If you plan on changing your own plugs, I recommend that you tackle the back three first because of all the things obstructing access to the plugs.

How do Nissan engineers decide where to locate this stuff? Throw darts at a dart board?

Geez....

 

There is nothing obstructing the acces to any of the plugs, maybe just one. The one closest to the throttle body, all you do is remove two blts that hold the EVAP component in place and move it out of the way. It's a 1 hour process even if you take your time.

 

hmm, had no problems replacing mine. didn't even have to remove anything but the coilpacks themselves.(and the cover for the front ones.)

 

The rear spark plugs weren't that hard to replace, they were a bit more difficult than the front, but still easy to do.

 

Sorry, guys, but for my 1998 I30, it was not so easy as what you had it. See photo below:

 

Ha! You haven't tried changing plugs on a Mazda Millenia with the Miller Cycle Engine (POS).

 

take of hose b4 changing #4.
disconnect and move cables b4 doing #5.
remove bracket and move cables aside b4 doing #6.
a lil prep goes a long way...

 

only thing i used to replace the rear plugs is an extra long extension.

 

Mine is the same as the pic you posted and 4 and 5 have nothing blocking it, nothing.

 

1 hour dave? cmon now, takes like 20 minutes, lets be honest

 

I said if you take your time. By that I meant take out plug, go sleep for 10 minutes. Repeat for all 6 plugs and you get an hour.

 

haha, alright. didnt look deep enough into your post

 

The Back 3 are more difficult to get to but not that hard, I agree the first time doing it, it was very frustating but since that one time I know how to get to them and in 20 mins top, old plugs can be out and new ones in.

 

yeah, first time should take half hour-45 minutes, but once you know to remove those two 12 mm bolts in back, its a snap.

 

now have fun changing the fuel filter =x

 

I guess I failed to mention that I have a bad back from an auto accident, and what made it a pain for me -- literally -- is the fact that I had to do a lot more stretching and bending into awkward positions than I had anticipated.

There is not a lot of room back there to work.

One unexpected surprise was seeing my wrench extension disappear...little did I realize that the depth of the plugs on the back three were deeper than the front. I had a second extension that I piggybacked onto it, but the combination turned out to be too long for comfort.

Whoever worked on the car before me used a lot more torque on plug #6 than the recommended amounts -- it took two hands to loosen it.

Also, the coil connector on plug#5 refused to budge. I managed to loosen it with the flat blade of a screwdriver, but not before I broke off the plastic tab.

The moral of the story is that not every car has plugs, coil connectors, screws and nuts that move as easily as a greased pig on ice. Every repair situation is different because used car parts vary in their degree of mobility -- as do the owners! :-)

One final point. Changing the plugs is more easily done from the passenger side of the car than the driver's side...which is fine if you are right-handed.

I'm left-handed.