djmano

hey i just got my new plug wires and new spark plugs and was seeing if anyone has a DIY or a good write up with pictures. i am really scared about doing the plug and plug wires as i dont want to mess anything up. i would take it to a shop but ive been quoted anywhere from $120-$170 to do the work.

expo1

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...2&page=1&pp=15
If you take off the drivers side front wheel it gets even easier. As for the wires just replace them one at a time so you don't mix them up. I did mine about two weeks ago, if there is something not in the DIY post your question.

djmano

hey i did the install tonight, pretty easy. i do have one question tho. i dropped one of the plugs and it landed on its top side so the gap kinda got messed up. i just compared it with the other trailing plug and made them look equal. is this okay? or is the gap supposed to be very exact? the car seems to run fine as of right now.

Go48

You should use a feeler gauge to set the gap, but if the gap is essentially the same visually as the other plug, it should be OK. Just hope that you didn't crack any of the ceramic components of the plug--especially the center insulator--when you dropped it.

djmano

whats the center insulator?!?!?! im scared now........

Go48

See the attached image. The center insulator is the material that surrounds the center, metallic electrode. The center insulator isolates the center electrode from the surrounging metal body of the spark plug so as to direct the electrical charge to the other electrode across the air gap thereby producing the desired spark. A crack in the center insulator could cause the electrical charge to short to the metalic parts of the plug and thereby weaken or eliminate the spark at the gap. The ceramic material is fairly strong, but it can break.

However, if your car seems to be running OK, then don't worry. It probably would not be worth removing the plug to check for a crack because there could be a hairline crack that might not be visible anyway. If your car experiences misfires at high rpm's in the future, remove the plug and inspect or replace. For more information on spark plugs and ignition systems, along with other automotive systems including rotary engines, go to HowStuffWorks.com.