jonfkaminsky

Hi all-
I went through Adrian's book and to no avail did I find a good walk through on spark plug/wire R&R. Specifically, I'd like to learn all the gotcha's and all the stuff I need to dismantle in the engine compartment before I can expect to carry out this task.

Thanks for any help,
Jon

jonfkaminsky

Okay shameless bump to the top. Doesn't anyone have a pet procedure they would be willing to share? Ya know, stuff to remove, gaskets, etc. you'll have to buy. I have the wires and the plugs and ready to go.

Thanks
Jon

Adrian

Dear Jon,
Read the valve adjustment section this shows all you need to get access to the spark plugs. I even show you a diagram of the lead caps marked.
There are no gaskets apart form the spark plug copper gaskets that need replacing. Making sure you run the leads correctly and to the correct plug does not need a procedure. The hardest job can be getting the caps off the spark plugs. No 6 lower springs to mind.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

JasonAndreas

Adrian,
Do you have part #'s or a picture of these? I've never heard of spark plug copper gaskets (I have never personally changed my spark plugs either). The only copper gasket that rusts to pieces that I remember from that area is the gasket between the catalytic converter and the heat exchangers.

jonfkaminsky

Thanks Adrian. Is there a torque spec for the plugs?

Jon

Gregg-K

I think the copper gaskets Adrian is referring to are the ones between the spark plugs and the heads.

... Gregg

Bill Gregory

Spark plug copper gaskets? Are we talking the integrated crush washer that's on each spark plug?

Torque is 15-22 ft lbs.

JasonAndreas

Is there anything else I need to know before changing the plugs? Do the plugs need to be gapped or can they go into the car straight out of the box?

jonfkaminsky

bumping to the top....I have not seen the three electrode Bosch plugs before myself- are these to be gapped or used as is?

darth

Dear Jon

When I did my wires more than a year ago the most diffficult part I remember is trying to snake and secure the wires to the fan cowling which run under the intake manifold over to the right bank of cylinders. There are a couple of clips on the wires which are secured to the top of the fan cowling with small bolts/screws and with the intake manifold left on they were a pain to get at.

Bill
90C2

Dave R.

Jason,

I installed new plugs about about 2 yrs ago, used the proper Bosch plugs (FR5DTC?) with multiple electrodes. I think they come pre-gapped.

As I recall, the Porsche manual specified a 0.7mm gap, all the plugs came with a .8mm gap - I tried regapping one, got nowhere with it and just bolted them in with the .8mm gap. Car seems to run fine.

I could not get leverage to bend the electrodes and worried about damaging them... the electrodes are short and thick, they come to the side not the top of the center post, and the tips are curved to match the curve of the post.


-Dave

jonfkaminsky

Bosch lists the FR5DTC spark plug part as:

O.E. SPARK PLUG Carrera; M64.01/02; Gap is not adjustable

Wachuko

Not extremely detailed by any means but something that should help...

Spark Plug wires replacement

jonfkaminsky

hey thanks Jaime, great photo's. How are you getting all that access? Did you drop the exhaust? Drop the heat shields?

Also, I take it that you do not need to remove the valve covers to get the top plugs according to Adrian's post (no gaskets) so how are you getting to those plugs though the hole. Is there some special socket?

Thanks,
jon

Wachuko

No need to remove the valve covers. I did the replacement of the plug wires a few weeks after doing the 15k interval service. It would have been easier then, but again, nothing to it with the valve covers on. You will need a sparkplug socket, extension, and the rachet. No special tools at all. I had to modify the sparkplug socket by modifying the rubber insert (the one that holds the sparkplug from falling and also gets the socket so fixed to the plug that when you try to take it out the only thing that comes out is the extension). Modification was only to cut enough to hold the plug but not to much that would make it a pain to get out once the plug was in place.

You need to remove the tray and all the shields that are in the way. In my case I do not have the secondary muffler (passenger side in my car), so access to that side is good. You do have to remove the catalyc converter to access the other side (driver side in my case).

This is not a difficult task... just requires a lot of patience. Let me know if you have any other questions.