.

 

[swshawaii]

No seal there, OEM plugs have a tapered seat. Sure it's not loose? :scratch:

 

[exprunner11]

No seal there, OEM plugs have a tapered seat. Sure it's not loose? :scratch:

its not finger lose will try again tomorrow morning with a socket

 

[swshawaii]

Possibly cross threaded and not seated in the aluminum head. If so, try retapping
with a 14mm spark plug thread chaser before resorting to a HeliCoil repair insert. GL

 

[exprunner11]

Possibly cross threaded and not seated in the aluminum head. If so, try retapping
with a 14mm spark plug thread chaser before resorting to a HeliCoil repair insert. GL

the plug was changed about 30,000 miles ago wouldn't it of start leaking before now but i just hope it just backed out a little bit and don't have to chase or helicoil it

 

[SoNic67]

That's not a real leak. Is just the plug saying "hi", re-tighten me.
In my Taurus DOHC, one of the plugs in half submerged in oil, from the tube seal being worn (you don't have that on your engine). Still works OK.

 

[koda2000]

if i saw that amount of seepage on a 30,000 mile old plug that i was about to change i'd never give it a second thought. the plug may not have been torqued to spec when installed, or there may have been some dirt on the seat, or some carbon on the threads. in any event that's no big deal. when installing your new plugs, put some anti-seize on the threads, make sure the new plug screws in all the way by hand and torque it to spec.

 

[SoNic67]

Anti-seize might lead to problems in aluminium heads. Don't use it, especially when you have Zn, Cr or Ni plated spark plugs. Probably that's why it backed out in the first place.
See here:
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/pdf/TB-0630111antisieze.pdf

 

[bluestream1]

That spark plug in the picture is definitely the type that needs anti seize

 

[SoNic67]

I can't see the threads. Just rust on top part.

 

[J_C]

^ When the threads are plated the upper hex nut shaped area and the electrode usually (always?) are too instead of being black and rusty.

 

[exprunner11]

I'm pretty sure now the plug just back out and there is probably a bit of rust on the threads and i know there not cross threaded since I screwed them in by hand but i wouldn't hurt to wait a week till I work on it in my engines class and run a chase and clean out the threads just good to know that this motor doesn't require a seal for the spark plug.

 

[SoNic67]

^ When the threads are plated the upper hex nut shaped area and the electrode usually (always?) are too instead of being black and rusty.

That's not rust .
This is rust: