Dr.Monkey1313

Hey everyone. As you all know, I am NOT a performance mod guy, so this will be a stupid question to alot of you, but just help me out.

I need badly to replace my spark plugs in my car and would like to do it myself since I have all of the tools to do it including the tork wrench. What spark plugs to I use for a 1996 I30? I believe I have over 160K on the plugs that are in there now. LOL

I have heard that on some cars, you have to use the dealers plugs or the car idles rough or you have some issues, but was not sure if this is true for our cars or not?

What plugs should I use and is there anything else that I should replace while I am doing this that is easy for a novice to do?

Thanks for your help everyone and hope you all had a great holiday!

lawrencel715

wow 160k.....that's pretty crazy. running nearly 3 times it's recommended life. i just bought 18 ngk copper spark plugs for about 1.25 each, maybe less, i forgot. with shipping, the order came out to like 30 bucks. i can't quite remember the site i got them from, and i'm lazy to look. it took me awhile to find it though.

you should probably also replace your air filter, that isn't too hard. maybe your oil too O_o. hope you're not going 15,000 miles without an oil change.

Luigi38

iTrader: (2)

YOu def gotta change the plugs and you will feel the difference.
The dealer uses NGK because they are japanese, but any platinum plug will do. I use the platinum ones with 4 tips and they work perfectly.

L0R1DA

NGK IX Plugs are a reliable and trusted brand, but I run on Denso Iridiums. Since you seem to be like me; I want to put a part in and not have to worry about it for 160k miles (lol). Go with iridiums, almost any brand, it lasts much longer than platinum, you will really appreciate this when you see what your old spark plugs look like! With the mileage you describe their tips should look like toy soldiers under an hour of magnifying glass in July.

Dr.Monkey1313

LMAO!! Thanks for the info everyone. I feel like such a schmuck for letting them go this long, but I have just been putting this off and putting this off forever, OBVIOUSLY!

So it sounds like any plug will work fine and not cause any issues with how the car runs, but the Iridium plugs will last longer than Platnum?

I may try changing them out this weekend. Anything I should be aware of for the instalation?

Thanks again everyone and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

Dr.Monkey1313

Oh, and just so you all don't think I am misstreating my baby, I change the oil every 3000 miles, and get all the recommended maintenance things done when they should be done.

LOL It's just the spark plugs that have been neglected. I SWEAR!!!!!!!

AND, I wash and wax her almost every other weekend and keep the inside oiled up and shiny. LOL

DAMN SPARK PLUGS!!!!!!!

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Just any single tip plat should suit your needs doc.

lawrencel715

not to curse your car or anything, and knock on wood, but i think platinum on a 160,000 mile 10 year old car isn't worth it. i'd stick to coppers, save the money, and try to remember to change it in 15,000 miles.

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

NGK coppers or plats.

Dr.Monkey1313

Sounds good. Thanks everyone. I am planning on doing this on Monday, so wish me luck.

Again, I really appreciate everyones help. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

kcryan

iTrader: (1)

for him id go plats, every 60k, but that if he goes over hes alright

Dr.Monkey1313

OK, so I am in the garage trying to replace my spark plugs and I have a quick question. I am usign a torq wrench to install the plugs. How do I know when they are tight enough? lol

It sounds like a stupid question to me, but the plugh seems pretty tight and I was thinking that I would hear a click or something from the torq wrench?

Can I basically just make sure the plugh is tight and snug and assume that will be alright, or do I really have to be presice on this?

Thanks!

Dr.Monkey1313

OK, ANOTHER QUESTION:

I am assuming that the three other things on the back of the engine are the other three spark plugs??? They have a red plastic top on them and are held on by a metal bracket with two philips head screws?

Anyway, if these are the other 3 spark plugs, then how the hell do I get that red plastic thing out of the whole!!! I have been trying everything!!!

Please HELP!!!

Dr.Monkey1313

Alright, I am done!!!!!!!! AND... the car starts and drives fine! wooohoooo!!

I know this is no big deal to all of you performance modders our there, but for me, it is a BIG deal to do something under the hood, even if it is just changing spark plugs,

Anyway, Thank you again to everyone for helping me out with this and I took pictures of the process and will probably put together a "how to" so if any other non- performance modders out there want to try it, it will hopefully be a lot easier with color pictures and diagrams for you to look at.

PS. I obviously FINALLY figured out that I was not looking at the rear spark plugs when I mentioned the red cap things earlier. I still have no idea what those are, but I did find the rear spark plugs. What a ***** to get to!!! LOL

THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Those are your fuel injectors lol

Dr.Monkey1313

Lmao!! Doh!!!!!!

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Congrats on the DIY maintenance. Whats next on the list for ya?

Dr.Monkey1313

Thanks i30ds. Not sure. I thought of a new idea for tail lights and rear turn signals last night that include LED's, so I might try that out this weekend.

How about you? What are you doing these days with your ride? I mean, it looks like you have been pretty busy with some other Org. member in one of the other Forums. LOL What is that about? That is the longest going thread in the history of the Org!! LMAO.

I think you two should meet up at my place and I will build a backyard boxing ring for the two of you. BUT, you both have to wear blindfolds AND wear gigantic boxing gloves. What do you think?

QUICK QUESTION:

How do you know if you installed your spark plugs correctly? I mean, if one of them is not installed correctly, then would you notice it? I guess I am asking, if something was done wrong, then would it be obvious?

Thanks again and have a great day!

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Thats a good idea for the tails. I saw some 4th gen guys that did that to their rides and it looked absolutely hot! You should give it a shot.


I just did my 90K maintenance (plugs, fuel filter, coolant, power steering) last spring so I dont have anything but oil changes until 120K which I probably wont hit until 2007. I plan on taking it down to the dyno here some time in the next couple of weeks when I find time. I want to get some high quality rims, finish my custom leather interior (still need to do rear bench), intsall a 98-99 style steering wheel, and then I will pretty much be done with this car. I was going to SC it but, I decided to leave it NA... enough money has been spent already with the 5spd swap and all. I am still going to keep it though...

That other business with that guy is nothing... I'm just playing. I am just trying to get a rise out of him. A lot of his responses don't make a whole lot of sense which just makes me laugh harder. I'm just having a good time with that one. That boxing ring would be a blast!

Just as long as they are tight you are good. I think the factory torque specs on those are under 20 ft/lbs. which is not a whole lot. The only way I could see a problem is if you did not have them screwed in all the way (i.e. REALLY loose... like only a few threads in)... If this was the case, you would probably be getting some really bad compression and combustion on that cylinder and you would notice it right away with terrible driveability... I'm sure you're fine.

Dr.Monkey1313

LOL cool. Thanks for the info and re-assurance about the plugs. The things you are talking about doing sound cool! Good luck with them. Kep us all posted on how it goes.

flipinstyxs

I just got my sparks plugs done today; did it all myself and boy, what a back breaker it was!!!! I'm new to this type of car and it took me almost 2 hours to get them changed out (my first time). The plugs that I got in replacement were the NGK IX Iridiums (6.99 a pop). I've read all over the maxima 5th gen forums that these plugs are pretty good and are somewhat better than the standard OE NGK Laser Plats used in infiniti and maximas. I bought my car used at around 46K and its now at 65K. The plugs that i pulled out look really close to the "Spark Plug removal" forum pictures found in the 5th gen maxima stickies under "installation DIY" boards. If anyone needs help doing this job please read that sticky as it had helped me a great deal before i dove right into the job. The most important tool that you'll need is definitely that 10" socket extender; dont ghetto rig a bunch of 3" extenders together or else you'll get your extenders stuck into the spark plug holes and its a nightmare to get them out. Buy some sort of locking system extender (10") if they have it so that your spark plug socket wont get stuck down there in them holes.

I definitely feel the power band back on this car, especially when its floored down. Another thing that helped my get my power back is the oil change that i did. I live up here in colorado and sometimes in the winter it gets super cold. I had 10W 30 in my car and i just found out that that type of oil is super molasses compared to 5W 30 or 0W 30 for the winter time. After i did my oil change back to synthetics 5W 30...i got back my missing 100 miles per tank!!!! I had no idea that oil could make such a difference. Use bosch oil filters and use no oil additives as it tends to thicken the oil consistency in the engine. Its great for older older maximas and infiniti's; adds more protection too but you sacrifice miles because its harder to pump that thick oil through the engine....

my 2 cents worth..

05redrex

Nice to see everything work out... sometimes plugs don't want to come out after being in that long. I figured the aluminum heads would have lost some threads at least.

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Take some time and read some of the threads in the FI forum about Matty and his SC bracket. Supposedly you can do a basic SC kit for less than 2K easy with his new Stillen knock off bracket. I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the SC stuff but what Matty is doing looks pretty promising. Screw the sterring wheel and leather, go for some power. A FI 5spd I30 is a hell of a sleeper and a pretty fun car.

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Yeah, I actually came across his thread yesterday and I saved it as a favorite in my web browser. I'd have to say that my intertest is back for the SC. My original goal was to do SC but when stillen backed out of the deal with me, I settled for just tying up a few loose ends on the car (steering wheel and leather) and then moving on to my next project car. Anyways, I was thinking that if I could give this car some boost for less than $2000, thats great bang for your buck!! It will be a little more research and work than just buying a stillen kit, but it basically cuts the price in half. And I know the exrta work is not above my capabilities.

Thanks for the encouragement Mike.

Luigi38

iTrader: (2)

Shoot I'm def interested in the SC, I was thinking about a turbo later on when Im not a broke college student, but I think turbo it is way too much work and research, go SC. It will be tite if my car can get some boost, cuz its laagin like crap.
hey mike i hope your car is a rocket, i remember your ride cuz its just like mine.