View Poll Results: See my questions in Post 1 of this thread . . .
Copper plugs
66
14.67%
Iridium plugs
130
28.89%
Platinum plugs
254
56.44%
Voters: 450. You may not vote on this poll
5th Gen Spark Plug Replacements
01-19-2006, 12:29 PM
#121
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 102
Just bought some NGK plats at advanced auto for $9.90/plug. I have an 02 SE. So I originally thought I would just be able to take the upper intake off and not the lower. Can anyone confirm? It seems like I can get to the rear plugs by just removing the upper intake and it seems easier because there less to unplug and an easier gasket to deal with. Thanks!
01-21-2006, 01:14 PM
#130
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 13
at the suggestion of the moron in autozone, i decided to go with the splitfires. i had probably 60K miles on the car. after putting them in, i had serious multi-cylinder misfiring. i went back to autozone and picked up some nippondensos. denso rocks. splitfire sucks. more electrodes cause problems because of the differing gaps and misfiring to a closer electrode. i can't remember if i went with the iridium densos or not. they were definitely expensive.
01-21-2006, 09:09 PM
#131
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 102
So did you guys have to remove the whole intake manifold or can you just remove the upper intake (the single tube that mounts to the lower intake manifold with four bolts). Any response would be greatly appriciated as I plan to put my new NGK plats in tomorrow. 60K on the car btw. Thanks!
01-21-2006, 09:41 PM
#132
3.0L don't have to remove anything intake related.
3.5L you have to remove the upper intake manifold- which takes a couple min to do.
I' do my plugs ever 60K miles also, which reminds me I am do for yet another set as I am at 140K.... shizznit I went over by bout 20K.
3.5L you have to remove the upper intake manifold- which takes a couple min to do.
I' do my plugs ever 60K miles also, which reminds me I am do for yet another set as I am at 140K.... shizznit I went over by bout 20K.
01-21-2006, 10:17 PM
#133
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 102
Thanks BlackBIRDVQ! Just from looking at it I thought I could just remove the upper intake manifold, but the two write-ups I read showed pictures of the whole intake manifold being removed. It's probably easier to remove the whole intake because the bolts are right there, but you have to disconnect a bunch of stuff from it. If only the upper is removed, one of the bolts looks to be a PITA to remove, but after that it should be cake. Then I won't have to worry about dropping stuff inside, replacing the gasket or unplugging and re-pluggin a bunch of hoses and wires. Thanks again!
01-22-2006, 01:36 PM
#134
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 102
Ok, so I was totally wrong. I had to remove the whole intake and not just the upper cast peice. I removed the upper cast piece first and found that the screw holding the coil in closest to the passenger seat was tucked under the intake still. I didn't take much longer take it off and get the new plugs in. The old plugs were worn to a gap around .50. Live and learn.
03-19-2006, 12:54 PM
#135
so copper ngk's or if you get them for a good price the oem plats would be the suggestion if you are still N/A? i read all 5 pages of this thread, and really don't feel that there is definitive line on any of them. if you're concerned with price, the copper, if you are conservative, you go with the oem ngk plats. is that what i am gathering? blackbird...can you get the plats to me for that price? maybe you can get them to stardust and we can do them or if you wanna do a plug change for me next time i am through chi-town??? 
03-19-2006, 05:49 PM
#136
Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 194
Sounds like that if you have a 3.5l /5.5 gen engine, you might as well go platinum just to stretch out the service interval for having to remove the intake. Spending $7 more per plug to do the three back easily pays for itself in time it saves doing this job only once in a blue moon.
03-19-2006, 06:25 PM
#137
thanks...just a side note, the tech that always works on my car told me that he suggested changing before the 100k because by then, most often the spark plugs break as you try to remove them and then it is really a bastard to replace them! another good reason to replace even if you're not seeing any decline in performance.
03-19-2006, 06:25 PM
#138
Originally Posted by IWNTMORHP!!
so copper ngk's or if you get them for a good price the oem plats would be the suggestion if you are still N/A? i read all 5 pages of this thread, and really don't feel that there is definitive line on any of them. if you're concerned with price, the copper, if you are conservative, you go with the oem ngk plats. is that what i am gathering? blackbird...can you get the plats to me for that price? maybe you can get them to stardust and we can do them or if you wanna do a plug change for me next time i am through chi-town???
04-08-2006, 08:55 AM
#140
Originally Posted by 20max01
Does anyone know of another link on how to get to the back plugs? I tried in the stickies and it did not come up,, Thanks!
On the 5th gen it's tough to see the rear coil packs. To give yourself and idea remove the cover (using the 4 allen bolts) to view the front coil packs. The best way to see the rear coil packs is to follow the wire and plug connected to them (the plug is gray with a green tab). They are basically right in the back of the black intake plenum. If you have the right tools (angled socket driver) then it is easy to remove and install those plugs. I also suggest moving the throttle cables out of the way to make it easier (just have to pull them out of their clips/holders.
I hope this helps.....
04-08-2006, 09:01 AM
#141
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 497
Have any of you guys that changed out the plugs after 50k miles noticed an increase in fuel economy? I just got the results from my very first tank of city driving and it was only 19mpg! Of course I did get into it a few times.
04-08-2006, 09:08 AM
#142
Originally Posted by 20max01
Does anyone know of another link on how to get to the back plugs? I tried in the stickies and it did not come up,, Thanks!
04-08-2006, 09:09 AM
#143
Originally Posted by kbohip
Have any of you guys that changed out the plugs after 50k miles noticed an increase in fuel economy? I just got the results from my very first tank of city driving and it was only 19mpg! Of course I did get into it a few times.
04-08-2006, 09:13 AM
#144
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 497
Originally Posted by foodmanry
It should help...but there are a lot of other variables with fuel economy such as weight, how you drive, tire pressure, oxygen sensors, MAF, etc.
04-14-2006, 11:17 AM
#149
Guys, is this the OEM replacment plug???
If it is, this is the cheapest I could find it.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...pe=960&ptset=A
If it is, this is the cheapest I could find it.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...pe=960&ptset=A
04-14-2006, 01:10 PM
#150
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Aurora, Ohio
Posts: 200
Yes those are the OEM replacement plugs. The cheapest I could find them in the Cleveland area was 11.71 per plug. The part number PFR5G-11 is the part number you want for platinums. I am planning on replacing mine soon so I might get them at this online store for $9.99. Good find!!!!!!!!!
04-15-2006, 09:14 AM
#153
Originally Posted by chopstix2nrz
Does anyone here use the bosch plats +2/+3/+4 whatever plugs, my firend had a set and they looked like they put out a good spark... basically splitfire plugs
04-15-2006, 11:19 AM
#154
Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 94
where
Originally Posted by YuAnChen
I change to NGK IX iridiums today.
My car was at 125k now and bought at 110k.
Didnt know last owner change or not, but i just change to NGK IX iridiums today anyway. i bought 10 Cad a pop.
My car was at 125k now and bought at 110k.
Didnt know last owner change or not, but i just change to NGK IX iridiums today anyway. i bought 10 Cad a pop.
lmk, thanks.
04-19-2006, 10:41 AM
#155
Originally Posted by max929
Just ordered them, came out to $63.04 for six (had to charge me sales tax because they have phsical stores in NJ) They said three days shipping so I'll let every one know how their service is.
04-19-2006, 11:39 AM
#157
I replaced my Saturday and w/ OEM ($70 from stealership as other local stores didn't cary them) and I noticed a definate improvement. I was considering replacing the MAF but now I'm reconsidering because I got so much of an improvement from replacing the plugs. I have 87K on my Max.
I took out the plug from the #2 cyl and it looked OK but I decided to replace them anyway. 2 of the plugs I noticed had lost the tip on the electrode. That must have thrown off the gap by about 50%.
The worst plug I had was from the #1 cyl. That was the same cyl that I had to replace the coil on about 2 yrs ago. Anyone who had coil issues may want to inspect the plugs (if they haven't already).
Hopefully I'll see an improvement in gas mileage too (but now that I have more power it is tempting to use it!!)
I took out the plug from the #2 cyl and it looked OK but I decided to replace them anyway. 2 of the plugs I noticed had lost the tip on the electrode. That must have thrown off the gap by about 50%.
The worst plug I had was from the #1 cyl. That was the same cyl that I had to replace the coil on about 2 yrs ago. Anyone who had coil issues may want to inspect the plugs (if they haven't already).
Hopefully I'll see an improvement in gas mileage too (but now that I have more power it is tempting to use it!!)
