[DougR]

This is on an 02 9-3SE HOT

I have done a lot of searching and read a lot of threads. A lot of things were cleared up for me, but a couple of things I am still a bit confused on. I thought it would be better to start another spark plug thread now, than to have the car apart and then have to post

So far I gather that I need to following items:
Spark Plugs (duh)
Plug gapping tool
Spark Plug Socket - 5/8 inch
Socket extension?
di-electric grease
anti-seize
compressed air

Now the questions.

Do I need the socket extension?

How do I use a plug gapping tool? Can you suggest one that I should get?

As far as the anti-seize compound, I understand that you are supposed to rub some on the threads of the plugs before you put them in, correct? But what am I supposed to do with the di-electric grease?

As far as the compressed air, am I just spraying out the area after I pull the old plugs out? Do I need to do any additional cleaning?

With regard to inserting the new plugs I have read that you should hand tighten all the way down, and then use the ratchet till you hit a bit of resistance. At this point I have read that you should turn the plug an additional 1/2 to 3/4 turn to properly seat it. Do I need a torque wrench for this?


Thank you all again for your kind assistance and patience!

Doug

 

[jrbrangi]

heres some input, the spark plg extension should be in your trunk with your jack, and 2 whatever you do don't get the chepo Autozone plug gapper, you know that little disc. They are totally inaccurate, get a nice one the kind the have the swing out arms like a swiss army knife. they are much better, I think you also will need a small tube of permatex dilelectric grease. Make sure you are sing the correct plugs. The NGK BCPR-6es11 or -7es11 i believe gapped between .035 and .039, don;t use the platinum ones, only the regular they should cost about 2 bucks each at the dealer. The 6 series plugs are better for short drives if your engine often doesn't hit operating temperature. The 7 plugs are better if you work your engine hard, for example towing or if you have a modified ECU or otherwise increased power output. If neither situation applies to you, either plug is probably fine. I run -7.

 

[DougR]

I got the plugs off eeuroparts for my car. They are actually different plugs from the ones you mentioned. Those are for the T5 I think...the ones for the T7 are different. I don't have the spark plug tool in my kit from what I can tell. I think that is something that came with the T5 cars, and not with the T7 cars for some reason.

 

[JMarkert]

A couple more thoughts

The dielectric grease goes into the spark plug boots to help keep water/corrosion out.

An extension is pretty much necessary since the plugs are recessed a bit.

You'll need a torx driver to get your di cassette off.

What you say about tightening sounds about right, but I'd err on the 1/4 turn side rather than the half. You'd rather have a plug loosen up (unlikely) rather than strip the threads. A torque wrench isn't a bad idea.

Be careful with the antiseize, it's conductive so you want to have a little on the threads only, nowhere near the electrode. A drop of engine oil on the threads works ok too.

The compressed air is only to blow away little bits of crud that could possibly falling in the cylinders, it's not really that vital unless your motor is very dirty/gritty. It will probably look very clean under the DI cassette anyhow. I would think one of those cans of air that photographers use would be fine.

 

[DougR]

Thanks JMarket

I have the torx screwdrivers already, as I had to pick up a set to remove the front license plate that was blocking my intercooler. I also did take the DI cassette off already once just to see what it was like. Are the spark plug boots the things sticking out of the DI cassette? Basically when you pull out the DI there are 4 little tubes that correspond to the sparkplug holes. Do I want to put some of the grease on that? How much?

I may just use a bit of engine oil on the threads instead of antiseize if that is ok, sounds a lot easier.

Thanks

 

[JMarkert]

Are the spark plug boots the things sticking out of the DI cassette?

Yup.

As for how much, mine were filled to the gills when I bought my car. I'd say just a dab on the top of the spark plugs would be better but I don't know for sure. Since I don't have a DI cassette on my car.

FWIW, I think autozone has tiny little packages of both the antiseize and grease for a buck or so at the counter. They sold them to me last time I bought plugs.

I've never had a problem with the motor oil method, even though it's not the official recommendation.

I'd also second what jrbrangi said about the gapping gauge/tool. The flat disk with a tapered thing on the side is useless. You can sometimes find a disk with wire loops coming out of it, that works well.

 

[bkrell]

As far as dielectric grease goes, just use a generous little dab on the tip of the boot. It's purpose, keep in mind, is to help prevent the metal of the plug boot connection from corroding.

 

[Saabohème]

Stick the tip of the grease tube into the boot and squeeze. When you push the DI cassette down onto the plugs, the grease makes a good seal that 1) keeps crud and moisture out of there so that 2) it greatly lessens the chance of any current bleed (arcing) down the length of the boot to ground (the top of the cylinder head). The dielectric grease is non-conductive and therefore a good electrical insulator. It is a grease too, so it is relatively impermeable to moisture. Do not fret that you will be pushing the metal end on top of the sparkplug insulator through the grease, as the metal to metal contacts between the DI cassette and sparkplug are nice and tight and will displace the grease. Stated another way, the insulating grease there will not prevent transferrence of electrons from the coils to the sparkplug.

I used to just skip the dielectric grease many years ago, but have seen enough misfires due to arcing outside the plug body that I now use it religiously and err on the generous side when applying it.
So go ahead and jam her up there and give her a good squeeze.

 

[earthworm]

Keep the spark plug holes and threads clean !! This is where compressed air is wonderful; the job can be done without air, as it can be done without the nice gapping tool, or professional tools.

But, the idea is to make this task as easy as possible, to-day and next year, primary reasons for the anti-seize and di-electric grease..

The turbocharged 900SE must use the NGK BCPR 7ES
The 900S (naturally aspirated) - - NGK BCP 6 EV as listed in the owner's manual ...
Others can be used as long as the heat range and gap are correct and the resistor plugs are used with the turbo engine...

 

[bkrell]

The turbocharged 900SE must use the NGK BCPR 7ES

No it must not! :nono;

You can also use:

Desno
Champion
Autolite
Bosch
AC Delco

I've personally used 4 of those 5 w/ no problems and a DI that went for 164,000 miles. Currently I am running Bosch Supers, having taken my Autolites out to clean them up. The Champion Double Platinums are a particularly good deal at $2.49 each at Autozone. That was the first non-NGK plug I used. Not saying any of these are any better, but you can use them...

And I'd hoped to enjoy a sparkplug thread w/o bringing it up.

And Saaboheme, thanks for catching me on the arcing. You'd think I would have remembered that given the fact that last summer, one of my NGK's cracked and was arcing. I kept fiddling w/ the DI and slathering dielectric everywhere. I actually used so much di-electric that it prolonged the problem since I kept accidentally sealing the crack in the plug! Making the problem very elusive.

 

[DougR]

We'll I finished the job, all seems well, the car started right up and drives fine.

One thing I realized I forgot to get compressed air. When I took the DI off, nothing seemed very dirty, there really wasnt anything to blow away. I mean I am sure there was something, but I did the job without it, and everything went in nice and smooth. I hand tightened with the extension, and then bolted on the wrench for 1/4 to 1/2 a turn.

Is not using the compressed air going to cause a huge problem? I can do it next time, but I really wanted to get it in before the rain came.

 

[bkrell]

Nah, no biggie if it wasn't really dirty.