Spark plug rotation and torque spec

ScottM

ScottM

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I cannot find my notes form the last time I did this.

I have an O320-D3G engine that I want to rotate the plugs in since I am doing an oil change. What is the correct rotation e.g. cyl 1 bottom to cyl 3 top??

What is the torque spec that I am supposed to torque them too?
 
1-> 4
2->3
3->2
4->1
all: top to bottom, bottom to top.
35ft lbs
new or annealed gaskets, thread compound
warning, that is from the hip with no access to svc manual!
 
Last edited:
smigaldi said:
I cannot find my notes form the last time I did this.

I have an O320-D3G engine that I want to rotate the plugs in since I am doing an oil change. What is the correct rotation e.g. cyl 1 bottom to cyl 3 top??

What is the torque spec that I am supposed to torque them too?
Click to expand...

Personnally, I just swap top to bottom. I like the same plugs in the same jugs as it gives me a historical view on what's happenning in that jug. I want to know if one jug is eating spark plugs faster than the others.
 
Please keep in mind when you are performing maintenance or preventive maintenance such as rotation of spark plugs the FAR's require you to have the current maintenance manual and a calibrated torque wrench in accordance with Part 43.13(a) just like an A&P.

Stache
 
Stache said:
Please keep in mind when you are performing maintenance or preventive maintenance such as rotation of spark plugs the FAR's require you to have the current maintenance manual and a calibrated torque wrench in accordance with Part 43.13(a) just like an A&P.

Stache
Click to expand...

Where does the FARS require a calibration program?

My Snapon torque wrench was cal-ed at the factory, tell me when it must be cal-ed again?

What program does the FAA have in place to require calibration? quote the FAR.
 
NC19143 said:
Where does the FARS require a calibration program?

My Snapon torque wrench was cal-ed at the factory, tell me when it must be cal-ed again?

What program does the FAA have in place to require calibration? quote the FAR.
Click to expand...

My opinion is if you need a torque wrench to tighten a plug, you probably shouldn't be wrenching on an airplane.
 
I knew a mech who had 28 ft/lb fingers. Honest injun, he could determine any torque up to that value just by using his fingers, I would evaluate his accuracy by using a torque wrench. To torque to 35, find a guy with 35 ft/lbs fingers.
 
The FAR that requires special tools (torque wrenches) to be calibrated can be found in:

43.13 Performance rules (general).
(a) Each person performing maintenance, alteration, or preventive maintenance on an aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance shall use the methods, techniques, and practices prescribed in the current manufacturer's maintenance manual or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness prepared by its manufacturer, or other methods, techniques, and practices acceptable to the Administrator, except as noted in §43.16. He shall use the tools, equipment, and test apparatus necessary to assure completion of the work in accordance with accepted industry practices. If special equipment or test apparatus is recommended by the manufacturer involved, he must use that equipment or apparatus or its equivalent acceptable to the Administrator.

It’s important to know this rule used the word “SHALL” meaning a person has to have the current maintenance manual and follow it. Most manuals have a section that has required tools used in repair or overhaul of a product. Take for example the engine manual it will call out a torque wrench (calibrated). What this means is you have to have a torque wrench any model will work and you will find the word calibrated. Torque wrenches are considered tools or a test apparatus depending on the manufacture. Either way you should have a torque wrench. FAR 43.13 last sentence say’s “recommended by the manufacturer involved”. All calibrated tools come with a manual that tells you when it has to be re-calibrated in most cases it is 12-months unless you drop them. If dropped it should be recheck for accuracy before use.

Snap-On will calibrate their tools at the factory, but the manual say every 12-months. Most manuals can now be wound on the inter net Snap-On is.

FAR 43.13 covers all maintenance tools including special tools (torque wrenches), test apparatus (torque wrenches) to ohm meters, dial indicators, differential pressure testers, cable tension testers, spring gauges, air gauges, and etc.

§43.15 Additional performance rules for inspections.
(a) General. Each person performing an inspection required by Part 91, 123, 125, or 135 of this chapter, shall—
(1) Perform the inspection so as to determine whether the aircraft, or portion(s) thereof under inspection, meets all applicable airworthiness requirements; and

Section 43.15 again uses the word “SHALL” to meet the applicable airworthiness requirements, what this is saying if the manual calls out a certain torque requirement (airworthiness requirement) then it has to be that standard or in this case torque. This is where Section 43.13(b) kicks in:

(b) Each person maintaining or altering, or performing preventive maintenance, shall do that work in such a manner and use materials of such a quality, that the condition of the aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance worked on will be at least equal to its original or properly altered condition (with regard to aerodynamic function, structural strength, resistance to vibration and deterioration, and other qualities affecting airworthiness). NOTE it says at least equal to its original or properly altered condition, this means it should be torqued to the same requirement the manual states and not more or less, but the same.

If you are a repair station the new Part 145 it says:
§ 145.109 Equipment, materials, and data requirements.
(a) Except as otherwise prescribed by the FAA, a certificated repair station must have the equipment, tools, and materials necessary to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations under its repair station certificate and operations specifications in accordance with part 43. The equipment, tools, and material must be located on the premises and under the repair station's control when the work is being done.
(b) A certificated repair station must ensure all test and inspection equipment and tools used to make airworthiness determinations on articles are calibrated to a standard acceptable to the FAA.
(c) The equipment, tools, and material must be those recommended by the manufacturer of the article or must be at least equivalent to those recommended by the manufacturer and acceptable to the FAA.

Part 145 will also default back to Part 43.13 as well.

Stache
 
Stache said:
The FAR that requires special tools (torque wrenches) to be calibrated can be found in:

43.13 Performance rules (general

Stache
Click to expand...

Your whole premis is based upon the statement that the manufacturers manual has the requirement. for tools and equipment.

No where in any manufacturers maintenance manual is there a Calabration programe that says when or how often a torque wrench must be calibrated.

Mine was calibrated at the factory, show me where the FAA says it must be calibrated after that.

Or for that matter what calibration lab it must be taken too.

Even the manufacturers manuals do not require it to be calibrated to any standard. Show me where anyone says it is to be with in + or - how many % from actual.

So, with out any FAA programe, or standards to be held responsible for, tell me how you could bust me for not having a calibrated torque wrench?
 
First of all I am not out to bust you or anyone else. I am just trying to pass on information that may keep someone from hurting someone else.

Second, the FAR 43.13 is clear that you have to follow the current manufacture manuals. The manuals do call out (calibrated) the standard to which you calibrate your tools will depend on the tool manufactures recommendation and the standard the tool manufacture built their tool to. The maintenance manuals do not call out a calibration program that is why FAR 43.13(a) it states: “or its equivalent acceptable to the Administrator.”

FAA does not regulate the calibration industry, this would explain why there’s no mandatory language contained within Title 14 of the CFRs, concerning inspection and test equipment calibration procedures.

If you choose to perform in-house calibrations of inspection and test equipment, it is incumbent upon you, to perform those calibrations in accordance with accepted industry standards. The FAA’s policy requiring standards used to calibrate inspection and test equipment, to meet a test accuracy ratio of 4:1 or greater, has been derived from private industry, government, and international specifications (e.g., American National Standard for Calibration (ANSI) ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994, Military Standard MIL-STD-45662A dated 1 August 1988, International Standard ISO 10012-1, corrected and reprinted 1993-05-01). All of these publications are readily available. These publications provide specifications and rules for which all Calibration Laboratories must adhere to, so calibration/ verification results are consistent, credible, and traceable to the National Institute of Standards & Technology. (i.e., correct calibration to a standard derived from the National Bureau of Standards). The following is a summarization, taken from the aforementioned publications.

Calibration laboratories shall have documented instructions on the use and operation of all relevant equipment, on the handling and preparation of items, and for calibration/ verification, where the absence of such instructions could jeopardize the calibration/ verifications. All instructions, standards, manuals and reference data relevant to the work of the laboratory shall be maintained up-to-date and readily available to the staff. In the absence of manufacture specifications for the measuring and test equipment being calibrated or verified, then, the collective uncertainty of the measurement standards shall not exceed 25% of the accuracy of the acceptable tolerance (4:1).

So to answer your question about what standard to calibrate to it depends on the tool manufacture and the standard they used.

AC 43.12-1B
Section 12-71. TEST EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION STANDARDS.
a. The test equipment calibration standards must be derived from and traceable to one of the following:
(1) The National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(2) Standards established by the test equipment manufacturer.
(3) If foreign-manufactured test equipment, the standards of the country, where it was manufactured, if approved by the Administrator.
b. The technician must make sure that the test equipment used for such maintenance is the equipment called for by the manufacturer or equivalent.
(1) Before acceptance, a comparison should be made between the specifications of the test equipment recommended by the manufacturer and those proposed by the repair facility.
(2) The test equipment must be capable of performing all normal tests and checking all parameters of the equipment under test. The level of accuracy should be equal to or better than that recommended by the manufacturer.
(3) For a description of avionics test equipment used for troubleshooting, refer to the equipment or aircraft manufacturing instruction manual.

Sections 12-72. TEST EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION. Test equipment such as meters, torque wrenches, static, and transponder test equipment should be checked at least once a year.

c. National Institute of Standards and Technology traceability can be verified by reviewing test equipment calibration records for references to National Institute of Standards and Technology test report numbers. These numbers certify traceability of the equipment used in calibration.

If you don’t know if your tool is calibrated they you could not say you followed the maintenance manual when torquing. Because you would not know the true torque or if it would be at least equal to its original or properly altered condition with regard to aerodynamic function, structural strength, resistance to vibration and deterioration, and other qualities affecting airworthiness.

I am sorry to say I disagree with you on this subject, because I think the rule is very clear on this matter requiring calibrated tools.

Stache
 
to quote
"'Second, the FAR 43.13 is clear that you have to follow the current manufacture manuals. The manuals do call out (calibrated) the standard to which you calibrate your tools will depend on the tool manufactures recommendation and the standard the tool manufacture built their tool to. The maintenance manuals do not call out a calibration program that is why FAR 43.13(a) it states: “or its equivalent acceptable to the Administrator.”"

Well to start with the manufacturers manual says use a calibrated torque wrench. I'v never seen one say how often one must calibrate their wrench.

Snapon says words to the effect that their torque wrenches are calibrated at the factory and are good until dropped etc. (think misused)

Next, If we read the AC you refer to we see that we must go to the country of manufacturer of the wrench for the standard to which to calibrate.

So if you buy one of those $19.95 chinese wrenches, well you see where I'm going with that.

All in all when we say one must use a calibrated torque wrench to tighten a spark plug we are just playing homage to a hollow rule with no method of enforcement.

When you walk into my hangar and ask "is that torque wrench cal-ed" all I have to say is "yes". because the FAA has no required method of compliance with the rule. no tags required, no reciepts required,,,,,,,,,,,,, nothing.
 
OBTW

""I am sorry to say I disagree with you on this subject, because I think the rule is very clear on this matter requiring calibrated tools.""

Oh I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just pointing out the falousy of the rule.

I have a new Snapon 3/8 drive inch pound and a new 1/2 drive foot pound wrench and the tool truck driver will calibrate them any time I like.

And by the way have you noticed that Lycoming has placed their torque specs in a service bulletin? and what did the FAA just rule on service bulletins and part 91 ?

does this allow me to follow the overhaul manual and leave the torque specs out?
 
And by the way have you noticed that Lycoming has placed their torque specs in a service bulletin? and what did the FAA just rule on service bulletins and part 91 ?

does this allow me to follow the overhaul manual and leave the torque specs out?

I did notice many manufacturers are adding stuff to their service bulletins and the reason for this is tort action. Manufactures are required to notify the public of changes and most choose to use service bulletins. With the recent NTSB case involving an A&P working on a Part 91 aircraft and not complying with a service bulletin has stirred allot of controversy.

The FAA has stated time and time again service bulletins are not mandatory for part 91 aircraft. The manufacturer’s maintenance manual, service bulletins, and service letters have always been regarded as a source of acceptable data for complying with CFR 43.13(a) and (b); however, such acceptability does not, in itself, impose an enforcement or mandatory compliance requirement.

The office of the Chief Counsel has advised that the provisions of the manufacturer’s manual, letters, and bulletins, with relation to specific inspection procedures, may be enforceable by means of an airworthiness directive (AD) or other specific rule. In addition, manufacturer’s data contained in a type certificate data sheet (TCDS) or specification may be enforceable under “CFR 43.13.

An example of a rule that establishes manufacturer’s maintenance inspection criteria as mandatory and enforceable would be CFR 43.15(b), wherein certain inspection criteria for rotorcraft must be performed in accordance with the maintenance manual of the manufacture concerned. CFR 43.15(c)(2) and 43.16 are other specific examples of regulator requirements that make manufacturer’s procedures mandatory.

To sum up, compliance with manufacturer’s maintenance instructions is required when:

a. Made mandatory by an AD or other specific rule within the CFR’s
b. Made mandatory by a type certificate data sheet. Only maintenance people are subject to this requirement since they have been advised to comply through CFR 43; however caution must be exercised since an equivalent procedure could be found to be acceptable at an enforcement hearing. The FAA case should show that and equivalent level of safety was not attained. Non-compliance with life limits, placarding instructions, or component configurations specified on a data sheet is always acceptable grounds for initiation.

Should you follow the service insturction for torque (YES), is it required I don't know the legal answer to that. However the rules seem to be confusing sometimes and it changes every time a lawyer gets involved.

I would like to to see the rules written in simple language such as torque wrench is required and has to be calibated to a national standard.

I am glad to hear we are both on the same understanding and trying to learn together thru discussion.

Stache
 
Stache said:
I did notice many manufacturers are adding stuff to their service bulletins and the reason for this is tort action.

]
Click to expand...

That's an internal FAA answer, the real reason is because the FAA requires Instructions for Continued Airworthiness, and the service bulletin is the easy method to do that without going thru the whole process of requesting and gaining the approval for a manual revision.

The results of this action (ICAs) has been an increase in cost to private operators, because now every A&P in the US must have acess to service bulletins and that service from every aircraft product manufacturer costs real bucks and that in turn is passed on to customers by higher rates.
 
“How about cutting safety wire Stache? Do you still hold that it is illegal for owner-operators to *cut* safety wire?”

I like the discussion with you guy’s it helps me research stuff and we all learn that way. So to answer your question about cutting safety wire, first lets look at the rules.

FAR 1.1 says Preventive maintenance means simple or minor preservation operations and the replacement of small standard parts not involving complex assembly operations.

FAR 43 Appendix A (c) Preventive Maintenance item (5) Replacing defective safety wiring or cotter keys. Yep, it says you can repair defective safety wire, but does not say you can cut it. So if you cannot cut safety wire it is still illegal until congress changes Title 49 of the U.S. Code.

Lets take safety wire on step further. Say you want to change your oil filter and of course it is held from rotation by safety wired. I wonder how many pilots find the safety wire broken during an oil change and had to fix it after changed the filter? Which brings up a new question what type and diameter safety wire is used to hole the oil filter or screen on? And what torque would you torque the filter to?

Many pilots will look at the filter box and it says to torque to x-amount of lbs, but is that the correct torque? Answer may be no because the engine maintenance manual has a different torque. Now we are back to torque again it requires a calibrated torque wrench. And right below the torque step in the maintenance manual is the safety wire call out.

What I am trying to get across is always follow the maintenance manual step by step. I know its easy to break a simple rule like cutting safety wire to replace the oil filter, but it can lead to trouble for some pilots not all, but certainly some. Not all pilots have the required manuals or required tools (torque wrench) and with out them pilots should not perform Preventive Maintenance.

Just one man’s opinion.

Stache
 
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As a follow-up to our discussion on torque wrenches and safety wire I have in my formerly grease stained fingers a current TSIO-360 engine manual from TCM.

In Section 1-20-00 TOOLS it says “The mechanic should be equipped with a complete set of common tools to include the minimum of: Item 9. Torque Wrenches* (Calibrated) –0-500 In. Lbs. – 0-100 Ft. Lbs.
*Must be currently calibrated, and the calibrations must be traceable to the National Bureau of Standards.

Section 1-20-01 SPECIAL TOOLS calls out 98 individual special tool by part number on the overhaul manual. This does not mean you have to have all 98 tools only the ones for what maintenance you are performing. For changing the oil it calls out strap wrench and oil filter can cutter tools. Figure 72-40-13B spark plug rotation from cylinder to cylinder and locations.

Section 70-00-00 General states: “Use only corrosion resistant steel for cotter pins or lockwire

I have also put together some information on safety wire and cotter pin as they are safety critical items as follows:

Safety Wire


Safety wire is available in copper, brass, and stainless steel and galvanized or tinned steel. Be sure to use the size and material wire specified by the equipment manufacturer and safety as specified in the appropriate maintenance manual.

The recommended number of twists per inch depends upon the diameter of wire.

Wire diameter Twists per inch
0.020 – 0.025 8 – 14
0.032 – 0.041 6 – 11
0.051 – 0.060 4 – 9

Be sure that the pigtail at the end of the wire is no more that ¾ inch long and has a minimum of 4-twists. Trouble the pigtail back, cut the end off, and bend it under so it will not snag or cut anything that rubs across it.

Cotter Pins


Castellated nuts are safetied on bolts with cotter pins passed through the castellations and the hole in the shank of the bolt.

Cotter pins are available as AN380 in low-carbon steel, and AN381 in corrosion-resistance steel.

Be sure to check the airframe or engine maintenance or parts manual to get the correct part number for the cotter pin.

Installation:

First check the alignment of the slots in the nut with the hole in the bolt at the minimum recommended torque. If they are not aligned, continue to tighten. This normally ensures the holes and slots will align within the allowable torque range. If there is no alignment by the time maximum torque is reached, remove the nut and install a different thickness plain washer under the nut and retorqued. It is not recommended that maximum torque be exceeded for alignment.

When the nut is properly torqued, slip the correct cotter pin through the slots I the nut and the hole in the bolt shank. Spread the pin and pull the head tightly into the slot of the nut.

Fold one of the legs back against the end of the bolt shank and cut it off with a pair of diagonal cutter so it does not extend past the edge of the bolt shank. Cut the other leg of the pin so it does not extend beyond the edge of the nut and fold it security down against the flat of the nut.

It is important that the cotter pin not protrude beyond the end of the bolt shank, the pin may be inserted with the split vertical and ends folded back against the flats of the nuts. The pin should be tight in the slot and the ends cut off so the leave no sharp edges.

I hope the information provided will help shed some light on the discussion.

Stache
 
My FAA approved service manual says:

"Torque wrenches should be checked daily and calibrated by means of weights and a measured lever arm to
make sure that inaccuracies are not present. "

Key words here are "should" rather than "shall" and "by means of a lever arm." Well, I constructed one of those and therefore, I'm legit. Although, mine have actually been to metrology lab for a quick pull on the torque calibrator.

On the safety wire question, I think you are entirely all wet.

There is absolutely no way to "repair defective safety wire" without cutting it.

Besides, I could just unwind it without cutting it, couldn't I? So if I ever get ramp checked doing an oil change, I'll be sure to let my friendly and helpful representative of the administrator that I duly untwisted said defective safety wire rather than cut it.
 
{Key words here are "should" rather than "shall" and "by means of a lever arm."
On the safety wire question, I think you are entirely all wet.
There is absolutely no way to "repair defective safety wire" without cutting it.}


I will concede your maintenance manual may say “should”, however the language in the FAR's is what counts such as in Section 43.13(a) He shall use the tools, equipment, and test apparatus necessary to assure completion of the work in accordance with accepted industry practices. The important thing here is you are calibrating your tools to a national standard and a lever arm is certainly one way, but necessary the only way, but it meets the accepted industry practices.

“There is absolutely no way to "repair defective safety wire" without cutting it.” Yep that is right you cannot cut good safety wire. But lets look at what is considered defective wire. Defective safety wire could be broken, loose as not having enough tension due to stretching, not enough twists per inch, pigtail to short and it could possible be nicked. All of these require the wire to be replaced and to replace it you would have to cut it off and install new wire perfectly acceptable to the administrator or properly trained mechanic/pilot.

If you have a procedure in your aircraft manual for untwisting safety wire I would like to have a copy of it to share with other mechanics/pilots I know. I really don't beleive untwisting safety is an acceptable method, technique or practice acceptable to the Administrator. If using common sense is being all wet I guess I am all wet.

Stache
 
The safety wire always seems to be defective at oil changes after inspecting it so cut it and press on.

Stache
 
Calibrating torque wrenches. From comment above, "So to answer your question about what standard to calibrate to it depends on the tool manufacture and the standard they used.

"AC 43.12-1B
Section 12-71. TEST EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION STANDARDS.
a. The test equipment calibration standards must be derived from and traceable to one of the following:
(1) The National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(2) Standards established by the test equipment manufacturer"

Repeating, "Standards established by the test equipment manufacturer"

From Park Tools, a USA manufacturer of torque wrenches:

"CALIBRATION
To check tool calibration, inspect the pointer when the tool is at rest. If it is pointing at 0, the tool is calibrated. If it is off zero, bend the pointer shaft until it points at 0. Place a screwdriver or similar lever between the two beams closer to the head than the scale. Bend the small shaft until the point is at zero when the tool is at rest."

Presto. Done IAW manufacturer instructions. Book 'em, Dan-O. For practical use on non-aviation equipment, put a socket on your now-calibrated beam-type torque wrench that fits your click-stop wrench. Set the click stop to desired torque, pull them against each other until the clicker clicks. Note the beam torque. Adjust clicker setting until it pops when the beam shows the desired torque. Calibration then matches the known good calibrated wrench at that one desired setting. No it's NOT calibrated as the click-stop wrench manufacturer requires, it's thus NOT approved for aviation maintenance, and your smileage may vary.
 
It's alive! It's alive!

Very old thread but my thought upon seeing the thread title was "righty tighty, lefty loosey" ... :biggrin:
 
Mick1901 said:
Set the click stop to desired torque, pull them against each other until the clicker clicks.
Click to expand...

I’m having trouble visualizing this, ‘pulling against each other’, can you help explain further?

(additionally, when I check my wrenches I try to check at several places ie 10.20,30,40,50,60 ftlbs. I think checking at only one ftlb location is likely incorrect even if I’ve never found it correct at ie 20, then incorrect at 40)
 
I have a Snap-0n “Calibrator”.

It is very handy when making special extensions.
 
Magman said:
I have a Snap-0n “Calibrator”.

It is very handy when making special extensions.
Click to expand...
maybe this one?

trying to run the numbers, if I use it 10x/yr for my remaining 15 years that comes to only $563/calibration.
Maybe if I started selling the service...

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com
 
Not that one!

Mine is not electronic and likely more of a “ comparator”?

It saves a setting from a known good torque wrench to compare to

another. Useful with adapters.
 
Mick1901 said:
Calibrating torque wrenches. From comment above, "So to answer your question about what standard to calibrate to it depends on the tool manufacture and the standard they used.

"AC 43.12-1B
Section 12-71. TEST EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION STANDARDS.
a. The test equipment calibration standards must be derived from and traceable to one of the following:
(1) The National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(2) Standards established by the test equipment manufacturer"

Repeating, "Standards established by the test equipment manufacturer"

From Park Tools, a USA manufacturer of torque wrenches:

"CALIBRATION
To check tool calibration, inspect the pointer when the tool is at rest. If it is pointing at 0, the tool is calibrated. If it is off zero, bend the pointer shaft until it points at 0. Place a screwdriver or similar lever between the two beams closer to the head than the scale. Bend the small shaft until the point is at zero when the tool is at rest."

Presto. Done IAW manufacturer instructions. Book 'em, Dan-O. For practical use on non-aviation equipment, put a socket on your now-calibrated beam-type torque wrench that fits your click-stop wrench. Set the click stop to desired torque, pull them against each other until the clicker clicks. Note the beam torque. Adjust clicker setting until it pops when the beam shows the desired torque. Calibration then matches the known good calibrated wrench at that one desired setting. No it's NOT calibrated as the click-stop wrench manufacturer requires, it's thus NOT approved for aviation maintenance, and your smileage may vary
Click to expand...
Beam type torque wrenches do not meet industry specs, thus are not legally calibratable.

My Snap On was built to meet an industry spec and has been legally certified as meeting those specs many times. I know which I would trust.

YMMV
 
Hello to everyone this is my first post on this site I have been a A and P for over 60 years yes I am an older guy 82 in June and have been a pilot almost that long. 35 foot pounds is what lycoming recommends for all there spark plug torque I have never used that for the short reach plugs I torque them to 25 pounds and always used new gaskets if you buy them in bulk they are about 60 cents a piece I always find most people tighten the lead nuts to tight the 3/4 nuts are about 10 lbs. the 5/8 are about 7 to 8 lbs. you don’t want to strip the plug threads I was helping a friend awhile back he has a bonanza and a shop did his annual about 6 months ago his plugs were so tight I thought we were going to strip the threads I put a torque wrench on each plug to remove it and it took 80 to 90 pounds to break them loose not good , anyway have a great day. Tom
 
Did you continue mentoring Charlie Taylor after he left me?
 
tbroadhurst said:
...35 foot pounds is what lycoming recommends for all there spark plug torque I have never used that for the short reach plugs I torque them to 25 pounds and always used new gaskets if you buy them in bulk they are about 60 cents a piece ...
Click to expand...
Tom, welcome to the forum. I'm a PA-28-161 pilot-owner who, for twenty years worked with the same A&P-IA. I've done as much maintenance as my A&P-IA would allow under supervision. 20 years of owner-assisted annuals. I cried when he finally retired to Texas.

How do you feel about annealing the copper gaskets? I heat them to bright red with a torch and drop in water to quench and reuse. I have a few dozen and cycle through them. I've always used anti-seize paste (only paste), torqued to 35 ft-lbs, and never had one seize or strip. Maybe next time, I'll drop that to 30 ft-lbs.
 
Hello I used to heat them up and it works fine the plane I fly the most now is a Glasair and it uses Car plugs so that makes it easy they come with gaskets I also have a bellanca Viking but don’t fly it to much , the box of gaskets I have now will last me the rest of my days we just got back to Minnesota yesterday so I’ll be flying the Glasair tomorrow or the next day I keep it here most of the time now. Any other members near Winona Mn. or hemet ca. I’ll come visit you , gives me a good reason to fly. great weather today
 
not sure who Charlie Taylor is But maybe I need to find out.
 
Charles Taylor was the first Aircraft Mechanic

As the “Mechanician” for Wilbur and Orville; he hand-built the engine for the Wright Flyer.

The FAA bestows an award with his name to A & P’s with 50 # years in aircraft maintenance.

Sounds like you are eligible.
 
I guess I am I have never heard of that before. But I am not much for awards really and I don’t know much about wright flyer I got drafted in 1960 and joined the naval air at los alamitos naval air station then went to a private contractor status in Thailand in 1961 out of that in 64 , reserves for 10 years, FAA A and P was grandfather in when I left the reserve that was actually in 76 so not 50 years in there eyes I guess and the 50 year pilot award is given to people who have never had a issue with the FAA so I don’t fit there either and much to old to want to hang anything on a wall but I have some friends who have the pilot awards for 50 years
 
Understand your feelings on wallhangars. I believe you can count 20 years of MIL time though.
 
When I went to private contractor work i was not classified as military and was paid by Shell oil company most people there were classified as civilians that was at a royal Thailand airbase at Udorn and Ubon 61 to late 62 then we went to Central America base in Panama and a few other places in that area I left there January 64 , we flew C123 in Asia and S 2 trackers in C A interesting times
 
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