Never seize Yes????? Or Never on your Spark Plugs

[1WildRT]

If Sherwin Williams didn't use it this would be the perfect image for Never Sieze...

 

[Woody500]

Anti-seized a set on a Nissan Altima last night.

Just like I have for the last 30 years.

I don't go nuts, just a little patch on the first three or four threads. If it burns to goop, there's not much goop. Never had a misfire issue.

Never put it on the first two threads nearest the cylinder or you run a risk of it getting on the electrodes. Otherwise I never do without.
Ask some modular Ford guys about that, as they've had plenty of experience with stuck and blown out plugs.

 

[Woody500]

Every time. Plugs into aircraft cylinders... they get expensive when the aluminum comes out with the plug!

Don't some aicraft engine have large thread inserts? Is that to keep it from happening or repairs or updates, that I've seen?

 

[Woody500]

Amazon.com: Champion Spark Plug Anti-seize 2612 - 4 Oz : Automotive

Here is the Champion stuff.

Champion A-S is available from Boeing and comes in a plastic bottle. There is some talk of Amazons' 'Champion A-S' being a knockoff & consistency of paste is different, label different, can different.
If you want the real stuff see if Boeing will sell you some. Maybe Aircraft Spruce And Specialty in Chicago has it. There's another supplier we'd get riveting supplies from, that I can't think of name right now.

 

[Woody500]

Dissimilar metals
Yes Yes Yes !!!!

Nickel Anti-Seize would be the least objectionable. They make Aluminum A-S now but I've never used it for anything, because of dissimilar metal electrolysis problems. Graphite is conductive but I don't know if it promotes these problems, too.
I wouldn't use Copper-Seize for that reason, on a spark plug. Used it elsewhere and it seems ok.
I have 'rehydrated' dried looking Nickel-Seize with a drop of very light oil, like Utility Oil. Not sure I've done that on plugs, but if i did I would blot off most of the oil, as a full drop is too much.

 

[dadsbee]

Don't some aicraft engine have large thread inserts? Is that to keep it from happening or repairs or updates, that I've seen?

Those are repaired cylinders..

 

[Woody500]

Those are repaired cylinders..

That was probaly on radials, and might have been tank engines

 

[Woody500]

T

That certainly is an issue. Hence the plating.

The cadmium plating is a sacrificial coating to prevent the base metal from corroding, and like any similar coating( zinc or cad, or black oxide and others, on bolts for instance) when it is used up the spark plug body will then rust.
Champion used to hand out their little bottles of A-S at the Speedway, and one would last for many years. They always gave away Champion Branded Spark Plug Racks & installation hoses marked w/their Logo, along with the plugs & A-S. Champion guys(techs now) would come to your pit as soon as your car came in and 'Read' your plugs witk a Jewelers Loop. This in the era before electronics, still Hilborns FI Systems & usually Magnetos.

 

[440 Mike]

I always use anti seize on spark plugs.

The brush in a can of anti seize is worthless. Here's what you do - take an old toothbrush and put a tiny amount on the bristles, then rub the brush on a paper towel to work it in and remove the excess. One or two swipes on spark plug threads and you're good. No excess goop on the threads, just a color change to know it's on there. You need very little of this stuff for it to work. Throw the toothbrush in a plastic cup on your workbench, lasts a long time.

 

[383Duster]

Also, FWIW, I put a small dab of dielectric grease on the insides only of the plug wire boots. That way, the boots won't stick to the plugs. Don't put too much, because dielectric grease might interfere with the fire to the plug, since it is a very poor conductor.

Exactly what I do….it doesn’t take much of either and it makes disassembly easy.

 

[Woody500]

I use any of the smallest straight blade screwdrivers I have, juat scrape a little on blade tip & then just a spot onto the plug at least two threads away from the end, and push it into two or three threads on that spot, and no more than 1/8th turn of thread. No messy brush. They break off sometimes anyway.
Notsure but don't think anyone mentioned to stir it regularly, because the oil separates out of it and the top will be thin and bottom of can, in years, will be hard & dry.

 

[70SwingerGuy]

Dissimilar metals
Yes Yes Yes !!!!

100% I learned this years ago when working on my Harleys with aluminum heads

 

[jos51700]

I use any of the smallest straight blade screwdrivers I have, juat scrape a little on blade tip & then just a spot onto the plug at least two threads away from the end, and push it into two or three threads on that spot, and no more than 1/8th turn of thread. No messy brush. They break off sometimes anyway.
Notsure but don't think anyone mentioned to stir it regularly, because the oil separates out of it and the top will be thin and bottom of can, in years, will be hard & dry.

I make sure the lids are tight, and store the bottles on their sides, and once in awhile I'll roll em so that the heavy side is up.

It occurs to me, they may tell you not to use antiseize because a silver fingerprint on the boot side might conduct enough electricity to bypass a plug, kinda like we used to do with a pencil when we were pranking guys

 

[Ant]

Anti- seize sucks to handle, it gets everywhere, but I use it anyway. Just a very tiny bit on the threads is all that is necessary. The spark plug will still ground just fine on the beveled end or the washer if the surfaces are clean.

If anyone is managing to have misfires after their anti-seize application and is blaming the anti-seize, they don't belong within 100 feet of any car. It's 100% user error.

 

[dodgedude37]

As a industrial mechanic for over 40 years anti sieze is as important as oxygen. And yes a little goes along way.

 

[Swinger 340]

I am a Design Engineer. If you do not use anti-seize you are asking for trouble, especially on aluminum heads. It seals out moisture that causes corrosion. Aluminum oxide grows even more that iron oxide (rust) and will absolutely lock parts together. Auto manufacturers say to use it on aluminum heads. I use it on everything including lug nuts. I designed under sea equipment. Corrosion and material selection was a very big part of the job.

I also use Anti- Seize on my timing cover shaft bolts.

 

[Swinger 340]

Don't some aicraft engine have large thread inserts? Is that to keep it from happening or repairs or updates, that I've seen?

I believe some older aircraft engines used the larger diameter thread plugs and now use the smaller standard plugs. This would be an adoption to the newer size of plugs. A Hemi coil would be different.

 

[famous bob]

Myself working with threaded aluminum in The Oil & Gas world for over 35 years in Maintenance running all sizes of aluminum pipe (threaded conduit) has
always taught me to put some anti Seize on the threads .................IF YOU WANT TO POSSIBLY GET IT APART AGIN AT A LATER DATE!!!!!!
It is a horrible feeling to feel that galling happening as you are trying to get it threaded together.

So the real question here is to put never seize on a spark plug that is going to be threaded into a Aluminum cylinder head. YES, YES, YES I know what NGK states on their instructions that Never seize is NOT NEEDED...... because of some cadmium plating that they use in place of any type of lubricant.
But I suggest you see that part about one real bad feeling when anything aluminum starts Gaulding while being screwed together.

On the other hand in my technical call to NGK some Asian woman that works for NGK states never apply any anti seize being put on their spark plugs period due to miss fouling causing plug ground insulation, miss fires amongst other problems. I noted her comments

I will never and I mean never install any spark plug in any hole without it being on there. So tell me what you think!!!!!!!!
What do you do when it comes to your aluminum heads. Please advise Texas Red

I use Jegs copper anti size in my alum headed 440/505 , can be used sparingly and only on the threads not to get in the comb. chamber ....duh!

 

[4spdragtop]

Think im good for life! From my old days 25 years ago.

 

[jos51700]

Cadmium plating has been used on old tools and cheap tools for a long time. Good tools and expensive tools use an industrial chrome plating. You know why? Because cadmium rusts. Lots of nuts and bolts at the hardware store are cadmium and zinc plated and sometimes a combination. They rust. It takes a bit, but why take chances?

The only engines I've ever seen with rusted plugs had rusted everything and bigger issues.

But I don't live in the rust belt, either.

My use for antiseize is when you unscrew the spark plug from an aluminum head, and the have to unscrew that aluminum spring off the threads of the plug. Ruh ro.

Think im good for life! From my old days 25 years ago.

View attachment 1716458165

Lol I still have the can that came home in the bottom of my toolbox from the first Harley shop I worked at, and I left there in '03.

 

[4mopwr]

I use Antiseize on all plugs and also on my buddies tool box handle... he'll spend days wondering where its coming from....LOL

 

[Woody500]

I worked at several teams with a buddy who said that, in the late 70s' after being fired when a teammate put a wheel under him, he had drilled holes in the guys' toolbox & screwed zerks in the holes & then pumped a 16 gallon drum of grease into the toolbox.
I later worked for the other guy, & then fully understood why my friend had done that! Bravo!