Tackling Coils
 

My automotive experience ranges from watching ppl do stuff to alternators. Would it be wise to do the coils myself or have someone do them for me? I've watched a few videos and it looks simple enough but it's never the case. Part of the issue is I build computers so I'm a little too cautious. i.e. some mechanical issues are brute strength and computers are the opposite so it scares me to exert the force.

My Dad has a lift and all the tools because he restored a couple of mustangs.

It's pretty easy...

It's been a long time since I put in spark plugs (68 Skylark back in the 90s, i.e. really open engine) do you still have to use a sparkplug gap tool or is that a thing of the past?

It is very easy IMHO. The hardest part is getting the airbox out, but all it takes is a little force. Push it hard toward the back of the car and pull up to free the front. Pull up on the back to free the rear. Once you have done that, the coils are a breeze. I also removed the MAF and disconnected the accordion tube from the throttle body and set the whole thing aside, but I don't think you actually have to.

The plugs are easy too if you jack up and remove the left front wheel. You'll need a torque wrench (12 ft/lbs IIRC) to torque them to spec. I use a tiny amount of antisieze on the threads and a tiny amount of dielectric grease on the terminal. The main thing is to replace one plug and wire at a time to keep from mixing them up.

The whole process took me ~45 minutes when I installed my BHR kit.

You do not need to gap the plugs. They come pre-gapped for the car. Trying to gap them could actually damage them.

The coils are real easy. And infact are similar to building a computer. Fiddly with matching up plug leads and coil leads, (do it 1 at a time and you won't have an issue).

Biggest difference between a computer and the coils is the nuts are likely lock-tighted (not sure if that's a verb...or the correct spelling).

Basically they need a decent amount of force to break the thread, then come off real easy (if things are clean). IMHO the best way to do this is with a rattle gun on a low torque setting, or a decent length breaker bar to get the nuts turning, before removing them with fingers.

If you dont have a good tool to crack the nut, wear gloves, as you will indefinitely smack your finger between your ratchet against something sharp. But thats inevitable with cars. You will begin to associate that pain with glory as you associate it with success. Or rounding bolts off. Either or.

Anyway, give it a go. Worst that can happen, you lose some blood and get someone else to do it :)

90% of mechanical snafus come from too much force, so your habits from building PCs should keep you safe :) Slow and methodical, you'll be fine.

Excellent advice. IMHO, "good penetrating oil" does not include WD40, whose main property seems to be making a mess. Liquid Wrench is the classic. I've had amazing results with PB Blaster.

Adding to Mysterion's advice, I recommend getting a couple of torque wrenches, quarter inch drive and 3/8 inch drive. You'll be amazed at how low the torque is for the smaller stuff. Cheap beam type wrenches are way better than nothing if you don't have a feel from doing this stuff every day.

Ken

Agreed. Take your time and take it easy. Penetrating oil may be needed, but air tools will not be.

Thanks for the advice. You guys are awesome! Should I do all the coils and then all the plugs after? I mean do 1 coil at a time till they are all done, then do the spark plugs 1 at a time till they are done? or do 1 coil, 1 plug then move to the next?

Assuming you are replacing the wires... I would replace once coil, wire, and plug at a time to prevent any mix-up.

Assuming you are NOT doing the wires... You can do the coils first, being sure to do one at a time to keep the wires straight. Then do the plugs, again being sure to do one at a time to keep the wires straight.

And, you do the plugs through the wheel arch, not the top. Get a long extension and use jack stands.

Fair enough. Mine were pretty tight. Possibly lock-tighted. I removed things to make sure I had clear, straight access to the coils.

My reason for using power tools (electric, not pneumatic) is that I believe they are more suited to breaking a tough thread without damaging the nut, the stud or your fingers.

Using hand tools is fine and I use them where I can, but I've rounded off many nuts and skinned my knuckles on many things, when trying to break threads which could be broken in seconds with a rattle gun.

But to each their own. Of course only use a tool if you know how to use it correctly

Tackling Coils
 

Coils and plugs are relatively easy to do. The only problem I ran into was from the rusty bolts on the bracket. 3 of the 4 bolts ended up breaking but thankfully there was still enough thread to hold the new coils in place. So take your time and use some PB blaster.

I bought the BHR Ignition kit so it came with the wires already installed to the coils. I fitted the coils first then did the plugs. Had a friend help me make sure the wires were all connected to the correct plugs.

A couple of tips to avoid mix-ups;
If you have a camera phone, or digital camera, snap a picture of the existing setup to use for a reference.
Or;
Label the wires with masking tape and a permanent marker.
(Or the wires themselves.)
Or;
There are some diagrams of coils, plugs, and wires on this forum.
They're easy to find with a simple search.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...426639f95a.jpg
1-4, front to back.
Ignore the 1,2, & 3, they're for the parts description.

i always used colored zip ties and matching colored high temp paint pens. 2 different colors; one for front rotor, one for rear. 2 zip ties and 2 dots for trailing, one each for leading. i also cut tiny notches in the coil packs in a particular fashion so i know which was leading/trailing/front/rear. also small notches on rotor housings.

paint on the coil packs (with notches), zip ties on the wires, and paint on the rotor housings with notches (indentations, really) then its a piece of cake.

Nice diagram bigcajun