Spark plug change
Hey guys I am going to try to make my plug change a little easier and take off the turbo intake elbows
Are there any tips you guys can give me thanks

 

I know this is a old thread but how did you plug change go? I am getting a misfire so going to change plugs and coil packs.

Any tips?

 

I tried to do it without pulling the bumper...horrible idea. Got stopped in my tracks fighting with the rear driver's coil pack. After pulling the bumper (easy) and the over cat heat shields (also kinda easy) life got improved immensely. That said....I'm a jet engine mechanic and I still wouldn't flaunt it and call this an easy job.

Jackstands
Wheels
Rear Wheelwells
Bumper
Turbo Intake Elbows
Overcat heat shields
Valve cover/coil heat shields
Coil packs
Plugs
Reassemble

I was actually able to get a torque wrench (straight) on most plugs and coil packs.

Two things are a real bear:
- Rearmost driver's coil pack (doesn't clear turbine housing very easily when pulling out - gotta clock it right while extracting)
- Rear bolt that holds the driver's side valve cover heat shield is a monster to start/reinstall (the turbo is all up in the way). Might be easier with an etorx ratcheting dogbone (I bought one afterwards for the next time).

 

WSM directs to lower the engine an inch or three. Would that have made the job non-trivially easier?

 

Thanks

I did my 996 Turbo plugs back in the day, but I think the Mezger engine was a lot less complicated and easier to do. You don't have to remove intercoolers?

The bummer part is I just changed my exhaust, if I would have know I would be getting a misfire code on 4 cylinder I would have done it then.

 

Not really...the (slight) difficulty comes in the relationship/distance between the turbos/exhaust and the heads.
Nope. They're well out of the way!

 

Thanks.

 

thats great, I think I removed them in the 996

 

i was able to do the job without taking off the bumper or wheels or anything. Was definitely annoying, but as stated once the heat shields were off things improved.

Biggest problem i had was getting one of the coil pack plug boots off the spark plug. Had to make a little tool to get some WD-40 in between the ceramic and the rubber. the thing was really fused to the plug and then i made the mistake of using a pick tool to try and yank it out and tore the boot twice. Then i stopped because i realized there wouldn't be anything left to grab if it kept failing. tried to spray some wd in there...didn't improve...tore a third section of the boot...ok now i'm getting worried. Took a bic pen and cut a section away so i could use it like a tongue depressor to push away the boot and then spray the wd down the center of the pen shaft and it was able to get in. then it popped off with almost zero effort.

Tricky job, wouldn't recommend it to anyone without some healthy wrench turning experience.

 

Do a lot of stuff on my 914's and long hood 911 but I think I'll leave this job with the pros!!

 

Started taken the car apart. The driver side Turbo heat shield, maybe its because I have aftermarket Cats, loosening the heat shield makes no difference since I cant move it out of the way. You are correct, the drivers side valve cover bolt is going to be a bear. I have a torx ratcheting wrench and its still going to be hard to get to. Starting to think removing the exhaust, so I can remove the cats will be easier in the long run.

I would love to see how a Porsche technician would do this.

Lucky this isn't my daily so it can sit on the lift and I can take my time.

 

I did mine while bolting on Sam’s stage 4 so I had everything off (turbos, intercoolers, headers, etc). But I think you could do it with turbos on and intercoolers on. Exhaust/cats, all Sheilds, probably need to come off.

most helpful was a swivel, a wobble, and a crows foot. These help get in those tight places.

getting the coils out will be a pain. Use some lube, but you’ll probably still scrape them a little.

 

Just waiting for parts, coils and plugs.

 

Damn!!

Good job.

 

Update, job is done, one and four cylinder are the hard ones. If I have to do it again, I'm pretty sure I could knock it out in a day. So far no miss fires and driving great.