Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (August 2001, week 5)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 29 Aug 2001 22:13:04 -0500
Reply-To:     Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Organization: not likely
Subject:      Re: REQ: "Idiot's Guide to Changing Spark Plugs"
Comments: To: Chris Paquette <cp@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> I'm a bumbling, certified NON-mechanic.

well .. that's better than being a bumbling, certified mechinic!! :)

> He doesn't have the time to change the plugs for me, and (don't laugh) I've > never done it. I can borrow a spark plug wrench from a friend; can anyone > with some spare time give me a walk-through of how exactly to change the > plugs, i.e., tools needed, "Whatever you do, DON'T disconnect the Widget" > etc.?

ok, what you'll need to have before you begin. - 3/8-inch ratchet wrench. short one. about 6-8 inches long. don't get one any longer, cause it'll allow you to put too much torque on the plug and you can snap it in two. - 3/8-inch extension (to fit between the wrench and the socket). get at least a 6-inch one. 8-inch is better if you can find it. longer is harder to work with and shorter sucks. - 3/8-inch socket. it's for a 14mm spark plug, and i think it's 13/16ths in size. it's the larger of the various spark plug sockets. you want the one that has the foam insert inside (this holds the plug in place while you are contorting your body to get the plug going into the holes). :) - a tube or can of Never-Seize or Anti-Seize. this is a copper-based goop that you sparingly spread (with can-top-provided brush or fingers) onto the threads of the spark plug ... makes them easier to get out next time. - if you can find it, a wire-gauge type spark plug gapper. this is a little tool that you use to check and make sure the spark plug electrodes are PDC (pretty damned close) to the right spec distance (printed somewhere on the spark plug box). - a flat blade screwdriver. for removing the air flow meter rubber boot clamp.

ok, status of bus ... - engine OFF. - rear hatch is opened (if you've got weak struts, prop it up with something ...otherwise, you'll be bonking your head for sure!). - rear cushion (if you have one) is removed. - rear carpet-thingie is removed. - engine hatch is removed (you can see the engine). - lotsa daylight, or brightly lit garage/carport, or nice flourescent tube-light trouble light. :)

three of the spark plugs are fairly easy. number 1 is the bitch ... it's under the air cleaner box. :( let's start on the other side first. the plugs are numbered, starting at left front and going to left rear, 4 and 3. on the right side, front is 1 and rear is 2. front means front of the bus (you are standing behind the bus, looking toward the driver's seat).

do these, one plug at a time. do not move to the next spark plug until you have completed the previous one.

starting with the front left, number 4. find the spark plug wire and connector. wiggle and twist and pull the connector off the spark plug. pay attention to where the spark plug is ... once the connector is off, it's hard to see down there. put the extension into the socket, then the extension onto the ratchet wrench. set the selector to 'loosen' (this means that the ratchet should make clickitty noises if you move the handle in a counter-clockwise rotation (about the extension) .. like you are gonna open a water spigot). put the socket down in that little hole where the plug is and put the socket onto the plug. push it down onto the plug until you hear it kinda click. then start ratcheting to loosen the plug. it takes a while to get the plug all the way out (that's where the foam insert comes in handy ... it keeps the plug in the socket). once you get the plug out, set it aside. it helps to have a piece of cardboard or something with holes in it so you can keep the old plugs separate. and mark the holes with the number of the plug ... that way, you can compare the plugs later. if you let them get mixed up, you can't tell which one came out of number 4 and which one was number 2. now take the new plug and with the gapper tool, make sure that the electrode(s) are about the right distance from the center post. it's usually pretty close, so you could skip this if you want to. remove the little round thingie that may or may not be threaded onto the top of the plug. it's usually copper colored and american car plug connectors need it, but vw's don't. you should have only the threaded little post sticking out at the top of the plug (the top is the non-electrode end. the part that is gonna be sticking out of the engine). (check the old plug ... the new one needs to look like it on this end). put some of the Never-Seize on the thread. easy does it ... don't drown the threads. just make sure some of it goes all the way around, not just on one side. put the new plug into the socket, push it down into the foam insert. now comes the fun part ... take the ratchet off the extension and try angling the extension and socket (with plug in it) so you can get the plug started in the threads in the hole in the engine. this is also the important part ... you do NOT want to get those threads cross-threaded!! it'll feel right if it's lined up and the threads are matching up .. if it feels the least bit wrong, back it out. check to see if you're in the right place and try again. once you get the threads started, screw it down with your hand/fingers as far as you can ... this ensures that you don't cross-thread anything with the power of the ratchet. when you have screwed it in a pretty good ways with your hand, then put the ratchet on the extension and tighten it the rest of the way. how tight is enough? when it gets tight, grip the ratchet as close to the extension as you can (NOT way out on the end of the handle) and tighten it as tight as you can ...unless you're an arm-wrestling champeen, you shouldn't be able to tighten it too tight, gripped that way. i think 18 ft-lbs is the torque spec, if you want to use a torque-wrench. it's about the same amount that you tighten the oil drain plug. now pull the socket/extension/ratchet out and find the connector and plug wire that you took off a while ago. if necessary, start at the distributor and follow the wires. ;) put the connector back onto the new plug. push it on til it clicks.

done? ok, now move to the left rear. number 3. same thing as before, but here, if you have air conditioning, the compressor and bracket may get in the way. work around them. sorry, but that's the only way. :)

when that one is also done, move to the right side. you can get to the number 2 (right rear) plug without removing the air cleaner, but it's easier to just do both after you've removed it. to remove air cleaner box - - with the screwdriver, loosen the clamp on the right end of the black rubber elbow that connects the air flow meter to the intake manifold thingie (where the accelerator cable connects to the engine). wiggle the boot off the air flow meter. - there's a brass-colored clamp thingie on top of the air cleaner box. it attaches the box to the right side of the engine compartment. unsnap it ... it's kinda tight/tough so it'll take some force to move it. but don't get gorilla with it. :) - once unsnapped, wiggle the air cleaner box upwards until its little feet come out of the holes in the shelf (you'll see it when it comes out ... those feet have to go back in those holes) and flop the whole mess over onto the cargo deck (the area around the engine hatch opening) ... flop carefully. you don't want to damage the air flow meter. leave all the wires attached to everything .. they are long enough to do this.

ok, now you have room to get to the two plugs on the right side. same thing as before. one at a time.

once done, we have to put the air cleaner back in place. unflop it and seat the little legs on the bottom of the black plastic air cleaner box into those two rubber-grommeted holes in that little shelf that sticks out from the right wall of the engine compartment. MAKE SURE NO INJECTION WIRES of any kind are caught between that shelf and the air cleaner box!!! otherwise, you can wind up melting the whole wiring harness when a pinched wire wears through and shorts out. :( now fit the rubber elbow back onto the air flow meter and tighten the screw on the clamp to hold it. no, it isn't a good clamp. no, it doesn't take too much tightening, but don't leave it too loose either. hard to tell you how much is enough. you just have to kinda feel it and try wiggling the clamp to see if it's tight enough.

that's it. :)

> Also, any recommendations of spark plug brands or types favored by Westy > owners would be appreciated. Do double- and triple-fire spark plugs make > any difference?

i'm partial to bosch w7tdc ... they have three prongs and seemed to smooth my idle and improve my gas mileage over the long term. no, really. in 70,000 miles of using these plugs (two sets ... they last a long time), my overall from-day-one mpg went up 1.1 mpg. and as far as i can figure, i didn't change anything else. :)

they aren't cheap, though. :(

good luck! joel


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.