Spark Plug Change Notes

[lanciat]

I found the plug change went very smoothly (1 hour total my first time through), and I did not have to use the access hole in the driver's side front wheel well to get to the rearmost plug on the driver's side. The key for me was using a ratcheting 12 mm combination wrench (mine are called "Gear Wrenches") to remove the coil on that rearmost plug.

Joe Fillip
'95 L AWD ("The Wayback Machine")
Swarthmore, PA

[Chiketkd]

I'm glad the sparkplug change went smoothly... I have a set of six that I'll be installing with newsvx on Saturday June 5th.

So a 'ratcheting 12 mm combo wrench' is the trick?

Any other tips?

-Chike

[lanciat]

Yep, the ratcheting 12 mm wrench is very helpful for getting at the rear most coil bolt on both sides of the engine.

Other than that, all of the tips have been mentioned by others. Remove the battery box and air filter box. Loosen the coil bolts and use them as a tool to remove the coils/boots. Take your time.
Put a bit of grease of the brass mounting bushing for each coil bolt on reassembly to make removal a bit easier the next time around. I also put a light smear of grease on the inside of each boot before reassembling.

No anti-seize on the spark plug threads. No gapping of platinum plugs.

Other than the ratcheting wrench, the only tools you'll need are a 3/8 inch ratchet, a 3-inch extension and a spark plug socket. When installing the new plugs, use the spark plug socket and extension to screw in each plug by hand to avoid stripping the threads in the spark plug wells.

Best of luck! -- Joe

[Chiketkd]

Thanks Joe!

-Chike

[Ryan]

Digging up by the no0b, sorry.

Lanciat, so why no anti-seize on the plugs?

[lanciat]

If you search prior threads on this topic, you'll find that the consensus is that anti-seize should not be used on the plug threads.

YMMV.

Joe Fillip
'95 L AWD ("The Wayback Machine")
Swarthmore, PA

[Earthworm]

And if you do use it just use a little bit relatively high on the threads (away from the electrode)

[Sybaris]

Originally Posted by lanciat

Yep, the ratcheting 12 mm wrench is very helpful for getting at the rear most coil bolt on both sides of the engine.

Roger that. I picked one up at Lowes. Trying to get a regular ratchet with a socket on that one is a *****. The ratchet wrench makes it a breeze.

Also, someone posted how to get the boots off the plug if they don't come out with the coil by using a bent coat hanger............ worked great!