Going to replace spark plugs on my car today

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
51
91
I've noticed the car hasn't been as strong lately as when I first got it and the gas mileage hasn't been that great either. I don't know when the spark plugs were changed by the previous owner and if he hasn't then they're still the original ones. If so, then I'm pretty sure they'll bring some oomph back into the car.

I could've gone with some platinum plugs for $3 but I believe the car came with iridium so I went with those for $8 each. My car doesn't use plug wires so that will save me a few $$.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
While youre at it..

You prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And you're gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.

And check your ball bearings..
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,653
205
106
Originally posted by: jtvang125
I've noticed the car hasn't been as strong lately as when I first got it and the gas mileage hasn't been that great either. I don't know when the spark plugs were changed by the previous owner and if he hasn't then they're still the original ones. If so, then I'm pretty sure they'll bring some oomph back into the car.

I could've gone with some platinum plugs for $3 but I believe the car came with iridium so I went with those for $8 each. My car doesn't use plug wires so that will save me a few $$.



cant say ive ever heard of wireless spark plugs.

However you should change your air & fuel filters, grease all the fittings, check tire pressure/balance/alignment, and at some point have your transmission fluid & filter changed.
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
I got some 4 -3 banger NDKs (I think NDK...either way they have 3 spark area isntead of just one), they work wonderful.

check your fuel filter too....
 

giantpinkbunnyhead

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2005
3,251
1
0
Yeah, if you had iridiums in there then you almost MUST use them, wise choice. What do you have anyway, an Echo? I know of very few cars that use iridiums, besides Echo's. The plugs don't have "normal" plug wires but they've got small feeder wires that are like 6 inches long and come from a coil pack.

And ditto everyone else's remarks on the other general maintenence items. If the P.O. never changed the plugs, it can be assumed he did nothing else either.
 

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
51
91
Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
Yeah, if you had iridiums in there then you almost MUST use them, wise choice. What do you have anyway, an Echo? I know of very few cars that use iridiums, besides Echo's. The plugs don't have "normal" plug wires but they've got small feeder wires that are like 6 inches long and come from a coil pack.

And ditto everyone else's remarks on the other general maintenence items. If the P.O. never changed the plugs, it can be assumed he did nothing else either.

No, not an echo. Check sig for car type. But yea I meant my car doesn't have the regular plug wires and uses this electrical block over the plugs. As for the other maintenances I will be doing the 90k service soon (tranny fluid flush, timing belt, radiator flush..ect) since I skipped on the 60k one. The engine in this car is built like a tank. I could probably go on just changing the oil on it and it'll keep going for its lifetime.
 

Pantoot

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2002
1,764
30
91
Originally posted by: slag
While youre at it..

You prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And you're gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.

And check your ball bearings..


To do that you are gonna need some pliers and a set of 30-weight ball bearings.
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: jtvang125
I've noticed the car hasn't been as strong lately as when I first got it and the gas mileage hasn't been that great either. I don't know when the spark plugs were changed by the previous owner and if he hasn't then they're still the original ones. If so, then I'm pretty sure they'll bring some oomph back into the car.

I could've gone with some platinum plugs for $3 but I believe the car came with iridium so I went with those for $8 each. My car doesn't use plug wires so that will save me a few $$.
cant say ive ever heard of wireless spark plugs.

However you should change your air & fuel filters, grease all the fittings, check tire pressure/balance/alignment, and at some point have your transmission fluid & filter changed.
Coilpacks located on top of the plugs.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
61,775
17,490
136
Originally posted by: Pantoot
Originally posted by: slag
While youre at it..

You prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And you're gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.

And check your ball bearings..


To do that you are gonna need some pliers and a set of 30-weight ball bearings.

It's all ball bearings these days!
 

Colt45

Lifer
Apr 18, 2001
19,720
1
0
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: jtvang125
I've noticed the car hasn't been as strong lately as when I first got it and the gas mileage hasn't been that great either. I don't know when the spark plugs were changed by the previous owner and if he hasn't then they're still the original ones. If so, then I'm pretty sure they'll bring some oomph back into the car.

I could've gone with some platinum plugs for $3 but I believe the car came with iridium so I went with those for $8 each. My car doesn't use plug wires so that will save me a few $$.
cant say ive ever heard of wireless spark plugs.

However you should change your air & fuel filters, grease all the fittings, check tire pressure/balance/alignment, and at some point have your transmission fluid & filter changed.
Coilpacks located on top of the plugs.


they still have wires, they're just short.
 

Pepsi90919

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,162
1
81
Originally posted by: slag
While youre at it..

You prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And you're gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.

And check your ball bearings..

LOL
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
Originally posted by: Colt45
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: jtvang125
I've noticed the car hasn't been as strong lately as when I first got it and the gas mileage hasn't been that great either. I don't know when the spark plugs were changed by the previous owner and if he hasn't then they're still the original ones. If so, then I'm pretty sure they'll bring some oomph back into the car.

I could've gone with some platinum plugs for $3 but I believe the car came with iridium so I went with those for $8 each. My car doesn't use plug wires so that will save me a few $$.
cant say ive ever heard of wireless spark plugs.

However you should change your air & fuel filters, grease all the fittings, check tire pressure/balance/alignment, and at some point have your transmission fluid & filter changed.
Coilpacks located on top of the plugs.
they still have wires, they're just short.
No, they don't. At least not on my 03 Subaru, they don't. The coilpacks fit directly over the plugs. There are wires fitting to the coilpacks, but that is not the same (being comparable to the wires feeding power into a traditional ignition coil).
 

Red

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2002
3,704
0
0
Good luck!

I replaced the plugs in my VQ35 about 3 weeks ago. Used the oem plugs... NGK Platinum. $7/each

Original plugs had 102k on them and they were in good shape. I haven't noticed an increase in power or gas mileage since I put the newbies in.
 

teckmaster

Golden Member
Feb 1, 2000
1,256
0
0
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: Colt45
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: jtvang125
I've noticed the car hasn't been as strong lately as when I first got it and the gas mileage hasn't been that great either. I don't know when the spark plugs were changed by the previous owner and if he hasn't then they're still the original ones. If so, then I'm pretty sure they'll bring some oomph back into the car.

I could've gone with some platinum plugs for $3 but I believe the car came with iridium so I went with those for $8 each. My car doesn't use plug wires so that will save me a few $$.
cant say ive ever heard of wireless spark plugs.

However you should change your air & fuel filters, grease all the fittings, check tire pressure/balance/alignment, and at some point have your transmission fluid & filter changed.
Coilpacks located on top of the plugs.
they still have wires, they're just short.
No, they don't. At least not on my 03 Subaru, they don't. The coilpacks fit directly over the plugs. There are wires fitting to the coilpacks, but that is not the same (being comparable to the wires feeding power into a traditional ignition coil).


same here on my 2004 2.3L Ford Focus
 

Colt45

Lifer
Apr 18, 2001
19,720
1
0
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: Colt45
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: jtvang125
I've noticed the car hasn't been as strong lately as when I first got it and the gas mileage hasn't been that great either. I don't know when the spark plugs were changed by the previous owner and if he hasn't then they're still the original ones. If so, then I'm pretty sure they'll bring some oomph back into the car.

I could've gone with some platinum plugs for $3 but I believe the car came with iridium so I went with those for $8 each. My car doesn't use plug wires so that will save me a few $$.
cant say ive ever heard of wireless spark plugs.

However you should change your air & fuel filters, grease all the fittings, check tire pressure/balance/alignment, and at some point have your transmission fluid & filter changed.
Coilpacks located on top of the plugs.
they still have wires, they're just short.
No, they don't. At least not on my 03 Subaru, they don't. The coilpacks fit directly over the plugs. There are wires fitting to the coilpacks, but that is not the same (being comparable to the wires feeding power into a traditional ignition coil).


ah, the only car i worked on with coilpacks was a VW with 1.8T. There is a short wire between the coilpack and plug, basically just a plug socket, but a bit longer, and its not fixed to the coilpaack, its replaceable. sounds like a wire to me. just really short ;)

this damn KVM annd the double lettering-ing is pissing me off.
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
2
81
Colt45: the coils on my Dodge Dakota just drop right down ontop of the plug and have a nut that holds them down. Compared to yanking the crap out of the wires when you remove them it's great!

I find that 30,000 miles is a good time to change plugs. It only costs about $12 for the set and takes about 10 minutes.