Backstory: 85 Monte, SBC 350 crate motor(Iron block and heads) installed 9 years ago. Runs good. One day the engine started ticking very noticeably(3/4 years ago?). Sounded like it could have been a lifter or otherwise. Couldn't figure it out for the life of me. Took it to a shop they said I had some loose spark plugs. I had them put new plugs in. To my relief the problem went away. Not long after it started coming back. Upon inspection I had loose plugs again. I researched what could cause loose plugs on an SBC and the common answer was using never seize on the plugs, which I had done years before. I know what you're thinking, what a dumbass! I sometimes can't help myself and I overdo things.
When I pulled the new plugs I found they had used a small amount of copper on them(like a normal mechanic would). So now I had a slurry of never seize and copper on the threads. So I used various methods to clean the threads in the heads. Q-tips with brake clean, rags, cutting of sponges to finger size pieces and working the threads, then installed new delco plugs again dry this time and it's still happening. Now since I have headers some of these are practically impossible to tighten down. A friend suggested a socket SLP made for the F-body LT1 cars where the plug goes right through the socket and it has 13/16 adapter right on it that you tighten down. Now I have much better ability to tighten them down and yet they are still coming loose. Not nearly has bad as before, but even after a single drive I hear a fluttering sound echoing outside of the car as I drive and the next day when I check it, one of 4 plugs will be loose. 3,5,6 or 8 seem to be the problem.
I see only 2 possibilities: I either over tightened those when I had the never seize on them and didn't realize it(and messed up the threads in the heads), or I'm not tightening them down enough now because I don't have adequate room and I'm afraid to over tighten them.
Any thoughts, advice or comments would be appreciated.
When I pulled the new plugs I found they had used a small amount of copper on them(like a normal mechanic would). So now I had a slurry of never seize and copper on the threads. So I used various methods to clean the threads in the heads. Q-tips with brake clean, rags, cutting of sponges to finger size pieces and working the threads, then installed new delco plugs again dry this time and it's still happening. Now since I have headers some of these are practically impossible to tighten down. A friend suggested a socket SLP made for the F-body LT1 cars where the plug goes right through the socket and it has 13/16 adapter right on it that you tighten down. Now I have much better ability to tighten them down and yet they are still coming loose. Not nearly has bad as before, but even after a single drive I hear a fluttering sound echoing outside of the car as I drive and the next day when I check it, one of 4 plugs will be loose. 3,5,6 or 8 seem to be the problem.
I see only 2 possibilities: I either over tightened those when I had the never seize on them and didn't realize it(and messed up the threads in the heads), or I'm not tightening them down enough now because I don't have adequate room and I'm afraid to over tighten them.
Any thoughts, advice or comments would be appreciated.
