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Going to change my plugs.
- Thread starter cobravenom39
- Start date
It's easy.
First make sure the engine is cold, you don't want to change plugs on a hot engine.
You'll need to grab a 3/8" drive ratchet, a fairly long extension, 10mm socket, dialectric grease, nickel-based anti-sieze, and a 5/8" spark plug socket.
You'll want a spark plug socket because they have a rubber/foam grommet inside them that will grab onto the plug and make pulling them out easier.
Next, remove the intake from the throttle body to your mass air sensor.
Then remove the spark plug covers (The two plates on top of the valve covers, the driverside one says 32 valve DOHC).
When you get the spark plug covers off you'll see the coil-overs. Just pull them out. You can try to remember which coil-over goes where but in mine it's pretty obvious by how they're taped up. Yours should be the same.
Use the ratchet, extension, and spark plug socket to remove the old plugs.
As for the new plugs. I use Denso IT-22's gapped at 0.035 and I'm pushing 15lbs of boost. That's good enough for you with the boost you're running depending on who you ask.... You might want to get yours pre-gapped.
Put a SMALL amount of anti-sieze on the threads of the new plugs, you don't want any of that stuff falling into the combustion chamber. Dab a small bit of dialectric grease on the end that the boot covers.
Install the new plugs and put the coil-overs back in place, there's a groove in the plug cover closest to the fire wall that the cable feeds through. Make sure that the cable goes back into place to prevent any kind of moisture from getting in.
Some people say to torque the plugs and the covers back into place but I did not. I just hand tightened them into place then firmed 'em up with the ratchet. You can only get like a 1/8-1/4 turn out of the plugs after hand tightening them anyhow.
Put your intake back into place and make sure all the sensors are plugged in if you had to unplug any.
Ok that should be it.
If I forgot anything someone will let us know
First make sure the engine is cold, you don't want to change plugs on a hot engine.
You'll need to grab a 3/8" drive ratchet, a fairly long extension, 10mm socket, dialectric grease, nickel-based anti-sieze, and a 5/8" spark plug socket.
You'll want a spark plug socket because they have a rubber/foam grommet inside them that will grab onto the plug and make pulling them out easier.
Next, remove the intake from the throttle body to your mass air sensor.
Then remove the spark plug covers (The two plates on top of the valve covers, the driverside one says 32 valve DOHC).
When you get the spark plug covers off you'll see the coil-overs. Just pull them out. You can try to remember which coil-over goes where but in mine it's pretty obvious by how they're taped up. Yours should be the same.
Use the ratchet, extension, and spark plug socket to remove the old plugs.
As for the new plugs. I use Denso IT-22's gapped at 0.035 and I'm pushing 15lbs of boost. That's good enough for you with the boost you're running depending on who you ask.... You might want to get yours pre-gapped.
Put a SMALL amount of anti-sieze on the threads of the new plugs, you don't want any of that stuff falling into the combustion chamber. Dab a small bit of dialectric grease on the end that the boot covers.
Install the new plugs and put the coil-overs back in place, there's a groove in the plug cover closest to the fire wall that the cable feeds through. Make sure that the cable goes back into place to prevent any kind of moisture from getting in.
Some people say to torque the plugs and the covers back into place but I did not. I just hand tightened them into place then firmed 'em up with the ratchet. You can only get like a 1/8-1/4 turn out of the plugs after hand tightening them anyhow.
Put your intake back into place and make sure all the sensors are plugged in if you had to unplug any.
Ok that should be it.
If I forgot anything someone will let us know
79KTs03 said:It's easy.
First make sure the engine is cold, you don't want to change plugs on a hot engine.
You'll need to grab a 3/8" drive ratchet, a fairly long extension, 10mm socket, dialectric grease, nickel-based anti-sieze, and a 5/8" spark plug socket.
You'll want a spark plug socket because they have a rubber/foam grommet inside them that will grab onto the plug and make pulling them out easier.
Next, remove the intake from the throttle body to your mass air sensor.
Then remove the spark plug covers (The two plates on top of the valve covers, the driverside one says 32 valve DOHC).
When you get the spark plug covers off you'll see the coil-overs. Just pull them out. You can try to remember which coil-over goes where but in mine it's pretty obvious by how they're taped up. Yours should be the same.
Use the ratchet, extension, and spark plug socket to remove the old plugs.
As for the new plugs. I use Denso IT-22's gapped at 0.035 and I'm pushing 15lbs of boost. That's be good enough for you with the boost you're running depending on who you ask.... You might want to get yours pre-gapped.
But a SMALL amount of anti-sieze on the threads of the new plugs, you don't want any of that stuff falling into the combustion chamber. Dab a small bit of dialectric grease on the end that the boot covers.
Install the new plugs and put the coil-overs back in place, there's a groove in the plug cover closest to the fire wall that the cable feeds through. Make sure that the cable goes back into place to prevent any kind of moisture from getting in.
Some people say to torque the plugs and the covers back into place but I did not. I just hand tightened them into place then firmed 'em up with the ratchet. You can only get like a 1/8-1/4 turn out of the plugs after that hand tightening them anyhow.
Put your intake back into place and make sure all the sensors are plugged in if you had to unplug any.
Ok that should be it.
If I forgot anything someone will let us know
What he said :laughing2
It's a piece of cake.
Do it Harvey :headbang:
One little tip with the plugs' reinstallation...I take the socket wrench off and just screw the plugs in by hand with the extension. Then I put the wrench back on to tighten them a little after they are snug. If you use the wrench to start the plugs you may cross thread them and strip the threads.
Great info by 79KTs03 on the procedure. :headbang:
Great info by 79KTs03 on the procedure. :headbang:
Hey, me and mike just got done putting my sparks in. I went w/ Denso IT-16s. Man, they were $13 a piece. I hope they're worth it. After installing the plugs, we listened to my car and I think I hear a squeal from inside the charger. I think its a bad bearing and that's why my charger Isn't throwin down the boost it should on my lunar guage. How much longer will it last? Should I do an apten core exchange, or should I get the Blowzilla? It depends on how much time I have.
What is this?
bad bearings are not contagious.
Shanker thinks he may have one and from our discussions, he may, but they are very rare. Is this a northside thing?
Please try swapping belts first. That is a common cause of a noise that can be mistaken for a blower problem.
Also isolate the idler bearings. This is the second most common cause of this noise. You can spray a small amount of WD40 directly on the bearing of each of the idlers with one of those plastic straws that come with the can.
$13 a plug is a lot. I balked at $2.30 for the NGK's I'm using.
Glad the install went ok!! :biggthump
Dan
bad bearings are not contagious.
Shanker thinks he may have one and from our discussions, he may, but they are very rare. Is this a northside thing?
Please try swapping belts first. That is a common cause of a noise that can be mistaken for a blower problem.
Also isolate the idler bearings. This is the second most common cause of this noise. You can spray a small amount of WD40 directly on the bearing of each of the idlers with one of those plastic straws that come with the can.
$13 a plug is a lot. I balked at $2.30 for the NGK's I'm using.
Glad the install went ok!! :biggthump
Dan
Dana said:
We sprayed WD-40 on the supercharger pulley, and it was still making the noise. It was noise was clearly coming from the supercharger, and Mike even put a screwdriver as a sort of stethascope and he said it was coming from supercharger. He said it sounded like it was coming from inside. W/ the pulley installed, it has never made more than 13lb of boost, w/ a 2.75. I did put on a smaller pulley belt, though, and I just ordered the original sized one I had on it. It should be here in a couple days and I'll put it on. I wish I still lived in South Holland so you could listen to it, Dana.
Glad it was that simple!cobravenom39 said:
Only 3 in 10000 miles? That's nothing.
If you beat the crap out of it, you should probably expect to change belts a lot more often to maintain the boost and limit the slippage. I would suggest keeping at least 1 spare belt on hand at all times. (Not literally, I mean in your trunk).
Under normal conditions, the belts will last quite a long time, but these conditions are pretty far from normal.
Last fall, I went through 3 belts in one track event.
I had to quit racing because I was out of belts.
I am working on a connection for Gates belts now.
I will probably get them at a really good price if it works out.
I'll be able to stock all the belt sizes we use.
I'll let everyone know if it happens.
Dan
Easier than the Lightning I'd assume? I did mine in the Lightning but it took a few hours. I havent even looked to see how hard they will be on the Cobra but I read on here they are pretty easy to do. If I change the pulley out I will pry be putting in some tr6's. Anyone around the Naperville/Joliet area think they could lend me a hand my first time around?79KTs03 said:
:cool2: Shane
Shanezam203 said:
Dan (Dana) changed someone's plugs in a Cobra at the last Mokena meeting. What a joke. I think it took close to 10 minutes.
It's just not any fun unless you have to take the fuel rail off, buy special triple-jointed socket extensions, magnetic torx bits, and study contortionism to change rear plugs!
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