How accurate is a torque wrench when using swivels

[98EXPY 5-0]

I am doing plugs and coils on my 5.4L. In 3.5 hours, I have the front 4 done. I also have the coils off of #3 and #4.

I put a new plug into #4 and I am using a swivel plug socket, another swivel, and 3 extensions. I tighten the plug by hand with just a 3" extension, then I added the rest and the torque wrench was popping right away. It just doesn't seem like its accurate and I don't trust it. But I don't know what the hell to do.

#3, I can't get the socket to engage the plug. It seems like it does, but the plug isn't coming out. Of course I can see in the hole, so I don't have a clue whats going on.

#7 I can't get the coil off because the fuel rail has a vacuum module or something and I can't get near the coil bolt.

I also broke the 175A fuse holder that leads to the starter solinoid. The plastic just crumbled when I was trying to remove it for clearance.
THIS BLOWS.

 

[Racenut]

I am doing plugs and coils on my 5.4L. In 3.5 hours, I have the front 4 done. I also have the coils off of #7 and #8.

I put a new plug into #8 and I am using a swivel plug socket, another swivel, and 3 extensions. I tighten the plug by hand with just a 3" extension, then I added the rest and the torque wrench was popping right away. It just doesn't seem like its accurate and I don't trust it. But I don't know what the hell to do.

#7, I can't get the socket to engage the plug. It seems like it does, but the plug isn't coming out. Of course I can see in the hole, so I don't have a clue whats going on.

#2 I can't get the coil off because the fuel rail has a vacuum module or something and I can't get near the coil bolt.

I also broke the 175A fuse holder that leads to the starter solinoid. The plastic just crumbled when I was trying to remove it for clearance.
THIS BLOWS.

Kinda confused on you numbering. This is the 5.4 cylinder numbering

4 8
3 7
2 6
1 5

Front of Vehicle here.

So passanger side front to rear you have 1,2,3,4
and drivers side front to rear you have 5,6,7,8

Is this the numbers you are using?

The reason I ask is because the fuel pressure regulator is right above #7 and it is a PITA to get it off but can be done without having to remove the fuel rail. 1/4 in drive with a " short " socket and a swivel, plus a FEW PROFANE WORDS and you will get it.

 

[Thermo]

98 Expy, as soon as you take the torque wrench out of the perpedicular arrangement, the torque will be affected. IN short, the more of an angle that you apply, the less torque that will be applied to the fastener for a displayed torque.

If you want to know more, let me know. I have been certified in various methods of torquing and know a few things about it.

Chris "Thermo" Coleman, Nukie the radioactive 97 Ford X, and K'Re ANn the 03 Jag X

 

[98EXPY 5-0]

Yup, I had my numbering wrong. I fixed it in the original post. That makes more sense. I had 3 and 4 as 7 and 8 and always read that 7 and 8 were the hardest.

#7 is troublesome, but I thnk I can get it. Number 3 and 4 are what is bothering me. #3 I can't get a socket on the plug and #4 I can't figure out how to torque it without all the extentions and swivels.

 

[98EXPY 5-0]

I'm using a 1/4 drive torque wrench, but the thing is still a foot long. There is just no room.

 

[Thermo]

98Expy, the best advice I can give you is to do what is called "Torque to feel". It is just like you think. You get a torque wrench on something that you can see and do properly, get a feel for what the torque feels like and then using an uncalibrated wrench, you apply the same sort of torque via a feel. You may end up torquing a plug using a torque wrench, then pulling out a standard socket wrench to tighten it slightly more to get a feel of the torque and then you apply that same feel to #3 and #4 plugs.

Chris "Thermo" Coleman, Nukie the radioactive 97 Ford X, and K'RE ann the 03 Jag X

 

[98EXPY 5-0]

Well the job is done, sort of.

I could not get the plug out on #3 (second from firewall, passenger side). The socket wouldn't lock on. I used a mirror and saw something beside the plug. I also couldn't see the "nut" part of the plug. I thought the nut has broken off and was laying in there. So I moved on, figuring I'd come back after.

I had the same issue with number 8 (driver side, closest to firewall). Except I could see it better. I used a piece of wire to move it, hoping to loosen it up so that the shop vac could get it. No luck, but I did manage to get it on top of the plug. It looked like a blue o-ring. I couldn't get it out of the hole, so I knocked it back down and just put a new coild on the old plug. I did the same with #3.

#7 was a bear and I could get the coil screw broken free. It was looking like rain, so I just buttoned everything back up. I figured I would cut a socket down and get it done if the problem persisted. I ran it around the block a few times, and then down the road. The bucking has stopped, as well as the flashing CEL light. So I guess I got the bad ones.

I wasn't too worried about the old plugs still being there. All the ones I pulled out looked good and were of proper gap. They are autolites though. I guess they haven't been in that long.


So far, so good. Does anyone know what the blue o-ring things would be?

 

[imported_cheapdad00]

Well the job is done, sort of.

I could not get the plug out on #3 (second from firewall, passenger side). The socket wouldn't lock on. I used a mirror and saw something beside the plug. I also couldn't see the "nut" part of the plug. I thought the nut has broken off and was laying in there. So I moved on, figuring I'd come back after.

I had the same issue with number 8 (driver side, closest to firewall). Except I could see it better. I used a piece of wire to move it, hoping to loosen it up so that the shop vac could get it. No luck, but I did manage to get it on top of the plug. It looked like a blue o-ring. I couldn't get it out of the hole, so I knocked it back down and just put a new coild on the old plug. I did the same with #3.

#7 was a bear and I could get the coil screw broken free. It was looking like rain, so I just buttoned everything back up. I figured I would cut a socket down and get it done if the problem persisted. I ran it around the block a few times, and then down the road. The bucking has stopped, as well as the flashing CEL light. So I guess I got the bad ones.

I wasn't too worried about the old plugs still being there. All the ones I pulled out looked good and were of proper gap. They are autolites though. I guess they haven't been in that long.


So far, so good. Does anyone know what the blue o-ring things would be?

Loose O-ring from inside another spark plug socket? Wouldn't make sense unless someone else tried to remove the plug.