Spark plug won't come out.

[KevinH1990]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

The torque remains the same, there are no grounding "implications" as anti seize compounds are metallic in composition. We use compound on every set of plugs we change, never had an issue of any sort...............

Now I'm completely confused. Here's a quote from the Pelican Parts web site regarding the use of anti-seize compound:

Install each spark plug into the cylinder heads without using any anti-seize compound. Torque the spark plugs to 30 Nm (22 ft-lbs). I recently learned that Porsche, published a bulletin indicating that it doesn't recommend using anti-seize compound on spark plugs for any of their engines (Porsche Technical Bulletin 9102, Group 2 identifier 2870). The bulletin applies retroactively to all models and the theory is that the anti-seize tends to act as an electrical insulator between the plug and the cylinder head. This could have detrimental effect on the firing of the spark due to the loss of a good, consistent ground connection.

I installed mine without anti-seize compound. The change interval on the plugs in my 2000 is 30,000 miles. I'll be holding my breath for another year to see what happens when I take mine out.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by KevinH1990

Now I'm completely confused. Here's a quote from the Pelican Parts web site regarding the use of anti-seize compound:

Install each spark plug into the cylinder heads without using any anti-seize compound. Torque the spark plugs to 30 Nm (22 ft-lbs). I recently learned that Porsche, published a bulletin indicating that it doesn't recommend using anti-seize compound on spark plugs for any of their engines (Porsche Technical Bulletin 9102, Group 2 identifier 2870). The bulletin applies retroactively to all models and the theory is that the anti-seize tends to act as an electrical insulator between the plug and the cylinder head. This could have detrimental effect on the firing of the spark due to the loss of a good, consistent ground connection.

I installed mine without anti-seize compound. The change interval on the plugs in my 2000 is 30,000 miles. I'll be holding my breath for another year to see what happens when I take mine out.

That quote has been around forever, and unfortunately is wrong. As I stipulated, most anti-seize compounds are finely suspended metallic pastes, usually copper or aluminum, which conduct electrical current without issue. Perhaps Porsche found one at some time that was nonconductive, but I have never seen one that had that property.

More to the point, while many plugs have some type of release coating on them from the factory, with plug life expectancy getting longer all the time, stuck plugs and galled plug threads in the cylinder heads is a real issue, particularly with aluminum heads. Adding a very small dab of anti-seize to the threads on a new plug will eliminate any possibility of that ever happening. Do not go nuts and dip the end of the plug in anti-seize, just use a tiny dab, and then torque to specs.

And before you ask; no, anti-seize will not cause the plugs to come loose; that is an urban legend, just like having the wheels fall off because you used anti-seize on the lug nuts before torqueing them. We have used anti-seize on both for literally decades in the shop and have never had a problem.