Fatfrii

Im curious to know why spark plugs need to be removed when doing a valve adjustment. I adjusted my valves for the first time and when I put it all back together its throwing me a code for a misfire on cylinder 2, and 4 so i have to go redo them. Cylinder two has a rethreaded spark plug hole and helicoil comes out on the spark plug and if i remove it i have to put the sealer on it which takes 24 hours to dry.

basically im just curious to know if its bad to leave the spark plugs in when cranking the motor by hand at the crank pulley to get the lobes TDC. If its bad what will happen.

PS adjusting valves seemed so simple but I still didnt get it right. I double checked all 24 valves too but I still messed something up. On top of all that, my side motor mount was found to be mysteriously broke after I put it all back together the bracket thats attached to the motor also popped loose as the bolts broke. Maybe I broke the bolts while using the breaker bar on the top bracket next to the power steering pully. My car is giving me such a headache right now.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Turning the engine by hand with the plugs installed just creates more resistance, hence harder to turn.
With the plugs removed, compression doesn't build and the engine is much easier to turn and valve adjustment is easier.

thisaznboi88

iTrader: (7)

you will be hella buff that would be the only thing that would happen

nfnsquared

I've done it both ways on the J32 and can hardly tell a difference. My assumption is that most of the resistance is due to valve springs. Hand cranking the engine with the plugs in won't hurt a thing, though.

BROlando

OP...in relation to your misfires...

You only turned the engine clockwise and never anti-clockwise, I hope?

[please correct me if the J series normally turns anti-clockwise]

Fatfrii

only cockwise as it should be

and thanks for the help guys, im going to leave the plug in that has the helicoil. I cleared the code and scaned the code when it returned and this time I only got a misfire on cylinder 4 instead of 2 and 4 as previously reported. the firing order is 1,4,2,5,3,6 so im thinking maybe since 2 fires right after a misfired 4 it throws off the timing of cylinder 2. anyways I will report my findings, I do not want to discourage anyone from trying a valve adjustment. I learned from the video by eric the car guy and he really emphasized not over tightening the valves and leaving just a little drag on the feeler gauge but perhaps i left too much drag. I really took my time with each valve. Im kind of a perfectionist but i guess im just still not good enough

04WDPSeDaN

iTrader: (1)

By removing the spark plugs, there is less resistance due to not having compression. I've done a valve adjustment both ways, and find it better with the plugs removed.

Fatfrii

turns out the misfire was only because of a spark plug not being tight enough. It needed a bit more torque cause It was in a rethreaded hole and the insert got stuck on the plug instead of in the head where is should have stayed. So I basiclly did a whole second valve adjustment for no reason

OK as of now the car is running fine, better than ever actually but there is no rvt high temp silicone like suggested on the threads of the spark plug insert when you reathread the spark plug hole. Should i just leave it since its working or go back and add the silicone and risk it not running right again? keep in mind you got to wait 24 hours for the silicone to dry.

Also whats the risk of driving a car for awhile without a side motor mount besides ruining all the other mounts?

nfnsquared

Meh, with a time sert or helicoil, you may be in kind of in a gray area with regard to proper torque for the plug. How much torque did you finally use to seat it?

FSM specs are to use anti-seize and 13 ft/lbs.

If you don't use A/S, then NGK recommends 18-21 ft/lbs, but that is only for a new plug. If you are re-torqueing a used plug, I'm not sure what the recommendation is. Not sure if there is enough of the metal plating left...

The RTV silicone will do nothing for holding the insert but it will serve to seal the insert from allowing any blow by through the threads (between the insert and the head, but I'm not really sure this would be an issue).

Side motor mounts are cheap. I would get it fixed ASAP, but people drive all the time with side mounts completely severed. I doubt there would be any damage unless you're doing repeated runs at the strip?

Fatfrii

The problem with the side motor mount right now is that the support bracket which is on the engine has broken bolts. Im not sure if it was already broken or If i broke the bolts using a breaker bar when detaching the side motor mount and is bracket (the one with the ground wire). I dont know what to do about this it seems like the whole engine needs to be dropped to get the threaded broken end of the bolt out. Im really screwed no pun intended.