360 Spark Plug Change

I am going to do a service on the CS and was going to put some new plugs in.

I am looking at the access from the top, and it looks awkward to say the least. To anyone who has done this, what is the best way to access them.

Thanks in advance....

 

Top should work fine.. other approach might be through the rear wheel wells.

 

I recently replaced mine. Access from the top was no problem for me. I'm 6'1" and have long arms, so that might help though. I basically leaned in from the side and used one hand on the plenum to support my weight, then worked with the other hand for the most part. I was able to do it without even touching the side of the car, but I put on soft sweats and a t-shirt just in case.
It took almost 2 hrs to do all the plugs.
That includes removing the coil wire, removing the coil, removing the old plug, gapping the new plug, putting anti seize on the new plug, torqueing the new plug, applying a very slight amount of spark plug boot lube to the opening, then reinstalling the coil and electrical connector.....times 8. Not really a bad job. It goes pretty smoothly. Just make sure that you use anti seize paste on the plugs and also torque them properly with a torque wrench. It's a very low torque so be careful. One last hint. Since the plugs are such a low torque, the wrench will click while the gasket is still compressing on the plug. After it clicks, wait a second and torque it again, the plug will move again because the washer compresses. Do it 2 or 3 times until the plug doesn't move any more. The idea is to have a properly torqued plug that will not loosen after the washer compresses. I think it's only about 7-8 ft/lbs if I remember correctly (make sure you look up the proper torque).

 

Easy from the top but just be very careful with the coil bolts as they are real easy to drop below and it's a total PIA to have to remove the floor to retrieve them!

 

Good point.
I didn't drop those, but I dropped other bolts and sockets in there on at least 2 seperate occasions. A magnetic expandable wand tool and an inspection camera helped me retrieve it without too much trouble. When I dropped the socket, the magnetic tool blindly found it without the cameras assistance.

 

According to NGK bulletins I've read on the internet, anti-seize should not be used on any of their spark plugs as they then won't generate the right amount of force using standard torques. They use a plating system on the plugs that precludes the use of anti-seize compound. Any thoughts???

 

I read the same and installed my plugs without any anti seize coating.

 

up4speed,
Very good description, thanks!

I do though agree with the others that these days you don't need anti-seize as the threads are plated (I read this also in the Bosch manual). You won't though have to worry about false axial force as your torque method was so meticulous, I am sure you got the gasket compresion spot on.

 

OK, curious- is this new "plating" thing on plugs a recent development/industry wide? When abouts did this start? 10 yrs ago? 5 yrs ago? And does this apply even if your car was made BEFORE this new "plating"?

 

If you look at section A3.05 of the workshop manual, the first step in the reassembly stage says:
"Apply a minimal amount of the prescribed type of lubricant to the threaded part"

Now I'm not sure what the "prescribed lubricant" is, but I figured one can't go wrong with the stuff made for spark plugs.

I know that the spark plugs are supposed to have a special coating, but I'm familiar with other aluminum head engines and I wouldn't attempt to install plugs without the spark plug compound.
I have a Yamaha boat engine that absolutely needs the stuff. For some reason, on those engines the #3 plug gets stuck. After reading the forums and realizing that many people who didn't use the anti-seize are repairing the engine after getting stuck plugs, I realized that the coating on the plugs doesn't help at all, and the anti-seize compound is ABSOLUTELY necessary on that engine in particular.
I understand that they can be slightly over torqued if they are lubed, but at such low torque values, I wouldn't think that it can cause a problem.
The main reason that I felt it's necessary to use a lube is because the shop manual says to use a lube and gives a torque rating assuming that you are using that lube. I'm comfortable with what I've been doing for many years on my vehicles, but I understand if there are other opinions out there. YMMV

 

All that said, NGK says it's not advised to use the anti seize:
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/pdf/tb-0630111antisieze.pdf

I would like to see an argument between the NGK guys and the Yamaha boat guys that had engine damage from stuck plugs!!

I have a question:
Why would a plug with the special coating from the factory be over torqued with the anti seize stuff, but the plugs with the black finish that NGK recommends using anti-seize on won't be over torqued when anti-seize is used?
This is all too confusing!!!!

 

I'm starting to take things apart from the top... At 5'5" its definitely a bit awkward getting at the coils.

Before I drop the bolts from the coils..... Are they attached to the coils, or do they have the potential to fall out?

Also... How does the electronic connection to the coil unclip?

Thanks

 

Maybe you should leave this job to a pro... It's really not that hard.

 

I've been doing my own majors on Ferraris from my TR and 348 to F40. I realize it's pretty basic and this is a much easier car to work on, but it's always nice to get info from someone who has done it on a particular car, and this is a new car for me. While the internet provides some great information for enthusiasts to share, it is also full people who have nothing to contribute.

In other words...

 

Dino, let me know if you need a hand!

 

There are 2 10mm bolts that hold down each coil. Remove the electrical connector by pushing down on the center tab and pull away from the coil. Remove the coil. Using a 6 inch extension and a 5/8 spark plug socket, remove the spark plug. Work from the rear of the car. It's eaiser then from the side because you don't have to twist your wrist in odd angles to get at the coils.

Is that better? For some one that has done major work on ferraris in the past, this job should be a walk in the park.

 

Make sure you follow torque specs when installing your new plugs.
Torque specs are 9.8NM Do not over tighten, you will run the risk of cracking the head!!

 

I knocked it out and it was a walk in the park.

Those 10mm bolts can and will fall out of the coils.

My solution to being vertically challenged was a simple step stool.

In the old days I used to just jump into any project, but the internet ends up being a bit of a crutch (mostly unnecessary), for information on cars that I haven't done certain things on. I've always felt that it was better to learn from someone else's mistakes, than make my own.

One thing I did notice was the plugs I removed were NGK R PMR8A, and the plugs I replaced them with were the ones spec'd from NGK, the R PMR8B. I am sure some of the experts on here know the difference.

 

Thanks Ash, I knocked it out. It was easy. The hardest part was getting past my height and being able to lean in the engine bay.

While I was in there I took off the CF covers and cleaned and polished them and they came out nice. I thought they were going to need to be clear coated, but they just needed a bit of tidying up.

If you want to help... I've got engine and gearbox oil to do....

 

The B's are the newer version of the plug. Supposedly the only difference is the shape of the electrode tip. One is round and the other is square. At least that's what the guy at NGK told me when I called their tech support. I was also curious and needed to know.
He couldn't really tell me the benefit of the change though.

 

See below a photograph of the packaging on the NGK PMR8B I installed recently.

I read the "instructions" as indicating that one should tighten by hand, then compress the washer by 1/16th of a turn and then a further 180 degrees to fully compress the washer.

I'd use a torque wrench if I was re-installing a used plug but I feel this is the manufacture's intended instruction.
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GOOD MORNING ,for what i understand A is factory single platinum.and B is the later design which is dobble platinum....

 

It's faster already!

 

i may be wrong but those instruccions show the two tipes of spark plugs ,,cone tipe tighten by hand + 1/16th of turn and...... washer tipe tighten by hand then 180 degres.

 

You could be right, I'm not familiar with cone spark plugs.

The instructions are less than completely clear. I presumed that the first picture in Box #2 was showing a spark plug with a new (uncompressed) washer and that the second picture was showing the fully tightened and compressed washer.