I have almost 30k on my car and was thinking about changing the plugs. I haven't looked into the job yet. Is it difficult and which plugs do you guys recommend as replacements?

 

I don't see any reason to do it with only 30,000 miles, but if you just want to do it, it shouldn't be difficult. Just pull the coil covers off and the coil packs. Be careful not to short the plug wrench against the positive battery cable on #4 [ rear most plug on Passenger side ]. I like and use NGK plugs. Reliable and fairly easy to read.

 

I would also pay close attention to torque specs, choice of anti-seize compounds (which may affect your required torque) and get some good advice on gapping your plugs too...matching the stock gap may not be ideal since they do errode away (or acumulate deposits)over the miles which may throw off the measurement.

Let us know how you make out and if you overtighten it, let us know how much it cost to have a helicoil installed in the head.

If you under-tighten it, show us pics of the convex dent that the plug/coilpack assembly leaves in your hood!



It's a basic job...you'll be fine.

 

It's been tuned since 1,000 miles and ran fairly aggressive. I got the car in summer 2011 so I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea. It can,'t be any worse that my F-body Ls1. I ran nitrous on that car so I changed them regularly. It went from a half day job to 30 minutes after repetition of doing it.

 

Troy, I replaced mine at 8k miles, but I did it because I switched to ford racing plugs as part of the blower kit . It was pretty easy. Just need a ratchet, extension, plug socket, torque wrench and anti seize. The hardest part was removing the electrical connectors.

 

Only a dumb**** can't tighten plugs properly. It is neither dumass farmer tight or limp wrist loose. If you've never done it on lawn mowers to dirt bikes to auto engines, and have no experience for the 'feel', get a torque wrench. Done.

 

Agree.

 

Thanks

 

Feel? Seriously? Only the laziest of mechanic would tighten a steel plug into an aluminum head without a torque wrench.

 

I'll give anyone here $10 if they can tighten 16 spark plugs to exactly the required spec without a torque wrench.

Somehow I don't see that happening...

 

Been working on aluminum heads since 1977 on my '74 J-H/Lotus 907. And plenty of 2 stroke dirt bikes before that. Never stripped a plug thread or had one blow out.
I don't torque my wheel lugs either like some here are all **** over. I know even tightness. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of miles.
However, I do torque cylinder heads and cam towers.
But like I said, if you don't have the 'feel' for 'spark plug tight', then get a torque wrench.

 

I used to "feel" stuff and then I had to get a helicoil done on my built aircooled VW engine. No thanks. Torque wrench every time now.

 

I prefer to use a torque wrench on aluminum as well. Learned that lesson of the Corvair's air-cooled engine.

 

30000 seems too soon, u could go with motorocraft or ngk , i recommend iridium tips, or plat tips minimum

 

Agree 100% thanks

 

I do the same also

 

Would these be one piece plugs? Are they long like the 05-10 plugs?