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You will be fine on the spark plug torque.
That's exactly how I've done them the past 40+ years, finger tight then 1/4 to 3/8 turn more.
What you are doing is crushing the single use sealing ring/gasket. You don't want to loosen and retighten because that might compromise the seal.
You also don't want to waste any time going over them again with a torque wrench set to 16 lb ft as due to 'break away torque' that will not be accurate anyway.
AFA oil on the threads don't believe there is much to worry about there either.
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WARNING: aluminum head.

...Vista88...what say you about a light smear of Permatex Anti-Seize Lubricant on the plug threads at install?
I think I'd agree with you as well that the oil on the plug threads is not a big deal...may have been the last installer trying to avoid thread seize on the next plug change...besides if it were an oil issue with the cylinders, the plug electrodes would be spotted or black.
 
FYI, there is no “valve cover”.
There is a spark plug cover, the No gasket plastic part, and a cam cover, which does in fact cover the valves, but actually holds the cams.
If you have oil under the plastic cover, it’s either your oil cap gasket leaking, or the breather tube (that goes down through the intake manifold) has hardened and cracked. I’d bet oil cap.
If the cam cover is leaking into the spark plug holes, someone forgot the spark plug tube O rings when the took the head apart.
The metal to metal surfaces sealed with Volvo pink goo anaerobic sealant, are remarkably reliable.
I wouldn’t worry about the plugs, I always used 1 “Ugga Chugga” on plugs when the only torque wrench available was a fixed rod type that read to 150 lb. ft.
 
Don't forget when you add any length of an extension on to the socket -that throws off the torque number. Don't buy anything at Harbor Junk to do any kind of work on a Volvo!
 
@anacortesian
Yes, just a small dab on the last few threads.
I take them out with a power tool but install and tighten with hand tools, to me it's not worth the risk of cracking the porcelain and having to go back to diagnose a misfire.
 
Discussion starter · #27 ·
FYI, there is no “valve cover”.
There is a spark plug cover, the No gasket plastic part, and a cam cover, which does in fact cover the valves, but actually holds the cams.
If you have oil under the plastic cover, it’s either your oil cap gasket leaking, or the breather tube (that goes down through the intake manifold) has hardened and cracked. I’d bet oil cap.
If the cam cover is leaking into the spark plug holes, someone forgot the spark plug tube O rings when the took the head apart.
The metal to metal surfaces sealed with Volvo pink goo anaerobic sealant, are remarkably reliable.
I wouldn’t worry about the plugs, I always used 1 “Ugga Chugga” on plugs when the only torque wrench available was a fixed rod type that read to 150 lb. ft.
I opened the hood today to check oil level and dummy me. The spot I referred to on top was visible in front of the engine cover, attaching pic. Could be I just dripped a bit when changing the oil a few weeks back but didn’t notice it before
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🤷‍♂️
 
Don't forget when you add any length of an extension on to the socket -that throws off the torque number. Don't buy anything at Harbor Junk to do any kind of work on a Volvo!
Actually, there are plenty of good tools at Harbor Freight perfectly capable of working on Volvos. I could make a list, but I digress...
 
I opened the hood today to check oil level and dummy me. The spot I referred to on top was visible in front of the engine cover, attaching pic. Could be I just dripped a bit when changing the oil a few weeks back but didn’t notice it before View attachment 152836 View attachment 152836 🤷‍♂️
What does your oil filter housing/PCV breather box look like? Mine was pretty well coated externally by residual oil vapor. Could also be what you're seeing on the head in that location.
Image
 
FYI, there is no “valve cover”.
There is a spark plug cover, the No gasket plastic part, and a cam cover, which does in fact cover the valves, but actually holds the cams.
If you have oil under the plastic cover, it’s either your oil cap gasket leaking, or the breather tube (that goes down through the intake manifold) has hardened and cracked. I’d bet oil cap.
If the cam cover is leaking into the spark plug holes, someone forgot the spark plug tube O rings when the took the head apart.
The metal to metal surfaces sealed with Volvo pink goo anaerobic sealant, are remarkably reliable.
I wouldn’t worry about the plugs, I always used 1 “Ugga Chugga” on plugs when the only torque wrench available was a fixed rod type that read to 150 lb. ft.
What is an... “Ugga Chugga” ? Just a 1/4" bump on the wrench?...
(I mean just so we all understand).
 
last few threads at the top of the plug ...up by by the crush washer...correct?
No actually, on the first ten or so threads on the electrode end.
Wipe most all of it off the brush back into the bottle, then because it's more narrow use the side of the brush to apply, and do not get any near the electrode.
Figure this way it will distribute a little onto the remaining threads as the plug is screwed in.
A little goes a long way.
 
No actually, on the first ten or so threads on the electrode end.
Wipe most all of it off the brush back into the bottle, then because it's more narrow use the side of the brush to apply, and do not get any near the electrode.
Figure this way it will distribute a little onto the remaining threads as the plug is screwed in.
A little goes a long way.
Great info(y)
 
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