How To: Spark Plug Replacement

[whooosh]

There are a bunch of spark plug threads floating around so I thought why not take a few pics and post a how to for those that may not have changed plugs on the speed or on any car for that matter.
OK
There is probably some ifo that could be added along the way but here is what I do know
The stock relacement NGK plug part number is
ILTR6A-8G
one step colder part number is
LTR7IX-11
I'm installing the one step colder NGK's in the pics
I bought a set of stock heat range plugs and 1 step colder plugs from www.clubplug.net
you can get either heat range plug for under 12.00 each compared to 19.00 and up offered at some other vendors
HKS makes 2 heat ranges as well
this is a cut and paste from the HKSUSA site:
M-Series Super Fire Racing Plugs
50003-M35LF *Mazda MZR Engine* ; Mazda 3, Mazda 6, MX-5 '06 7 1 $22.97



50003-M40LF *Mazda MZR Engine* ; Mazda 3, Mazda 6, MX-5 '06 8 1 $22.97

as for the install
it's very staight forward with common tools....
first remove the intercooler shroud by taking the 2 - 10mm bolts off and sliding the shroud back toward the firewall for removal

next start removing the your TMIC (top mounted intercooler) by taking off the 3 - 12mm mounting bolts
there are two in the front, one in the rear of the TMIC


next remove the vacuum line to the BOV(blow off valve) and remove the lower hose clamp by the throttle body
this hose clamp can be loosened with a phillips screwdriver or a 10mm socket

and lastly to remove the TMIC, loosen the hose clamp on the rear of the intercooler
also 10mm or phillips screwdriver

pull up on the rear of the intercooler seperating the intercooler from the rear hose connection - then wiggle the intercooler back and forth to free it from the front lower hose connection by the throttle body
once the intercooler is off and set aside, remove the 4 - 8mm bolts that hold down the coils
then simply pull up on each coil carefully

now you are ready to remove the spark plugs
using a 5/8 spark plug socket(has rubber in the socket to hold the plug in place while removing and installing)


once they are removed, reinstall everything in reverse order
I gapped my plugs at .32
Please be careful when doing this
I personally use feeler gauges when gapping plugs to ensure proper gap. I don't trust the cheesey spark plug tools from auto stores. I use a Jacob's Electronics plug gapper on standard type plugs but irridium tip plugs are very fragile so feeler gauges are the way to go IMO
I also use electric grease on the spark plug boot/coil before re-installing plus ***very important*** use a small amount of anti-seize on the new spark plug threads to allow for easy removal in the future.

[rfawcett]

Any difference with those colder plugs yet?

[whooosh]

Any difference with those colder plugs yet?[/b]

The car feels better but that may be in my mind

[BlackCherry06]

Thanks so much for the post and great pics. I have a question about the valve cover 'valley'. Is there any way for water to drain out of that valley, or is it closed on all 4 sides? I've lost 2 coilpacks to what the dealership is calling 'water intrusion'. The tech noted that he found standing water during this procedure and I was wondering where in the world that would have been until I saw your pictures.

Thanks

[whooosh]

Thanks so much for the post and great pics. I have a question about the valve cover 'valley'. Is there any way for water to drain out of that valley, or is it closed on all 4 sides? I've lost 2 coilpacks to what the dealership is calling 'water intrusion'. The tech noted that he found standing water during this procedure and I was wondering where in the world that would have been until I saw your pictures.

Thanks[/b]

anytime!
as for the valley area, I didn't notice any type of drainage holes or passages
I think if you have a lot of water in there, the only way to remove it is letting the engine heat burn it off evetually or to dry it with a rag
I wonder how you are getting so much water in there unless you are continually steam cleaning the engine compartment or using bags of ice over the intercooler between rounds at the track?????
Either way, try to keep water out of there if possible.
If you pack the connector and boot with electril grease when dry, that would kinda help your situation but keep;ing water away from the coils is seemlingly key

[BlackCherry06]

Strangely enough, the first coilpack failure came shortly after driving in a very hard rain. I keep the engine bay clean via wiping down with microfiber cloths and mild cleaning agents, and I noticed the day after the heavy rain that there were tons of dirty water spots all up inside the hood ducting, indicating that rain water or water coming off other people's tires were going through the ducting. I don't know how much water made it to the valve cover, but the following day on my way home (80 mile drive) suddenly I had a coilpack failure on #2.

I had the same thing happen 2 weeks ago, the day after I washed the car (not the engine) at the coin-op car wash. I always dry underneath the hood, and I noticed that I once again had water in the ducting from the high pressure spray aimed at the nose during the wash, and the next day....fried coilpack again. This time #3.

It wasn't completely clear to me what the technician noted, whether he actually found water, or found that water HAD BEEN there, but they added to my work order that washing the engine is a no-no.

Imagine the problems I'd have if I washed the engine. Kind of a bad design, IMO. Since there's a direct path from the nose of the car to the intercooler, and down on top of the valve cover, drains would seemingly be essential.

Thanks for the info!

[rpalmerj]

There are a bunch of spark plug threads floating around so I thought why not take a few pics and post a how to for those that may not have changed plugs on the speed or on any car for that matter.OK There is probably some ifo that could be added along the way but here is what I do knowThe stock relacement NGK plug part number isILTR6A-8Gone step colder part number isLTR7IX-11I'm installing the one step colder NGK's in the picsI bought a set of stock heat range plugs and 1 step colder plugs from www.clubplug.netyou can get either heat range plug for under 12.00 each compared to 19.00 and up offered at some other vendorsHKS makes 2 heat ranges as well this is a cut and paste from the HKSUSA site:M-Series Super Fire Racing Plugs50003-M35LF *Mazda MZR Engine* ; Mazda 3, Mazda 6, MX-5 '06 7 1 $22.97 50003-M40LF *Mazda MZR Engine* ; Mazda 3, Mazda 6, MX-5 '06 8 1 $22.97 as for the installit's very staight forward with common tools....first remove the intercooler shroud by taking the 2 - 10mm bolts off and sliding the shroud back toward the firewall for removalnext start removing the your TMIC (top mounted intercooler) by taking off the 3 - 12mm mounting boltsthere are two in the front, one in the rear of the TMICnext remove the vacuum line to the BOV(blow off valve) and remove the lower hose clamp by the throttle bodythis hose clamp can be loosened with a phillips screwdriver or a 10mm socketand lastly to remove the TMIC, loosen the hose clamp on the rear of the intercooleralso 10mm or phillips screwdriverpull up on the rear of the intercooler seperating the intercooler from the rear hose connection - then wiggle the intercooler back and forth to free it from the front lower hose connection by the throttle bodyonce the intercooler is off and set aside, remove the 4 - 8mm bolts that hold down the coilsthen simply pull up on each coil carefullynow you are ready to remove the spark plugsusing a 5/8 spark plug socket(has rubber in the socket to hold the plug in place while removing and installing)once they are removed, reinstall everything in reverse orderI gapped my plugs at .32Please be careful when doing thisI personally use feeler gauges when gapping plugs to ensure proper gap. I don't trust the cheesey spark plug tools from auto stores. I use a Jacob's Electronics plug gapper on standard type plugs but irridium tip plugs are very fragile so feeler gauges are the way to go IMOI also use electric grease on the spark plug boot/coil before re-installing plus ***very important*** use a small amount of anti-seize on the new spark plug threads to allow for easy removal in the future.[/b]

Great write up and pics. Thanks alot. Just curious if your BOV is noisy or if it brought in a CEL?Thanks

Great write up and pics. Thanks alot. Just curious if your BOV is noisy or if it brought in a CEL?Thanks[/b]

OK. I'm trying again. Must have hit the wrong reply button. Great write and pics. Thanks alot. Just curious if you BOV is noisy or brings in a CEL?Thanks again

[whooosh]

Great write up and pics. Thanks alot. Just curious if your BOV is noisy or if it brought in a CEL?ThanksOK. I'm trying again. Must have hit the wrong reply button. Great write and pics. Thanks alot. Just curious if you BOV is noisy or brings in a CEL?Thanks again[/b]

The Greddy Type-RS BOV isn't that loud really, the 3" custom inlet and CAI combined, well that's another story....sounds mean and I like it
I'm running the BOV VTA and it isn't that loud especially since I installed the Greddy anti-stall valve

[jb606]

Looks good nice write up

[Dadasracecar]

I posted this in the other spark plug topic but no one has responded. Sorry for the double post but I thought this topic was more appropriate as this is where whoosh first mentioned his new plugs.

So this is from the NGK website. I'd really like to go a step colder also but I'm concerned about the reach difference of the two plugs. I'm too much of a noob to know if this matters but it seems like the colder plug might not extend into the cylinder as far as the oem. Will this have an effect? The gap is also pretty different. I guess it could be fixed but I've always heard that Ir plugs were fragile.

stock heat range replacement
NGK ILTR6A8G
Stock Number: 3787
Iridium plug, 14mm, 26.5mm reach, 5/8" hex, tapered seat, resistor, extremely long life plug, special firing end construction, iridium center electrode with platinum tipped ground electrode, .032" gap

1 step colder
NGK LTR7IX-11
Iridium IX plug, 14mm, 25mm reach, 5/8" hex, tapered seat, resistor, fine wire (0.6mm) iridium center electrode, tapered cut ground electrode, .044" gap