DIY: Spark Plug change.......
08-11-2007, 06:01 PM
#76
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I was looking at the engine bay and figured I might be able to replace the coils without actually undoing the whole intake... simply removing the intake resonator (square-like box attached to the side of the intake tube, pictured here) might do the trick.
Anyone knows a good reason why I shouldn't touch that? From what I understand it's simply an empty plastic box connected to the intake tube...
Thanks!
Anyone knows a good reason why I shouldn't touch that? From what I understand it's simply an empty plastic box connected to the intake tube...
Thanks!
08-11-2007, 06:14 PM
#78
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08-12-2007, 01:36 PM
#79
FWIW, I just did my coils as well. I just loosened the phillps head screw that secures the plastic intake tube to the TB, pulled the tube off the TB and nudged the whole thing out of the way. It's flexible and you can move it easily. Oh, and I also pulled the strut bar.
It was still a tight pinch, but I could get the coils out, although if you have big hands this may not be enough. To get the connectors off, squeeze them at the end where the wires are, and pull - they shold come off easily.
George
It was still a tight pinch, but I could get the coils out, although if you have big hands this may not be enough. To get the connectors off, squeeze them at the end where the wires are, and pull - they shold come off easily.
George
09-05-2007, 06:10 PM
#81
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I bought my 04 RX8 this past Feb and have not done anything to it yet. I am approaching 30k and am going to replace the spark plugs. With all that I am reading I will be buying the NGK plugs. The question I have is has anyone bought aftermarket wire to go along with it? I am having trouble figuring out if I should buy some new ones. Any thoughts on Nology Hotwires?
09-05-2007, 06:35 PM
#83
True enough about the power, but Mazda OEM wires aren't the best quality, in my opinion. I had a one go bad, which resulted in a rich condition which subsequently killed the cat (and a coil). Now, it may have been the ham-fisted mechanic (me) who did the first plug swap that caused the eventual bad connection between one wire and one plug, I don't know. But I've been burned before by cheap Mazda OEM wires (older Miata, where wires going bad at 30k was/is a known issue) and decided to put on some Magnacores as insurance. Glad I did and I think it's worth the $$$, just from a quality standpoint.
09-05-2007, 10:50 PM
#84
Its more like for the sakes of your engine, better wires gives ya cleaner/better singals.
If you work on audio systems long enough you will know that wires quality makes a BIG difference.
09-07-2007, 02:36 PM
#86
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Just received my new plugs from sparkplugs.com and noticed the part # for the leading plug was different than what is called out in the workshop manual. It also has notches in the end that I hadn't noticed in any pictures before.
RE7A-L vs. RE7C-L
NGK: Racing plug
14mm thread, 21mm reach, 20.6mm(13/16") hex, 62mm height, Trailing plug, solid terminal, notched shell aids cleaning, fine wire, (.08mm) iridium center electrode, fine wire platinum ground electrode .048" gap (1.2mm)
NGK Racing plug 6700 RE7CL $19.95
RE7A-L vs. RE7C-L
NGK: Racing plug
14mm thread, 21mm reach, 20.6mm(13/16") hex, 62mm height, Trailing plug, solid terminal, notched shell aids cleaning, fine wire, (.08mm) iridium center electrode, fine wire platinum ground electrode .048" gap (1.2mm)
NGK Racing plug 6700 RE7CL $19.95
So is this the trailing or leading plug....you mention both but never distinguish betweeen the two????? You say leading but the description says trailing?????
12-16-2007, 04:29 PM
#88
bump because I want to thank everyone that contributed to this thread, as I just replaced my plugs using the information here. the torque spec was extremely helpful, and going through the front driver wheelwell made all the difference.
but when I pulled the old plugs, I noticed when the dealer (Rosenthal Arlington) did the starter/plugs/battery recall, they installed the plugs on the front rotor backwards (leading in trailing position, trailing in lead position), and the car actually drove normal for all this time (~30k miles). Kinda annoyed me that a Mazda dealer tech don't know how to installed the plugs in correction positions.
nontheless, car feels much better now. and here's the requisite pic of the old plugs lol
but when I pulled the old plugs, I noticed when the dealer (Rosenthal Arlington) did the starter/plugs/battery recall, they installed the plugs on the front rotor backwards (leading in trailing position, trailing in lead position), and the car actually drove normal for all this time (~30k miles). Kinda annoyed me that a Mazda dealer tech don't know how to installed the plugs in correction positions.
nontheless, car feels much better now. and here's the requisite pic of the old plugs lol
12-20-2007, 02:37 PM
#89
How possible is it to bend the plug holes?
I took my plugs out to check them, but I couldn't find my wobble extension at the time. It was a bit of a pain in the *** but I managed to get them all out with just straight extenders.
Now when I try to put the front leading plug in (I bought another wobble extender) it will only catch the thread on the plug hole if the plug is at a slightly downward angle. I can't hand tighten it much more than a few turns and it's way too tight to try to force it even close to flush with a ratchet. When it is slightly in, I noticed it's at a different angle than the rear leading plug (fully threaded).
I have switched my front and rear leading plugs and they both work in the rear hole, so I'm pretty sure it's the plug hole.
Any help would be appreciated. I'm charging my camera right now so I can take some pics.
I took my plugs out to check them, but I couldn't find my wobble extension at the time. It was a bit of a pain in the *** but I managed to get them all out with just straight extenders.
Now when I try to put the front leading plug in (I bought another wobble extender) it will only catch the thread on the plug hole if the plug is at a slightly downward angle. I can't hand tighten it much more than a few turns and it's way too tight to try to force it even close to flush with a ratchet. When it is slightly in, I noticed it's at a different angle than the rear leading plug (fully threaded).
I have switched my front and rear leading plugs and they both work in the rear hole, so I'm pretty sure it's the plug hole.
Any help would be appreciated. I'm charging my camera right now so I can take some pics.
12-20-2007, 07:32 PM
#92
The Professor
probably broke the ceramic insulating element. I would just use the wobble thing and take them out.
Best tool for this is magnetic spark plug socket, their about $10 at any auto parts store.
Pretty essential if you ever plan on replacing spark plugs yourself, once you use it you will wonder why you never started using it in the first place.
Best tool for this is magnetic spark plug socket, their about $10 at any auto parts store.
Pretty essential if you ever plan on replacing spark plugs yourself, once you use it you will wonder why you never started using it in the first place.
12-20-2007, 07:38 PM
#93
I left the spark plug on the edge of the hole just to keep the elements out. I have a spark plug socket and it's not hard to get at with the wheel off, the wobble joint on the ratchet and the spark plug socket. Maybe I'll check out the magnetic socket - I like tools.
Anybody have more information on the ceramic insulator? I took a good look in there (better than the pics, which were to show the difference between the front and rear plugs) and didn't see anything obvious. This is starting to sound expensive.
Anybody have more information on the ceramic insulator? I took a good look in there (better than the pics, which were to show the difference between the front and rear plugs) and didn't see anything obvious. This is starting to sound expensive.
12-20-2007, 07:42 PM
#94
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probably broke the ceramic insulating element. I would just use the wobble thing and take them out.
Best tool for this is magnetic spark plug socket, their about $10 at any auto parts store.
Pretty essential if you ever plan on replacing spark plugs yourself, once you use it you will wonder why you never started using it in the first place.
Best tool for this is magnetic spark plug socket, their about $10 at any auto parts store.
Pretty essential if you ever plan on replacing spark plugs yourself, once you use it you will wonder why you never started using it in the first place.
Re-read his post and tell me what you think again?
Did you think he snapped the plug itself or is there a threaded ceramic insulator in the housing holes?
I thought that when he puts the new plugs in(I think he's saying that even if was to start by hand) that it is at a funny angle and gets tight way too soon. I think this means that the original old ones were probably cross-threaded and that's not good at all????? We know what he'll have to do in that case.
He should wait for other responses, but his choices are few..............if I read it right.
1.) Crank down how it is and hope for the best
2.) Re-tap the holes? Ugh!
Don't do either of these on my advise please. I would want to try it myself before making any real judgements!
Last edited by Mazurfer; 12-20-2007 at 07:47 PM.
12-20-2007, 07:53 PM
#95
Thanks for any assistance. It's not my only vehicle so I don't have to rush this, I was just worried/pissed when the spark plug wouldn't go in easily so I came on here for guidance.
12-20-2007, 07:57 PM
#97
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I just don't know yet, but I don't think there is any insulator in the hole itself(esp. ceramic), but I really don't know. If there isn't, then you have to agree with me that the old plug might have been cross-threaded................right?
12-20-2007, 08:01 PM
#98
I don't know. I had to crank on it pretty good but I thought it was because I didn't have the wobble needed to get me around the slight bend.
I'm just hoping that when cranking on it I didn't bend the plug hole, but that's what seems to have happened. I need to do more research.
I'm just hoping that when cranking on it I didn't bend the plug hole, but that's what seems to have happened. I need to do more research.
12-20-2007, 08:01 PM
#99
The Professor
Staticlag,
Re-read his post and tell me what you think again?
Did you think he snapped the plug itself or is there a threaded ceramic insulator in the housing holes?
I thought that when he puts the new plugs in(I think he's saying that even if was to start by hand) that it is at a funny angle and gets tight way too soon. I think this means that the original old ones were probably cross-threaded and that's not good at all????? We know what he'll have to do in that case.
He should wait for other responses, but his choices are few..............if I read it right.
1.) Crank down how it is and hope for the best
2.) Re-tap the holes? Ugh!
Don't do either of these on my advise please. I would want to try it myself before making any real judgements!
Re-read his post and tell me what you think again?
Did you think he snapped the plug itself or is there a threaded ceramic insulator in the housing holes?
I thought that when he puts the new plugs in(I think he's saying that even if was to start by hand) that it is at a funny angle and gets tight way too soon. I think this means that the original old ones were probably cross-threaded and that's not good at all????? We know what he'll have to do in that case.
He should wait for other responses, but his choices are few..............if I read it right.
1.) Crank down how it is and hope for the best
2.) Re-tap the holes? Ugh!
Don't do either of these on my advise please. I would want to try it myself before making any real judgements!
Probably the safest thing that you could do is re-tap the hole, but that size of tap is probably going to cost some cash.
Personally I would just line that spark plug up the best that I could and force it to go back in straight.
Its always good to thread anything in at least halfway by hand before using tools. I learned that the hard way a few times.
