Spark Plug Install??

[Maestrokneer]

Hey,

I remember reading a thread a while back that had a step by step guide to changing out your plugs. I did a search and waded through about 5,000 noobs asking what kind of plugs to use, but I couldn't find the thread that described the install.

If anyone has the link, or would care to write a quick how-to, it would be greatly appreciated. I was hoping to do it this afternoon. Thanks again.

[evo..eater:)]

Hey,

I remember reading a thread a while back that had a step by step guide to changing out your plugs. I did a search and waded through about 5,000 noobs asking what kind of plugs to use, but I couldn't find the thread that described the install.

If anyone has the link, or would care to write a quick how-to, it would be greatly appreciated. I was hoping to do it this afternoon. Thanks again.
All four spark plugs are directly on top of the motor. All you have to do is take off that black cover on top of the motor. Take the wires off of the plugs one by one as to not accidentally rotate which wire goes where. Remove the old spark plug. Then properly gap the new spark plug. I beleive that it is 32. Put the new spark plug in until you feel the gasket seal on the motor and put the wire back on. Times (4). Then put the plastic cover back on the motor.

I think that is it.(attn)

[jred321]

All four spark plugs are directly on top of the motor. All you have to do is take off that black cover on top of the motor. Take the wires off of the plugs one by one as to not accidentally rotate which wire goes where. Remove the old spark plug. Then properly gap the new spark plug. I beleive that it is 32. Put the new spark plug in until you feel the gasket seal on the motor and put the wire back on. Times (4). Then put the plastic cover back on the motor.

I think that is it.(attn) sounds about right to me. take old ones out, put new ones in. pretty simple. just make sure not to overtighten, you're screwing into aluminum which is relatively soft

[Hercdriver]

Do you guys use dielectric grease? I'm away on business right now so I can't check the manual, but I'm sure there is a torque spec on the spark plugs. Basicaly just don't overtighten like jred321 said.

[PaulMP3]

Do you guys use dielectric grease? I'm away on business right now so I can't check the manual, but I'm sure there is a torque spec on the spark plugs. Basicaly just don't overtighten like jred321 said.
i used dielectric grease when putting mine in.. As for torque specs.. im not sure. i just made them snug. I would love to know the specs so i can get them torque'd down correctly.

[Maestrokneer]

Thanks for all the info guys. Got them in this afternoon. It was pretty simple. I didn't use any dielectric grease (probably because I have no clue what that is), but...hopefully it's OK.

The factory ones were torqued down pretty damn good. It took a while for me to get the courage up to really crank on them to get them out. But when I put the new ones in, I just tightened down to a little past snug.

Anyway, thanks again.

[PaulMP3]

the dielectric grease goes in the sparkplug wire rubber booty.

[cbcbd]

Should this thread be in the how-to section?

anyway,

tighten plugs to 15-22 Nm (1.5-2.3 kgfm, 11-16 ft-lbs)

[brianmcd]

So do you need to use the grease, or just helpful?

~brian

[Mxyzptlk]

Yes use the grease and some anti sieze. Both are extremely helpful. The "autozone guys" aren't trying to scam you when they offer it along with the plugs.

[iam7head]

Yep, I am glad someone mention about the grease.

a little bit of antiseize(3.99 per tube) or sparkplug lube(99cents) or a drop of fresh motor oil would do the job nicely.

make sure your car is not hot when you removing/installing the plugs, aluminium loves to get cross thread and mess up even with a slight over torque.

[hollafam]

for the protege 5 when should i change the plugs how many miles

[Lil Freek]

ok.. .so how do you figure out the right amount of torque?
i'm replacing mine this weekend... i'm just going to be using a ratchet 'n a 5/8" socket. my arm's not so good at calculating torque

[Gro Harlem]

use a torque wrench. Don't overtorque or you can fuck shit up. If you strip the threads, you'll have to get a heli-coil which is a ghetto fix shy of taking the head off and remachining it

[pingdum]

I want to remind everyone to clean out the well before you remove the old plug. Any dirt, sand etc. that is down there will fall right into the cylinder. I use a Q-tip with a bit of grease on it to get that gunk out.

[MSPRO]

I was told by my automotive technology/design professor that you tighten them to tight plus a 1/4 turn. So when you feel it get tight, turn it 1/4 turn more and you are good to go. Its a simple way to do it if you don't have a torque wrech or specs.

[azeli73]

Here is a good index:

http://www.densoiridium.com/installationguide.htm

[cervy]

i believe the correct gap is 42-44 atleast thats what the guy at autozone told me

[MikeyG_U2]

Different cars have different gaps. N/A 2.0's have a bigger gap than the turbocharged MSP's. Please pay attention to what car the poster has when suggesting a gap. Always refer to your specific cars manual for the proper gap. Wrong gaps can lead to misfires, or no firing at all.

anyway, the MSP requires a gap of .028-.032" or .7-.8mm. This is significantly smaller than N/A 2.0's.

[ChopstickHero]

unless you're turbo'd.... spark plugs won't make a huge difference. that's why i'll end up using the stock NGKs that i got from the dealership, factory spec gap and guaranteed to be 100% compatible.

[BaD_HeX]

box said 2/3 a turn after tight.. shrug

[Blarghman]

Pardon my newbness, but what is "gapping"?

[jred321]

basically the distance between the thing at the top of this picture and the thing slightly below it, but here's more detail
more here: http://www.superchargersonline.com/content.asp?ID=11
http://www.superchargersonline.com/images/tech/sparkplugs/spark_good.gif
What is Spark Plug Gapping?

Another method of insuring proper spark is through gapping. The term “gapping” means to provide an adequate jumping distance for the spark to terminate. Gapping spark plugs is very important in both non-supercharged and supercharged applications. The average spark plug gap between the electrode and the ground is determined by the engineers that have designed the ignition. Usually, when an engine is converted to being supercharged, the gap is reduced to approximately.032 to .035. This reduction in the gap helps prevent what’s known as “spark blowout" due to the increased amount of fuel and cylinder pressure. The higher the cylinder pressure the harder it is for the spark to occur. The ability of the spark to actually take place is enhanced by decreasing the spark plug gap.

A very common problem that is seen time and time again is an application that runs smoothly until about 3,000 rpm. At that point, the engine usually sputters and the power that was being created has become non-existent. If you find yourself saying, "I can’t get this car to run…I have no idea what’s going on…it’s not running properly..." - Check the spark plug gap! More often than not, once you properly gap your spark plugs, all your worries seem to go away. It really is magic!

How to Gap Your Spark Plugs

When gapping your spark plugs, it is recommended that you always use a spark plug gapping tool. This tool can be purchased at most any auto parts store for approximately $2-$5 and is a MUST to have in your tool bag. This tool has a fork that is designed to be attached to the spark plug ground. Once that is complete, you can safely increase or decrease the spark plug gap by bending the ground wire. (If you're not 100% sure how to perform this or any task, it is always recommended that you seek out the services of a trained professional.)

[goku4658]

very informative, thanks everyone

[Protege52003]

for the protege 5 when should i change the plugs how many miles

30K i believe.....thats when i did mine, then again at 37 after i had my new EGR valve replaced under warranty. it messed up two of the plugs from cyls mis-firing......

[simdrew]

I bought new spark plugs and some were terribly off from the factory (0.060 instead of the 0.035 that they were supposed to be). Find out what the gap is supposed to be when you are buying them and gap them just in case!

[WetsuitxNinja]

I want to remind everyone to clean out the well before you remove the old plug. Any dirt, sand etc. that is down there will fall right into the cylinder. I use a Q-tip with a bit of grease on it to get that gunk out.

word, very important part. I ended up using some dust off and loosening the plugs a bit then spraying the dirt etc whatever crap was on there just so it didnt fall in. Antiseize and dielectric as well, I did like a half turn after I felt the plug snug up.

[br289165]

The gap for the NGK plug on a P5 is .044. Use compressed air after removing the plug boots, in the plug recessess prior to removing the old plugs, this will blow out any loose debris that could get in the cylinders.
You really dont need any anti seize, I change my plugs once a year and they come out easily no need to introduce an unneeded lubricant into the cylinder.




I want to remind everyone to clean out the well before you remove the old plug. Any dirt, sand etc. that is down there will fall right into the cylinder. I use a Q-tip with a bit of grease on it to get that gunk out.

[Cellerator]

The gap for the NGK plug on a P5 is .044. Use compressed air after removing the plug boots, in the plug recessess prior to removing the old plugs, this will blow out any loose debris that could get in the cylinders.
You really dont need any anti seize, I change my plugs once a year and they come out easily no need to introduce an unneeded lubricant into the cylinder.

That's what I thought until the dealer put them back in without it, I ended up going back to the dealer 3 weeks later to find out my plugs came loose and caused misfiring to come back... Anti-seize is definitely something that you should have when changing out plugs.

[br289165]

I don't mind telling you, the application of anti-seize has nothing to do with whether a spark plug will become loose by itself. It is used to aid in the future removal of the plug by lubricating the threads. If your plug or plugs came loose it was a result of someone not torqueing them to specifications, either from the dealer or yourself.



That's what I thought until the dealer put them back in without it, I ended up going back to the dealer 3 weeks later to find out my plugs came loose and caused misfiring to come back... Anti-seize is definitely something that you should have when changing out plugs.

[MarvinM02]

Ok kinda new to this hands on stuff for cars (gimme a reciprocating saw anyday). I have new plugs for my 02 p5 (NGK iridium). I want to know if those black cover box things just have to be un screwed, then what is the easiest way to remove the boots. just pull or what? thanks all.

[br289165]

The black things are your coil packs. unscrew them and pull up.Do not overtighten the screws when reinstalling or the plastic can crack. They aint that cheap.

Ok kinda new to this hands on stuff for cars (gimme a reciprocating saw anyday). I have new plugs for my 02 p5 (NGK iridium). I want to know if those black cover box things just have to be un screwed, then what is the easiest way to remove the boots. just pull or what? thanks all.

[MarvinM02]

Thanks br, and then just pull the covers off the plugs?

[MarvinM02]

Ok. Got the plugs changed. A couple of things I would like to add for any newbies. Tools: Spark plug socket (16mm or 5/8), 10mm socket(of course), 6 in extension. The coil packs came off easy then just lifted straight up the plug boots. Used the 6in extension to get down in there. Gentle does it to loosen the plugs. Once loosened I just turned the extension by hand til i could feel that it was out. Gently lift out the plug. Install is reverse, again gently does it. I also duct-taped the socket to the extension as the socket fell off on the first plug. Wasn't that bad. gl

[br289165]

Good job I'm proud of you!


Ok. Got the plugs changed. A couple of things I would like to add for any newbies. Tools: Spark plug socket (16mm or 5/8), 10mm socket(of course), 6 in extension. The coil packs came off easy then just lifted straight up the plug boots. Used the 6in extension to get down in there. Gentle does it to loosen the plugs. Once loosened I just turned the extension by hand til i could feel that it was out. Gently lift out the plug. Install is reverse, again gently does it. I also duct-taped the socket to the extension as the socket fell off on the first plug. Wasn't that bad. gl

[RockerPro5]

Hey all, check out this Technical Bulletin I found on the NGK site. (Even though its Canadian, seeing as the part numbers are the same it probably applies to the American plugs too)


For spark plugs with special metal plating; do not use anti-seize on the initial
installation. If a spark plug with special metal plating is removed and re-installed,
only then should anti-seize be used prior to “re-installation”.

It is recommended to use spark plugs with the special plating on all aluminum
cylinder head applications to prevent damage to the cylinder head. The shell
plating acts as a “lubricant” which breaks away from the main body of the spark
plug during removal thus preventing the bonding of the aluminum from the
cylinder head to the threads. All NGK Spark Plugs are manufactured with special
shell plating on the metal body.


Refer to the attachment pdf for more detail.

I hope I'm not opening up a can of worms on this debate... (thumb)