Lude Generation

So on Saturday last week (15/06/2013), I fitted a new set of NGK Platinum spark plugs along with a new red transparent distributor cap and rotor. At the time, I didn’t have a torque wrench with me which would go low enough for the spark plugs. So just tightened ‘em up with a normal wrench. The spark plugs cost me only £35.44 through eBay.

Fast forward a week later to this morning. Before I head out, I decided to torque them up properly (13 lb-ft). Did just that, even had the torque wrench on a slightly lower setting. Hmm, doesn’t seem to be clicking off though. Oh well, will just tighten ‘em up as best as I can. Decided to put the spark plug cover back on after starting the engine. Got in the car, started the engine and….. pop! The HT lead from the far left came flying out. I immediately turned it off and thought, oh phuck! Removed the spark plug and it had sheared off leaving the tip and thread in the engine. I had that sinking nauseous feeling that this was gonna be expensive. Had visions of missing next week’s European Prelude Meet at Nurburgring and having to have the car towed away to a garage to have the cylinder head removed

Luckily, dad came to the rescue! While waiting for him to arrive, I removed the valve cover for easier access. He managed to remove it intact in less than 5 minutes with a long wide headed screw driver. I suppose if I didn’t put copper grease on the threads, it would have been a lot more difficult to remove. In retrospect, I didn’t need to remove the cylinder head cover but didn’t know at the time how he intended to remove the bit.



The torque wrench is made by Laser and I’m not gonna use the phucking thing ever again. Gonna get myself a Draper torque wrench to match the rest of my tools (I’m a Draper whore).

Fortunately, I still had my old spark plugs removed last Saturday so refitted one of them. So now I’ve got three sparks plugs that have had less 100 miles on them and one which has endured 59,780 miles. I’m a little worried that I might have stressed the others and they might be at breaking point so to set my mind at rest, I’ve ordered a new set of four which should arrive by the middle of next week. Again through eBay but this time cheaper at £28.50 for the four.

Needless to say, I’ll be more careful next time.

Bleedin' O'Reilly - how much spinach do you eat?

There's a reason plug spanners have a small handle.

Lucky escape though.

Damn dude, you're lucky it didn't get fully stuck!!
I bought a Laser Tools crank pulley spanner and its crap, it just doesn't fit, its way too small even though its listed for a 94 'Lude. Bottom line, Laser Tools are cheap because they're cack. IMO

Supermarine Blues wrote:Bleedin' O'Reilly - how much spinach do you eat?

There's a reason plug spanners have a small handle.

Lucky escape though.

Supermarine Blues wrote:Bleedin' O'Reilly - how much spinach do you eat?

There's a reason plug spanners have a small handle.

Lucky escape though.

Crikey...very lucky

On the other hand, I've had some perfectly good tools from Laser.

Couple of other possibilities I can think of besides the tool being crap;
1. It's possible you'd already tightened it over 13lb/ft and that makes it easy to miss the click when you do then go and use the torque wrench on a very very low torque setting (I've done that myself)
2. How easy to read is the gauge? I've had friends helping me set mine up completely wrong, so it's set 10 more than intended, because of the way the numbers are stamped against the graduations (it's not a Laser btw, it's a Richmond, which is actually a re-badged Draper from what I can work out)

Nice work getting the broken end out though, very lucky escape!

Phew! Could have been a lot worse. Reading the title I thought you were going to have stripped the thread from the head

Well handled

I did something similar with my 2nd gen except I was trying to undo the plug. The car had been stood for about 9 years and that plug was seized in (other 3 were fine). I had to take the head off, so you had a lucky escape

Lucky escape, I did the same thing on my civic....but managed to save it.

fuckaduck thats more than lucky

I am a bit of a 'by hand' kinda guy with wheel nuts and spark plugs and, well pretty much everything I depends what it is need to be tight as to the torque it gets but I would blame a faulty plug there rather than you being heavy handed? I mean they are not ment to be very 'tight' are they? I always just nib them off fast then give each one a slow equal pressure. I think you were very lucky the thread in the block was ok Thats gotta be worst nightmare, threading the block


Glad we still have a lude coming next week

What a nightmare!!!Well done on getting the broken plug out. I have a laser torque wrench, never had any problems with it. I use it when doing my plugs too. I do go very carefully tho.