Mike's Step By Step Guide To: Replacing Spark Plugs

[Mike XR6T]

Hey Guys.

Ive decided to spend the extra time to make a How To: when I changed my Spark Plugs today.

As you all know the plug Gap needs to be changed when you increase power out put above standard.

I fitted NGK Iridium Plugs pregapped to 0.8mm Part Number: BKR6EIX

But this guide would also work for replacing standard plugs and gapping existing plugs.

I hope its helpful to you

cheers

Appoligies for some of the pics being upsidedown, im not sure what happened there

Time Allowed: 1.5 hrs comfortably

Tools required:

Light

Tray/Tub For small parts

Flat Blade Screwdriver

10mm Socket and Ratchet

5mm Allen Key

Plyers

Small Sp1ark Plug Socket, 6" Extension, 2X 3" Extension, Ratchet

Rag

Towel

Step 1:

Arrange Organise Tools and Trays

Step 2:

Open Bonnet, position lighting, get towel so as not to scratch paint.

Step 3:

Undo 3 Hose Clamps on Crossover

Coldside, Hotside and Throttle Body using Flat Blade Screw Driver and pull away from crossover

Step 4:

Unscrew the 3 Ten Millameter Nuts that hold the crossover onto rocker cover

using a 10mm Socket and Rachet

Step 5:

Unclip aircleaner lid ready to remove with crossover

Step 6:

Dissconnect Crankcase Breather by gently pulling plastic hose out of rubber elbow

Step 7:

Dissconnect Blow off valve Vacuum Hose

Step 8:

Carefully Lift crossover straight up as to clear the rubber mounts(carefully cause these break really easily)

Then Lift Crossover and Air Cleaner lid away from engine once clear of rubber mounts.

You should end up with This:

[Mike XR6T]

Step 9:

Disconnect PCV Valve Towards back of rocker cover by pulling the plastic elbow away from the gray valve(might be tight so riggle gently and it will come) then unclip the hose and the brake vacuum hose from the retainer on the back of the rocker cover.

Step 10:

Using 5mm Allen Key undo the 8 allen key screws holding the rocket garnish on.

The rear one is a little tricky so be carefull not to drop it down the back of the engine and loose it

Remove Oil filler Cap.

Step 11:

Carefully remove the Granish, Do it slowly as the gasket sticks to the rocker cover as well and you dont want to brake that.

Once off refit the gasket propperly.

Refit Oil Cap.

This garnish holds the coils down and some of the rubbers that hold the coils might have come out and might be sitting on top of the coils.

Pick them up and refit to Garnish. Make sure they are all there or the coils may move around.

Step 12:

You should now be at this stage.

You need to undo the 6 plugs that connect to the coils.

To do this you need to push the little tag down and pull gently on the plug while holding the coil still.

do this on all six coils and move the loom out of the way.

Step 13:

Remove the coils by gently twisting them to brake the seal on top of the spark plug. Note how they are angled to the left.

Step 14:

Place all 6 coils in order on a bench. Do this so you can lay the corresponding plugs next to them so you know which cylinder they came from. This will allow you to check the plugs once you get them out and see if you have had any miss fire issues.

Step 15:

Remove the first 5 Spark plugs using Socket, 3" extension, 6" extension and rachet

Note the angle of the Plug Tubes.

Step 16:

Remove No 6 Plug

using socket, 2X 3" extensions and rachet.

Connect the socket to one extension and insert into plug tube. Hold the extension as far down the tube as possible then fit the second extension to the first allowing you to reach the plug, now connect the ratchet and undo the plug. Reverse the procedure to get the plug out.

Joining the extensions.

[Mike XR6T]

Step 17:

Check all the plugs for wear on the electrodes,

Mine were badly worn originals but I couldnt get a close up to show in detail.

Also you want to make sure all the plugs are generally the same colour, this will indicate no major missfires, black sooted plugs indicate and over fueling issue, a single black plug would suggest a missfire on that cylinder(igniton)

a very clean plug on one cyclinder would suggest no fuel getting to that cylinder etc.

Step 18:

Now is a good time to inspect the coils for any signs of tracking down the towers or cracking of the resin on the top of the coil, if either is presant then replace the coil.

Step 19:

Remove Plugs from packet being carefull not to knock earth elecrtode.

Using some plyers check to see that the screw on end is tight so it doesnt come loose and cause a mis.

Step 20:

Fit the first 5 new plugs into the tubes and do them up finger tight.

be careful not to knock the electrode when inserting them into the top of the head.

Step 21:

Insert Number 6 Plug using the same proceduce asin Step 16.

Do up finger tight.

Step 22:

Now go back to each plug and do the final tighten.

Connect Ratchet to end of extension and tighten plug until it it "nips up"

meaning you would have to make extra effort to tighten further.

Now Turn the ratchet between 1/3 and 1/2 a turn further this squashes the washer into place and gives

you the right tightening torque. (A loose or over tigtened plug will change its heat range- the ability to disapate heat. This could lead to misfire, short plug life or detonation/ preignition)

Start Position

Finish Position

Step 23:

Now is a good time to wipe the dust and oil off the rocker cover and clean it up a bit so its nice and shiny red again(or blue for those luckier)

And perhaps to wipe the throttle body clean of any oil.

Step 24:

Time to refit the coils to the cylinders-

once in position push on the top till they are fully down and locked onto the top of the spark plug.

Step 25:

Check the pins in the coil plugs to make sure you didnt bend any of them

Reconnect the wiring plugs, push them on until you hear a loud click.

Make sure the loom is in the right spot so you dont damage it when the garnish goes back on.

Step 26:

Remove oil cap and refit garnish

Replace oil cap

Refit the 8 screws that hold the garnish, starting at the rear one as its the hardest.

Step 27:

Reconnect the PCV valve hose by pushing the plastic elbow all the way onto the grey valve,

Clip the this hose and the Brake vacuum hose back onto the retainer on the rear of the rocker cover.

[Mike XR6T]

Step 28:

Carefully Place the crossover back onto the 3 mounts gently so you dont brake them

Step29:

Reconnect the vacuum hose to the Blow off Valve.

Step 30:

Giggle the crossover so the rubber hose goes back onto the throttle body and tighten the hose clamp up tight.

Step 31:

Refit the 3 Ten Mill Nuts that hold the crossover and tighten them Back up.

Step 32:

Reconnect the crankcase breather by pushing the plastic hose back into the rubber elbow fully.

Step 33:

Clip the airbox lid back on

Step 34:

Reconnect the Hot and Cold side piping and do up the hose clamps. Make sure they are tight to avoid a boost leak.

Also when you refit the hot side pipe it may come loose at the turbo. if this is the case loosen the hose clamp at the turbo and reconnect the pipe and retighten clamp.

Step 35:

Start her up and make sure she purr's

Then standback and admire your work!!!!

Guys I hope this helps you.

cheers and good luck

Mike

Edited 23/08/08 12:46 PM by Dagabond

[Adam]

If you go into your photobucket album and click on edit you can rotate the pics.

[Maximus]

Great Write Up.

Couple of things that I did differently though.

I didn't disconnect everything like you did.

I just got the Cross Over to a point where it could be moved out of the way so I could do the work.

I didn't unplug the coils, same thing just lifted them out of the way and did 1 plug at a time.

I also used a Toque Wrench to do the plugs up to manufacturers specs rather than to a certain point but it was around the location that you showed.

I also put a little plastic bag over the throttle body and intake hose to stop any crud falling in there.

Other than that it was a great read and alot of time was spend doing it.

Make this one sticky mods.

Cheers

James

[tab]

Awesome write-up....onya Mike

[Mike XR6T]

hey all

just an update:

after replacing my standard plugs(1.1mm gap)

with NGK BKR6EIX (0.8mm gap)

I have notice a big mid to top end proformance gain.

Anyone that has had a tune should change to these plugs.

The car is so much better up top and also mid range there is much more. the reason being:

Using the standard gaps under boost the coils need to produce more energy to jump the plug gap, most of the energy is used to jump the large gap and there fore not much energy is left for a long duration(burn time). A smaller gap means more energy is saved for a longer burn time therefore betetr combustion in each cylionder! and more power!

To explain: a coil can only produce so muc h energy. that energy is divided into 2 sections

1: the Firing voltage- the energy required to make the initial jump of the plug gap.

2: the left over energy is used to continue the burn time(duration) for as long as possibel til there is no energy left thus giving complete combustiopn.

I would recommend anyone that has had a tune and still running standard plugs to follow the guide and spend an hour or so changing the plugs for a big improvement in driveability up top.

cheers

ps under larger boost amounts more energy is used to make the initial arc across the gap and that's y u get less power case there isnt enough left over to burn all the A/F

hope this helps

mike

[civillian]

Great write-up!!

So you used a magnetic spark plug socket? - For anyone who doesn't have one like this, I used a Telescopic Magnetic pick-up tool to extract the old plugs and insert the new ones, as the socket I had wasn't magnetic. Really useful tool to avoid bumping the electrode on the way down. I also used a socket instead of a flat head screwdriver, on the intake hose band clamps to really get them tight.

Nice pics too mate, specially the rubbers on the coils - almost lost some

Nick

[our06t]

I use a 6 inch peice of vacumm hose same as the type used for brake vacumm line ,it fits nice over plug so you can lower them in and even screw them most of the way in before using the socket ,

great write up mate well done