Taking care of your engine is necessary for your vehicle to work properly, and one important aspect of engine maintenance is making sure your spark plugs are in working order.
If you want to keep the engine in your car or any other internal combustion engine in good shape, don’t overlook the finer details, such as anti seize grease on spark plugs.
When you replace or install spark plugs, you might wonder if you should apply anti seize to the spark plugs.
Here, I will cover the reasons behind using anti seize for spark plugs and how you can apply it to spark plugs.
Topic Summary
What Is Anti Seize?
Anti seize is a lubricant that contains small particles of metal (aluminum, copper, and graphite) that keep metal parts from seizing together, galling (where the material is torn off one or both surfaces of mating metal parts when they are sliding or rubbed together), or corroding.
It’s typically used on metal engine parts that are exposed to high heat or pressure and environmental conditions that lead to sticking or binding.
Why Use Anti Seize on Spark Plugs?
They stop your spark plug from welding itself to your cylinder head over time and rusting. Anti seize is good in general for anything that is subjected to high frictional heating.
- Makes Removal Easier: When it comes time to remove your spark plugs, the anti seize lets them go easily and does not damage the threads in the cylinder head.
- Lubricates Threads: The liquid lubricant prevents wear and tear of the spark plug and cylinder head threads, extending their lifespan.
How To Properly Use Anti Seize for Spark Plugs
If you decide to use anti seize, follow these steps to ensure it’s done correctly:
1. Gather Your Materials:
- Anti seize (copper, aluminum, or nickel-based)
- Clean cloth
- New spark plugs
- Spark plug socket and wrench
Clean Spark Plug Threads: The plugs’ threads need to be clean before the anti seize is applied. Remove all dirt or contaminants with a clean cloth before proceeding.
2. Choose the Right Anti Seize
Nickel-based or ceramic-based anti seize can withstand the high temperature in the engine.
3. Use Sparingly
Apply anti seize on the first couple of threads of the spark plug. Do not apply any anti seize on the electrode or the insulator.
4. Proper Torque
With the anti seize applied, snug the spark plugs to spec with a torque wrench (So they’re tight but not too tight.
5. Avoid Anti Seize on Electrodes
Anti seizing is very important. Anti seize on the electrodes or the tip of the spark plug affects performance and ignition.
6. Installing Spark Plug
Install the spark plugs into the cylinder head using the spark plug socket and the spark plug wrench. Do not over tighten the plugs. Follow your manufacturer’s recommended torque settings.
7. Manufacturer Stipulations
If your vehicle’s manual or the manufacturer of the spark plugs claims that anti seize should not be used, then don’t use it on your vehicle.
The Case for Using Anti Seize for Spark Plugs
Prevents Sticking and Seizing: Stops the spark plugs from sticking or seizing. The cylinder head is also usually cast aluminum, and the spark plugs screw into the top of the block.
The heat from the cylinder head and the corrosive presence of oils can present a problem if the plug threads seize.
You can add anti seize around the threads of the plug prior to inserting them, which really helps to stop the plugs from sticking or seizing.
Eliminates the Risk of Seizing: When spark plugs seize, they can mangle the threads from the cylinder head in the course of removing them, adding up to costly repairs.
Anti seize decreases friction and creates a barrier between the threads and the plug, eliminating the risk of seizing.
Facilitates Easy Removal: If you’re the type of person who regularly pulls your spark plugs to, say, clean or even replace them, anti seize will make that removal much simpler so you can get in and out faster.
The Case Against Using Anti Seize for Spark Plugs
Over Tightening Risk: All modern spark plugs are precoated with a factory applied anti corrosion coating. Adding anti seize is just redundant. ‘Reduce friction’ can take things too far.
Applying too much anti seize will reduce the friction so much that rotating lugs or nuts can over tighten, which could damage the spark plug as well as the cylinder head.
Potential for Misfire: If using the recommended 1/16th to 1/8th inch film thickness of anti seize and exceeding our ¼ to ⅜ ounce recommendation, there is a risk of the plug blowing loose from excessive Loctite.
A plug that is not torqued properly may have poor electrical contact and, under certain conditions, could misfire.
It may lead to loss of engine performance in the short term, and over the long term, it could cause damage to the engine.
Compatibility Issues: Spark plugs are not necessarily made for use with anti seize. Manufacturers may specifically recommend against using it with the plug, as it could affect the plug’s performance.
FAQs on Anti Seize for Spark Plugs
Should I Use anti seize on My Spark Plugs?
It depends on the type of spark plug and vehicle. Almost all modern plugs come with a factory applied anti seize, so you don’t need to apply anymore. Always check with your manufacturer to find out if you should apply anti seize or not.
What Are the Risks of Using Anti Seize on Spark Plugs?
If we use too much (which is easy to do), we not only scrub too much friction away, but we actually make it almost impossible to break the thread on a spark plug with a mallet (and other evil doings) because we will have over tightened things. The spark plug seat is actually dished in the cylinder head, and it is possible to bend (distort) or break it. The thing to keep in mind here is that there is no friction between the dished plug seat in the head of the engine and the actual porcelain insert in the spark plug, so it never really mattered that I could never get my spark plug out without a Torx socket and disassembled head. ‘Bottled water has to be certified to contain nothing in the bottle.
How Do I Properly Apply Anti Seize To Spark Plugs?
Drizzle a small amount of anti seize over the first few threads of the spark plug, paying careful attention not to get any on the electrode or insulator. Use the torque wrench to tighten the spark plug the remainder of the way to the torque specification listed in the manufacturer’s instructions.
What Type of Anti Seize Should I Use for Spark Plugs?
Due to its heat resisting qualities, anti seize in nickel or ceramic base is best suited for spark plugs.
Can Anti Seize Cause a Spark Plug To Misfire?
Yes if you put on too much anti seize, it will torque the spark plug incorrectly and not make good electrical contact, which will cause it to misfire if they do not apply it properly and use too much. Which is all true if they use too much. Still, if they follow directions and apply the slight amount needed, there is no problem.
Conclusion
Your willingness to apply anti seize to your spark plugs is likely to depend on how tight the plugs get, how long their threads were, the plugs you bought, your make and model of vehicle, and your maintenance schedule.
There are benefits to using anti seize, but there are also risks to both using it and not using it. If you use too much anti seize, you could over tighten the plug, which is bad enough.
Worse still, you’ll probably create future maintenance issues. With spark plugs that are factory sealed with an anti seize coating, it is usually not necessary to apply a second layer.
However, if you are working on an older vehicle or doing maintenance in a harsh environment, it’s a good precaution to apply a tiny bit of anti seize.
Make sure you are using the product correctly and based on the manufacturer’s recommendations so your engine can keep sighing.