TerpsRED

What about age? Is that as much of a factor as mileage? For many Pcars years come long before miles add up. Does anyone have a recommendation (other than the standard 4 yrs in the book) for a realistic age limit to change the plugs if you are having no issues, and are WAY under the mileage?

ELUSIVE

2nd.

I'm at about 6 years old of an early model 2006 (so it's really probably almost 7 years old) but only have 12,000 miles the car. It gets driven at least weekly and brought up to speed. I have never changed the plugs.

In fact, I've never really done much of anything to it other than oil/filter yearly, air filter, cabin filter, new battery, and brake bleeds.

Heck, automotive confessional here...I'm still on the original wiper blades.

CORSASCHNELL

Thanks for the post, your old plugs look pretty bad. Is this at 60K miles on your car? Did you have any performance issues?

Thanks.

USMC_DS1

I've only had to deal with seized plugs once with my son's 20 yrs old 4Runner and that was once too often. He apparently replaced the plugs w/o applying anti-seize. It only took one year of parking near the coastline for his plugs to seize with the engine block. With some specialty extraction tools we were able to pull them out eventually after a few days of struggling with it... what a PITA. So environmental conditions can greatly affect the timing of when you should change plugs. In the case of our Carrera's... Porsche specifies not to use anti-seize and to apply their specified torque rating (anti-seize grease multiples torque)... I've decided to play it safe and change my plugs more frequently then what is listed within their schedule. It's really not that tough of a job to tackle and provides for mechanical peace of mind vs. a potential for a maintenance nightmare down the road.

ECS Tuning

That's a great DIY, thank you. Major maintenance is recommended at 36,000 miles, and every 36,000 miles thereafter (72,000/108,000/etc.) on your Porsche. Mileage usually has a greater affect on your plugs but still they should be taken out and at least inspected and at that point you might as well change them.



For more information about our Maintenance Kits Click Here

JW911

Yes, 60K. There are deposits there but the firing surfaces were very clean and only slightly worn (see the last photo). No performance issues and it didn't run any differently or better when the new plugs were put in.

JW911

[QUOTE=ECS Tuning;9873299]That's a great DIY, thank you. Major maintenance is recommended at 36,000 miles, and every 36,000 miles thereafter (72,000/108,000/etc.) on your Porsche. Mileage usually has a greater affect on your plugs but still they should be taken out and at least inspected and at that point you might as well change them.

Porsche seems to change their recommended service intervals often for no apparent reason. The spark plug change interval for the 2005 was 4 yrs or 60K miles. I think that was the same through 2008. Changing plugs at 36K is just not needed.

Edgy01

I have long suspected that many of the service materials (oil and filters) and intervals (miles) are becoming more driven by the green agenda. That may not necessarily be good for your own engine life. For example, changing oil was extended substantially due to the stuff being synthetic, but those in the know will change at roughly 6,000 miles, regardless of what they pour in. Also, the engine oil weight is green driven as well--the lighten the engine oil, the easier for the engine to turn in colder temperatures, and the easier that that engine will pass emissions tests. But is too light an oil truly good for an engine? Of course there is the suggestion that lighter oils permit better protection in the first critical 30 seconds after engine start, and the lighter oils are more important to the complex valve train in these Porsche engines. Spark plug technology has come a very long way, and that, coupled with the lack of lead-enhanced fuels, keep them from becoming fouled long before their time. As an older gear head here on Rennlist, the technology improvements to the 911 never cease to amaze me. No longer do we have to worry about distributor caps, rotors, points, CDS ignition--all have been designed out and show up in an entirely different way--and a way that extends the service life of the components.

So often the question arises--which Porsche to buy--and the answer is always fundamentally the same--the "newest you can afford." It will have the best chance of extending service life than anything from the past. We're quite fortunate to live in this period of world history. At the cusp of moving away from internal combustion engines. But the last ones will be at the pinnacle of internal combustion technology.

fatfat

hey JW911, just wanna say THANKS. i installed plugs and coils in my 2006 997 C2, and i was able to do complete it without removing any exhaust parts. only items i removed was the rear tires, the heat shield each side, and a connection on the drivers side for middle plug replacement.

this job is like yoga; more technique then torque. thank you very much again, Fats.

naute

Great write up! I'll be getting those extra bits when I do mine later this year. Cheers!