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Spark Plugs - Help!

52K views 44 replies 20 participants last post by  Iamscotticus  
#1 ·
I have a 2015 Colorado V6 - I'd like to change the spark plugs, but it looks like there are 2 that require the intake to be removed or loosened. Has anyone done a spark plug change - if so - how difficult was the intake to remove? I don't want to start messing around too much with my daily...they are a hell of a lot easier to change on my MG B!
 
#2 · (Edited)
Have not done it, but have studied it while I had the engine cover off to install my catch can. The 3 on the passenger side require the intake to be removed in order to get the coil packs out. You should be able to do it, but if it is your daily driver, it is a job you would want to start before the weekend. It’s about 6-9 bolts to remove the intake and a few hoses to remove to get the intake off. You can look at some YouTube videos, but none are for our identical LFX V6, but they will give you a general idea. Really not a big job, if you have any mechanical experience. Just make sure that you use compressed air to blow any grit off that may be on top of the engine so it does not fall into the intake ports while you have the intake off.
 
#4 ·
I have not done the plugs but I have done the intake. It's not a big deal. Give yourself a few hours just in case. It gets fiddly with the rear bolts because they have to stay in because they are under the cowl area. use cloths pins or something to hold them up a little when removing and installing the intake. Also IIRC there are two way in the back on a bracket that need to come out. They are hidden but once you find them no biggy.

For what its worth, I would not let any plug go more than 80k or so, they should do 100 but that is pushing them big time.

p.s. not positive the intake HAS to come off but the front plugs look like it does.

Let us know how it goes.

Oh, take a look at the intake valves while you are there, curious what they look like at high mileage. You might want to drain the oil out of the intake while its off. (catch can reference) ;)

What is your mileage anyway?
 
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#10 ·
No issues yet, but I am at 117K miles. I have had some hesitation on cold mornings, but it's inconsistent, and probably related to the purge valve solenoid sticking. Just for kicks I asked the dealer, and they wanted $600 for the sparks...that's charging $15/plug. I know my mechanic could do it for a lot less.

I looked in the Chilton manual, it looks like the intake has to come off. There's one video on Youtube, but its poorly done...looks like the guy just lifted the intake a little to get to it.


 
#7 ·
Plugs last today as they are considered emissions parts and are covered under the emissions warranty. This is why they are now using th3 better plugs.

The only issue is the can be difficult to get out at higher miles in some engines. None of my 3.6 have had enough mikes to change plugs yet. My last I traded off before the were due.
 
#9 ·
For spark plug replacement my manual provides:

Preliminary Procedure:
Remove the ignition coil. Refer to Ignition Coil Replacement - Bank 1 , and Ignition Coil Replacement -
Bank 2 .

The second step of Ignition Coil Replacement - Bank 1 is: Remove the intake manifold. Refer to Intake Manifold Replacement .

Not saying that there isn't a better way or shortcut.
 
#15 ·
A number of things can accelerate s plug change interval. Bad gas... extreme lugging of the motor, over heating... lots of cold starts and short trips where the engine never warms up (large carbon deposit in cylinder and on plug)

I guess like everything, a super ideal condition you can go far, but if you stray outside of ideal perimeters it changes the expectancy
 
#17 ·
Bit of a late update - had the sparks changed at 140K miles (just after having the oil cooling lines replaced) - got an engine misfire code (not on a cold morning). Initially the dealer quoted me $600 for sparks, so I obviously didn't go that route. Had my mechanic do the sparks and ignition coils, had to take off the plenum and intake (and wait for parts because of the strike). Engine runs much better - still ridiculous that so much has to be removed just for sparks. Hoping my next truck won't be this much of a pain...
 
#18 ·
I just changed spark plugs, agree it was a pain. I guess if I had to do it again, I could do it in an hour since I know what has to be done now. Wasted 10 minutes trying to get that stupid plastic engine cover off, finally went and found a post here to remind me about the hidden clamp underneath. Then I screwed around trying to not have to remove or loosen the intake manifold.

I only changed the plugs, and at 91K, they looked pretty good. Had I known they would look that good, probably would have waited. But once you start on a $^$#*& job like that, you might as well finish it.

Dealer wanting $600 for plugs is ridiculous. Give him $100 for the plugs, and a good tech should be able to do the job in a hour. Not sure waht shop rates are these days, but can't imagine they are over $200 per hour.

I assume you had to wait for coils, as plugs should be on the shelf at any auto parts store.
 
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#19 ·
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#21 ·
Last time I was in, dealer labor was $125/hr.
 
#22 ·
Cary, Did you get a peek at your valves?
 
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#23 ·
I did not pull the intake totally off, just loosened it enough to pull the plugs. My wife had plans for me that day and she was growing inpatient.

I tend to hate any sort of dirt or build up. Even acceptable build up would have driven me crazy. Better that I not look at it. What should be a short task could easily have turned into an all day affair. I did the plug change, opened up the liners inside the front fender wells and cleaned out the acorns and leaves, and felt like I had accomplished a few things for the day.
 
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#24 ·
I tend to agree with not looking, don’t need anything else to lose sleep over. It’s bad enough thinking about all the leaves that must be in my fenders, knowing that I cannot get them out because of the factory fender flares.
 
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#26 · (Edited)
Plug change on a V6, I will take it any day. Buying a 2.8L diesel, NEVER!
 
#27 · (Edited)
For what it is worth, I messed up big time. My 21 year old daughter had a beater 2002 Suzuki Grand Vitara with a 2.5 V6 in it. Nothing but old cars for my kids, cuz they pay for half of the cost to buy them, and they are likely to dent 'em up anyway. The downside of that strategy is I have to maintain two old beater cars for my two kids.

She lives 25 miles away from me and I see her once a week. I do the best I can at maintaining her old 'Zook which actually was a pretty cool vehicle with a real 4x4 lever and low range, it was a beast in the snow. It was a good running and reasonably well maintained vehicle.

Anyway, at 145K miles, it started missing badly. She drove it that way to my house. I checked the MAF, it was OK, then I decided to check the plugs as I had never replaced them and the records that came with it (2 owner car) did not say anything about plugs. The engine in that vehicle faces forward, as God intended, and the spark plugs are cake to get to, nothing in the way at all. The iridium plugs in that thing were hammered, I am amazed it ran actually.

My heart sank though, when I pulled one of them, the tip was fragged clean off. It must have rattled around in the cylinder for awhile before going out an exhaust valve. Put new plugs in and it seemingly ran fine for another 3 months or so, but then she called crying - the car broke down, engine making horrible noise, she limped it to a gas station. I got over there, it was evident it had dropped a valve. I surmise a valve got bent/damaged when the spark plug tip broke off, and it took awhile to fail.

I called a salvage company and got it towed away, they gave me $150 for it. The whole episode made me sad, as it was so easily preventable. In the case of that poor little Suzuki anyway, 145K was the limit.

After that crummy experience, I quickly grabbed my other kid's good running '06 Mazda 6 with 120K on the clock and changed it's plugs, and they were quite worn. I think 100K is a reasonable service interval for irridium plugs, I do not want to go past that.

Kid #1 has my wife's '07 KIA now, that has 130K on it, getting the plugs changed this week, along with the timing belt, etc. Wife got a clean used one owner 35K mile '16 Ford C-Max Energi plug in hybrid, which has been a great addition, as it is the ultimate short trip vehicle, running on electricity for 20 miles or so.

All this business with the spark plugs kinda makes me glad my Canyon is a diesel, alas that has it's own set of concerns. There is no free lunch it seems :LOL:
 
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#30 ·
Absolutely. I agree.
 
#34 ·
the important part is from the tapered seat to the end of the electrode.
they look correct to me.
I'm sure they will be fine, I just like to use OEM for spark plugs.
 
#42 ·
Just stumbled on this thread. Just did coils and plugs on my 2016 with the 3.6. Put it all back together and the engine shudders and I get the "stabilitrak" light come on. Sounds like I’m not running all 6 cylinders. Did the whole procedure again and double checked torque specs for plugs, intake manifold and made sure all hoses are back. Still same outcome. Thoughts?
 
#44 ·
Cracked plug, a plug with the gap closed, you got a bad coil.

A scan tool would help. Is a lean code being set also? Look at the misfire data to see which cylinder is misfiring.
 
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#43 ·
Loose vacuum hose somewhere. Maybe forgot to hook up a sensor wire?

I remember missing one little item when I put it back together, but can't remember what it was.
 
#45 ·
You forgot to plug the MAF plug back.
Probably. Thats not your fault, it happens to everyone.

Did you you not use OEM spark plugs? If not, that's your fault.