Changed my sparkplugs and have a question

"valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option" (valsidalv) 04/12/2015 at 17:04 • Filed to: None

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Yesterday I did a thing, Oppo! Recently I decided that I no longer want to pay someone else to do trivial work on my car, so after 4.5 years of car ownership I got to changing my own oil and replacing my spark plugs.

My friend with a 2011 GTI said it took him 30 mins to do the whole job. It took me 30 mins just to access the driver -side coils on my ‘06 G35x (V-shaped engine, so 3 plugs on either side). This involved removing my intake and working around the electrical harness that connects to the coils - what a huge pain in the ass! The passenger side was even worse: I had to remove many rubber hoses, there were even more cables running all over the place and there was almost no room for maneuverability. Anyways, I learned a lot and I might do a little write-up about some tricks I learned along the way for any Opponauts that are hesitant to do their own wrenching (like I was).

Driver-side coils circled in red. Intake tube has been removed.

Passenger-side coils circled in red. One coil already removed, and one coil impossible to see because Infiniti hates people working on their cars.

I also have a question to those that know stuff about spark plugs. In the image below you will see two of my old plugs. The top one, which was on the passenger side, is much dirtier than the bottom one, which came from the driver side. Normally I’d think nothing of it but all the passenger-side spark plugs were similarly dirty, and all the driver-side spark plugs were relatively cleaner. Does anyone know why something like this can happen, and if it’s an issue?

E. Julius > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 17:07

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Anyways, I learned a lot and I might do a little write-up about some tricks I learned along the way for any Opponauts that are hesitant to do their own wrenching (like I was).

Please do

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 17:18

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consider yourself lucky. I have a transvestite .......god dammit autocorrect... a transverse v6 so to get to the whole back side of plugs you had so go around the intake plenum from the sides. The top of it is too close to the top of the firewall and under the wipers. Thankfully the coil pack boots were flexible because they're a full inch longer than the space between the insert and top of engine bay. Those 3 took almost an hour - the front 3 plugs took less than 10 minutes.

NonDriftingS13 > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 17:18

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Could be many reasons one bank of plugs is dirtier than the other. Was it oil or fuel fouling the plugs?

dogisbadob > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 17:19

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Wow, I'm surprised it's that difficult since it's a longitudinal engine. It's the transverse V6's that are known to be a pain to work on!

It's actually pretty easy to change the plugs on my I30 since the intake has cutouts for the back row coils/plugs.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > dogisbadob 04/12/2015 at 17:22

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Perhaps it's also that I'm new to this. The trickiest thing was just getting access to the plugs. That harness really obstructed things.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > NonDriftingS13 04/12/2015 at 17:23

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How can I accurately distinguish between oil and fuel? Aside from the colour, is there something I can feel or smell?

NonDriftingS13 > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 17:31

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Usually you can just smell the fuel on the plug. Especially if the car was recently running. Oil is also usually very slick.

dogisbadob > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 04/12/2015 at 17:32

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I know that feeling! My old Lexus used to have that!

The car I have now is also a transverse V6, but at least he intake has cutouts for the rear plugs :)

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > dogisbadob 04/12/2015 at 17:34

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that's smart(er) design. Nothing like humping your engine for an our trying to complete some basic maintenance

jovimon7 > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 17:34

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I hope you put anti-seize on the new plugs threads. As far as the plugs, the drivers side could have an intake vacuum leak.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > NonDriftingS13 04/12/2015 at 17:39

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I don't have them with me but I don't think they smelled of fuel. Either way it was only the threads that were dirtier, there wasn't significantly more deposit on the firing tip.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > jovimon7 04/12/2015 at 17:46

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Yes, I used anti-sieze. I am going to a garage sometime soon for a suspension issue so I'll ask them to take a look.

NonDriftingS13 > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 17:57

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If it was just the threads, I probably wouldn't worry too much about it.

EDIT: Especially if you didn't notice any odd driving behavior.

dogisbadob > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 04/12/2015 at 18:08

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The sad thing, though, is that I still have to take off the intake and shit because I need to replace the valve cover gaskets :(

And the Kia Sedona used to have a transvestite engine: the transverse engine had one of those covers that made it look longitudinal

DoYouEvenShift > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 18:10

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Try changing the pcv valve, its another routine maintenance item that is often neglected. On some engines, the vacuum line is on either the left or right bank. You ended getting all the crud sucked into just that side which makes it look gunky.

Funktheduck > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 18:14

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Maybe since the passenger side was so difficult, no one bothered

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > dogisbadob 04/12/2015 at 18:16

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transvestite engine: the transverse engine had one of those covers that made it look longitudinal

I legit lol'ed, that's too great

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/12/2015 at 20:26

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My turbo Forester took a day and a half of cursing and bruised knuckles. When I had a Crown Vic, I could get all the plugs changed in 22 minutes.

Crazy how drastically different some cars can be to work on. Anyway, congrats!

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 04/12/2015 at 22:19

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Indeed, sometimes makes you question if it's worth your own time and trouble... it usually is!

Thanks

Mattbob > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/29/2015 at 11:34

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Was there any oil in the plug tubes/spark plug socket when you pulled it out? The tube seal could be going on that side.

Paul Balze > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/29/2015 at 16:35

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I remember reading something years and years ago that said the access to the plugs in a '77ish Trans Am was so bad you had to put it up on a lift, remove the right front wheel and go in from below to get at one of them.

KissMySS > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/29/2015 at 17:58

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If just the threads were considerably dirtier it usually means the valve cover gaskets are leaking a little. Was there oil on the coil boots? If there is build up on the electrode and ground strap of the spark plug, then you might have a pcv issue if one bank is considerably dirtier than the other.