Replacement spark plug boots?
 

I need to do my plugs and valve cover gaskets soon. So, I went looking for new spark plug boots, but to no avail. Searching indicates that Subaru doesn't sell them separately, and you have to get new coils if you want new boots. :rolleyes: I found a few threads with people who had the same problem, but no good alternates to OEM boots were located at that time. But, these threads were a few years old - are there still no boots to be had, or has someone found something since then?

There were some mumblings about a universal plug wire set with a single boot (for the distributor wire) that works, but it sucks buying a whole wire set for $40+ just to get one boot and then throwing the rest out.

I found a post where someone listed the dimensions - 1.5" length, 3/8" ID over the plug, 5/8" ID over the coil. With these dimensions in-hand, I searched all over the internet, but found nothing. Called MSD's tech line - they didn't have anything either. I fired off an email to Accel, but haven't heard back yet (and am not really expecting anything either).

Does anyone know if there is anything out there that works?

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

Ummmmmm....The SVX doesn't have a distributor. It's a coil-on-plug ignition, so there are 6 individual coils sitting right on the spark plugs. The boot is part of the coil, they are molded in together and don't come apart.

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

Heh...I know that, I was talking about the distributor wire boot (from the universal wireset) being the only one usable as a replacement for the boot on our coil packs. Well, at least according to what I found by searching anyway.

I was under the impression that the boot slipped over the end of the plug, and also over the end of the coil pack though - not molded as part of the coil. I haven't pulled mine out to look at them, but everything I've read suggests that the boot is replaceable - just not available separately.

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

lol, my bad.

When I replaced the plugs on my car I didn't notice if the boots are removable, although I didn't pull on them to check.

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

As far as I know, the boots are not replaceable. You have to get new coils to replace them. :(

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

Ugh. :( Well, hopefully they're in OK shape then...I just wanted to be prepared with fresh new boots ready to go when I had them out, in case one or more were bad. I hate reinstalling bad parts for lack of good replacements.

I have a somewhat rough idle, and some driveability problems. I have reason to suspect bad plugs or a coil arcing...hopefully it's just plugs. When I got my car, the previous owner gave me 3 (yes, 3) :rolleyes: new spark plugs with it...so I'm probably running on 3 fairly new plugs, and 3 with who knows how many miles on them. I guess I'll see when I tear into it.

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

they are removable but I am not sure if they are a servicable part w/o the coil. I will check and report back

Tom

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

Priceless hahahaha, maybe he got halfway through the oil changes and gave THAT up too :lol: I guess I cant talk....my new plugs have been sitting on my shop bench for 6 weeks now :lol:

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

No dice, I will try and call my parts dept. tomorrow and see if they might be special order

Tom

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

Heh...no oil changes needed when I got the car, as the cam / crank seals were pissing oil so bad it needed to be topped up a quart every 500 miles :D the plugs I do have are some weird thing too, they're 4-electrode platinum Bosch Fusions. Something tells me I'd be better off replacing them regardless. :rolleyes:

I will reserve final judgement on the possibility of a coil / boot being bad until I get new plugs in there and also am able to inspect the coil boots. I'll see how it runs after dropping new plugs in.


Thanks Tom, keep me posted if you are able to come up with anything...

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

Yeah, good idea. Those are junk and have been know to have one of the "electrodes" break off and go into the combustion chamber:eek:

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

bOSH+4'S also run like total ass if the engine is not up to temp. Change them out, while you are at it grease the boots and pay attention to the condition of the wire going to the coil

Tom

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

I've heard the same, although hopefully these are still new enough where I don't have to worry about dropped electrodes yet.

I'm also hoping that going through the ignition will finally fix my crappy mileage, since that seems to be the only thing left to look at. I just pulled the best mileage I've ever gotten in this car at my last fillup - a fuel-sipping 14.5 MPG. :rolleyes: This is with brand new left and right OEM O2 sensors, a new air filter in the stock airbox, and a new OEM coolant temp sensor as well.

My Trans Am fouled out a set of these very quickly some years ago. Changed over to AC Delco Rapidfires and never had a speck of trouble out of them after that. Delcos may not be an appropriate solution for this car though. :p Thanks for the tips...I'll have to examine everything carefully when I tear it apart. I glanced at the coils and valve covers, they are absolutely filthy on the drivers' side, but the pass side looks OK. I think I know which side I'll find the old plugs on :rolleyes:. Going to do the VCGs at the same time, obviously.

The road to recovery is a long one in this case...I've been all over this car fixing different things nearly every weekend since I got it (at least every weekend above 45 degrees, anyway), and still have a laundry list of stuff that needs attention. Slowly knocking it down though.

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

when i changed my plugs a couple years ago one of the boots stayed in the head. it was a bear to get out and i used a mirror and a pick to pull it out in pieces. i bought a couple of new ones from subaruparts so now i have a spare.when i put the new boot on i used a fair amount a dielectric grease to hopefully prevent this again.i put grease on all the others as well. hope this helps.

Re: Replacement spark plug boots?
 

I'm about to start changing my plugs right now and after 17 years I'm sure at least one of the boots will be bad...

Here is a pic of the coil w/ boot
http://info.rockauto.com/getimage/ge...tex/5C1279.jpg


I'm sure I'll be at the parts store later today looking for something to substitute for the boot:lol:

One thought...here is an 07 tribeca coil on plug:
http://info.rockauto.com/getimage/ge...F-287_FULL.jpg

Not exactly the same, but the boot looks kind of like a standard spark plug boot ...